Some Shopsmith history (Kinda)

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Ed in Tampa
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Post by Ed in Tampa »

dusty wrote:You seem to speak with authority, Ed, on these issues and maybe you are BUT

I suggest that you be very careful with your statements about the trunnions having been drilled incorrectly. There is tangible evidence that the front and rear trunnions were different AND some of us chose to redrill our rear trunnions BUT there has been no confirmation that we are to spec in having done so.

I recently posted comments stating that maybe my Centerline Problem was introduced to my Mark V as a direct result of the rear trunnion being redrilled.

I cannot confirm that now because I don't have any trunnions that are virgin. I just have to be careful when I do a complete table alignment that I don't reintroduce that mal-alignment.
Dusty
Forgive me if I come off sounding like a know it all I didn't mean to appear that way.

As for the Trunions I think my original 510 upgrade papers said not to touch one bolt of the four I think it was the one we drilled.

I checked the trunions on my two main tables and if I remember correctly one hole in each was smaller than the other.

I thought in our trunion discussions Nick verified that all four holes should be the same size.

You said you drilled yours and it made alignment that very easy. So I drilled my one trunion making the smaller hole the same size as the other three.

On my second trunion set I drilled it not to enlarge the hole but to clean something from the 2 or three of the four holes.

I don't totally remember what all I did because if you remember the last trunion I drilled came out of my clamp and smack my thumb so hard I heard bells. :eek:

I still have problems with that thumb.

I think as of today I have one set of trunions where every hole is the exact same size ( they are on the main table I normally use) and I have set where three are one size and one is a size smaller.

As to quality and high standards I believe my Shopsmith 500 was built using the highest standards possible.

I believe my 510 upgrade was built quick and dirty

I believe my 520 upgrade once again displayed most of the quality I first found in my 500, the quality I thought was lost forever from my 510 upgrade experience.

Now in another thread we have a report of Customer Service contacting a customer to let them know the answer they first gave was incorrect and that they could order the needed part.

I do not believe there are many companies in the US or in the world today that would do this. I sure don't know any.

I think this shows Shopsmith as being a company that is doing everything they can to be a quality company with fantastic customer service. And I for one will put this as a huge big positive in my should or should I not upgrade to the PowerPro decision list.
Ed in Tampa
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dusty
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Some Shopsmith history (Kinda)

Post by dusty »

Your recollection is a bit different than mine in that I do not recall there being only one hole smaller than the others. One hole or two, all four holes on my trunnions are now the same size - (1/2".

If I had a pair of virgin trunnions, I guarantee that I would not be drilling them out until after I had done the alignments two or three times. I now find it very hard to believe that I ever aligned these tables without the holes being enlarged BUT I did for about 15 years.

I need to view the Sawdust Session that I referenced earlier in this thread. It will be interesting, I am sure.

2bits: do me a favor and check the trunnions on your new Mark 7; just don't loosen more that one trunnion bolt at a time so as to preserve factory alignment. The question to be answered is "Are all four trunnion bolt holes the same size (1/2")"?
"Making Sawdust Safely"
Dusty
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JPG
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Post by JPG »

Ed in Tampa wrote: . . .
Now in another thread we have a report of Customer Service contacting a customer to let them know the answer they first gave was incorrect and that they could order the needed part.

I do not believe there are many companies in the US or in the world today that would do this. I sure don't know any.

I think this shows Shopsmith as being a company that is doing everything they can to be a quality company with fantastic customer service. And I for one will put this as a huge big positive in my should or should I not upgrade to the PowerPro decision list.



PTL!!!! All is not negative after all!

I agree that situation was unusual and extremely noteworthy.


I believe someone is again paying attention to 'us'!



That be good!



Thank You 'whoever'!:)
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
pennview
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Post by pennview »

Woodburner, I guess we'll just have to disagree. I've had Shopsmith equipment for over 30 years, so I'm well aware of what can be done with one. It's definitely a versatile, compact machine. But it's not above criticism. I also have stand alone tools, so I'm aware of what can be done with them as well as how they compare to the Shopsmith. I even have another combination machine like the Shopsmith, a Smithy SuperShop, so I can compare features there as well.

In any event, if you ever want to trade a Shopsmith for a 12x36, 6-speed Jet lathe (or that Delta midi), just let me know. In the mean time, if you happen to have one of those Rigid or Sears contractors saws, or a hybrid saw, we could likely do a swap for a Shopsmith.
Art in Western Pennsylvania
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algale
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Post by algale »

pennview wrote:Woodburner, I guess we'll just have to disagree. I've had Shopsmith equipment for over 30 years, so I'm well aware of what can be done with one. It's definitely a versatile, compact machine. But it's not above criticism. I also have stand alone tools, so I'm aware of what can be done with them as well as how they compare to the Shopsmith. I even have another combination machine like the Shopsmith, a Smithy SuperShop, so I can compare features there as well.

In any event, if you ever want to trade a Shopsmith for a 12x36, 6-speed Jet lathe (or that Delta midi), just let me know. In the mean time, if you happen to have one of those Rigid or Sears contractors saws, or a hybrid saw, we could likely do a swap for a Shopsmith.
There was an interesting review of some of the dedicated midi lathes in the 2012 Fine Woodworking tool review. I described the author's finding in this post. http://shopsmith.net/forums/showpost.ht ... stcount=23

Suffice it to say that the article would make me think long and hard about replacing the Shopsmith lathe with any of the lathes in the article.
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algale
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Post by algale »

pennview wrote:In the mean time, if you happen to have one of those Rigid or Sears contractors saws, or a hybrid saw, we could likely do a swap for a Shopsmith.
I've got a Craftsman 315.228390 contractor saw I'll inflict on you --oops I mean trade you -- for a beltsander or a speed reducer.
pennview
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Post by pennview »

Al, you make a very tempting offer and I'll give it some thought. I really don't have room for another saw. By the way, does that saw have a cast iron table top and is it a contractors style saw with the motor hanging out of the back end of the saw? For my part, I don't have a speed reducer (wish I did), but I do have a Shopsmith belt sander without the cast iron table and I'll be heading down I-70 via Breezewood to Annapolis within the month.
Art in Western Pennsylvania
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algale
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Post by algale »

pennview wrote:Al, you make a very tempting offer and I'll give it some thought. I really don't have room for another saw. By the way, does that saw have a cast iron table top and is it a contractors style saw with the motor hanging out of the back end of the saw? For my part, I don't have a speed reducer (wish I did), but I do have a Shopsmith belt sander without the cast iron table and I'll be heading down I-70 via Breezewood to Annapolis within the month.
Pennview: I'll send you a PM.
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