Shopsmith Forums

I must apologize for the inadequacies of the poll but even after havings them pointed out to me there is nothing I can do to make a correction. Even if I initiated another poll it would have similar shortcomings because there can be only ten subjects in the poll (alimitation of the forum software).

I do apologize.

Dusty,

Many years ago a statistician taught me a sucessful poll only provides the options fitting what you want to hear. Politicians are expert at that. fjimp

The most used single tool in my shop (except for my chair) is my Rigid TS3650 table saw.
The real key to the way I work in my shop however is having a bunch of Shopsmiths and all of the interchangeability I have between them. While those not fond of Shopsmiths whine about the setups I love the highly flexible nature of all of the setups I can make. I never do but if I wanted to for some project I could have for that day a half dozen drill presses if I liked, each sat up differently. The same applies to saws, lathes etc. I have a couple of SS mortising sets and could set up both of them each with a different setup. The same goes for dado sets, molding heads etc. I never lack for a place to quickly stick on some attachment like a wire wheel or a buffing wheel or the like. The possible combinations are endless...
As woodworkers we are always setting up table extensions and supports etc. I have found that the most useful extension system for a Shopsmith is another Shopsmith sitting behind the one I am using and just providing material support. I sometimes use two fences on the support SS.
I know of no other tool that could be used in multiples and have that kind of flexibility. Not even close...

I have found that the most useful extension system for a Shopsmith is another Shopsmith sitting behind the one I am using and just providing material support.

DUH... I just hurt my head.....What an obvious solution that has never occurred to the many of us with multiple Shopsmiths....

Doc

beeg wrote:I would LOVE to see a picture of your shop and all of the SS you have.

Ditto from mckyd!!

Here in Gainesville, I have one 520 in my 230 sq ft "half" of the garage. The addition of a power station has improved my flexibility greatly as it now powers my bandsaw and scroll saw. With the Pro-Planer on it's own stand I have packed a lot of shop into a small space.

However, where I really challenge the stand alone tool "whiners", is in my Upper Peninsula "Workshop in the Woods"; http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/G ... id=4871188 . There I have two 520's, two bandsaws, two jointers, a scroll saw, jig saw (old model), belt sander, planer on it's own stand, power station, and a DC3300. I often have one shopsmith mounted vertically, and the other set-up in saw mode with the jointer on the side. I usually have the bandsaw mounted on the power station. I'm still learning how to use all this flexibility. I'll be taking another 510 up North with me next month, but the plan for it is to have it go out to Denver for my two nephews to use.

beeg wrote:I would LOVE to see a picture of your shop and all of the SS you have.

Give me a couple of weeks... I'm still in mid move of the woodshop from from the old farm shop building and things are kind of piled on top of each other. Of course things get like that much of the time anyway.
I am also shoe-horning a complete western boot rebuilding shop mostly into a small back room and a large stove nook of the woodshop (a location decision I finally just made this week for sure) and I have all of that equipment and supplies sitting all over the place too right now. Some of that dang stuff is almost all cast iron and several machines weigh around 600 to 800 pounds each. It won't need a lot of room once tucked in and a few pieces will see a little service in the woodshop (sanding equipment and power nailing equipment). BTW, back when I owned a shoe repair shop I used to do some boot and shoe work on a Shopsmith. I had a number of adapters so I could use some of that stuff on the SS. It worked quite well.
I'm hoping that over the next 10 days that I will receive a major visit from the "organizing fairy".

Here's hoping your "Organizing Fairy" is better organized than the "Bed Fairy" in our house!

Hey Farmer I hope you don't have to wait for the organizer Fairy for as many decades as I have waited fjimp