To buy or not

[chiroindixon]

That "songofthegreatlakes.com" that reible posted is a great asset in this debate.

I've had the tool debate with many folks.....my one good friend went to an all separate tools arrangement when he bought an old woodworker out. I tried the entire time to have him go ShopSmith but to no avail. (It didn't help when he got burned on a SS eBay sting.) All his stand alones are crammed in less than a half a garage and basically unusable.

That banjo maker lays the SS argument out very well...and in pictures. Just quit debating folks and send them to that website. Not only was I happy to find it, but I learned a trick or two.

So quit wasting time and keystrokes. Send anyone interested in a ShopSmith to that site. You'll look all the smarter for it.

Doc

[rcartmetal]

I've had my 1963 500 for over 18 years now, and have done a bunch of stuff with it. I also have a contrators saw that I like as well. What I am finding now, though, is that aside from ripping big honking stuff I don't use the Table saw much. If I want to do something that the SS has trouble with I pull out my hand tools. With a few shop made fixtures I can cut any angle on anything with a back saw, then fine tune the joint with another fixture and a handplane.
The hand tools are quiet and don't make dust, they make shavings, which are hard to inhale. Combining a SS and hand tools has been a revelation for me and the work that I do.

Spike

[putttn]

This forum is really impressive. Maybe a reason to justify the purchase of the SS alone! Seems like there's lots of help and I could really use it when it comes to carpentry/woodwork. I've found a couple of used SS 520's in my area that I'll look at, price in the $800 range. Don't know if that's good or bad but they do have some extras too. Can't seem to justify $3,500 at this point in my early stage of this hobby. By the way, do these have a vacuum attachment? Will be using in my garage so need to keep it somewhat clean.

[chiroindixon]

If you can really find used 520's in your area...grab one....or maybe two.

Get a ShopSmith catalog and study closely....then you'll know what you're looking at...

Good luck,

Doc

[paulmcohen]

By the way, do these have a vacuum attachment? Will be using in my garage so need to keep it somewhat clean.

520's have vacuum ports on the saw, Disk Sander and bandsaw. You can get another inexpensively for the Drill Press. They are also available for the lathe. If you sand I would strongly recommend them.

[putttn]

Wow, I've found three in my area. One is a 1995 Mark V and hardly ever used if at all and he wants $1500, another a few years old and wants $1,300 and another that has pics that make it look used but in "great shape" that wants $850. Sure appreciate all the input here. Not as bad as $3,500 for a new one but still pretty good investment for used equipment.

[fjimp]

Putttn said; Not as bad as $3,500 for a new one but still pretty good investment for used equipment.

It will be an investment you will never regret. This comment assums reasonable condition of course. Jim

[charlese]

Just got in to this thread - found the "songofthegreatlakes" web site to be agreat one to offer to anyone contemplating a shopsmith purchase.

When reading this thread I once again found a "listed" shortcomming of the SS that I just cannot agree with. What is this business of saying a SS can't handle mitering a long piece of crown moulding (or for that matter any type of moulding)? All one needs to do is first cut off the longer piece to make it shorter. Using a straight 45 (as opposed to a compound) cut off a 4 foot length. Then saw your appropriate miter on the other end. All that is needed now is to put the two pieces back together when installing. Simple and tight fitting! All that may be needed is slight filler and sanding.

Look! most walls and celings of homes are not perfectly square or plumb. You will have to do some touch up filling and sanding anyway.

I Just made a piece of crown moulding from red oak and installed it below the top of a corner china cabinet I am building. The compound mitre joints fit so well that there is no filler needed. Also the grain runs continously around the crown moulding. Made up some dentil moulding to fit below the crown. It all fits very well. Used the SS for all operations except use of a router for the upper line of the moulding.
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Charlese

[deanthom]

This forum is really impressive. Maybe a reason to justify the purchase of the SS alone! ...I've found a couple of used SS 520's in my area that I'll look at, price in the $800 range. Don't know if that's good or bad but...

Just remember, as someone who's not owned a Shopsmith before, you want to really kick the tires hard!

Putttn, be sure to check your private messages.

[dusty]

Charlese

The cabinet shown in your last post looks like it is going to be really great. The detail in your crown molding really gives it a professional touch. Yes, miter joints are a very good way to increase the length of a piece of finished molding; this works much better than a butt joint.

Don't overlook the sanding disk. While you have that table or miter set to trim molding, without changing settings, change from saw blade to the sanding disk. Touch those miters with the sanding disc, glue the joint when you install it and you'll hardly be able to find it. It will disappear completely if you're painting.

This requires a bit of forethought to prevent having to change back and forth between saw blade and sanding disk but it works.

To Buy or Not - that was the question. I believe the answer is easy unless you are getting ready to set up a "professional woodworking shop" and you have adequate space for all of the standalone equipment. Then the question might be - do I need a Shopsmith to supplement all of this others.
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