Shopsmith Forums

That was my father had a greenie. Hate spell check.

With all of the talk about selling SS's because of lack of space It would seem that the next project for some should be a shop addition.
Or at least a shed.

Just kidding... Its been a long day.



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masonsailor2 wrote:That was my father had a greenie. Hate spell check.

It ain't spell 'check' that is a problem, it is 'auto spell correct' that is troublesome.

To clarify my vote... I purchased the Mark 7 Powerpro new from Shopsmith. The Mark V from a classified in the paper (remember those?) and the 10 ER from Ebay...

I purchased my first Shopsmith in 1983 from a state fair presenation. I arrived to my driveway a few weeks later. My other 2 Smiths were purchased used from craigslist along with a variety of the add-on tools.

themox wrote:I purchased my first Shopsmith in 1983 from a state fair presenation. I arrived to my driveway a few weeks later. My other 2 Smiths were purchased used from craigslist along with a variety of the add-on tools.

While I indicated that my first one was purchased at a Shopsmith store in Indy and the rest of the herd bought used at typical other opportunities I would very quickly point out that I was not sold my first SS by the store. I was "sold" on my first SS (510) by years of watching demo's at the Indiana State Fair and at the Indianapolis Home Show at the same location but in the winter. Had my only possible exposure been in the store the chances of my buying one would have pretty much zilch... I walked in that store already sold and had the money in my pocket ready to pay.
Without those demo's it is not even likely that I would have bought a used one even cheap at an auction. I had heard of them but for some reason most comments I heard were negative coming from clueless fools. There was one sitting at the back of the big woodshop classroom at BSU in 1960 / 1961 but it was never used that I saw and the instructor only spoke of it once and that was to belittle it.
Seeing the demonstrators at shows actually grab a piece of wood and do things to it was what made me see that this was a very valid piece of equipment. Watching him make the change-overs quickly and easily was what sold me on the concept.
Then there is also the "touch it" factor. When I was training sales people in stores for the Hoover Co. the thing we kept hammering home was "Put it in her hand" and "Make the customer takes hold of it and hold the handle while you talk".

I just had a flash vision of life without any Shopsmiths (shudder)


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I bought my first one used 3 years ago (1988 with moulding head and lathe tools) for $450. I bought another used one year later (1993)because it came with a rebuilt headstock and ALL the SPT's and accessories (except DC3300) for $2500. I'm actually weighing the benefits of buying a new Mark 7 versus upgrading one of these to a PP 520, but as much as I'd like to buy a new unit the numbers support rebuild.

I bought my first Mark V 500 as a new Demo, a "Goldie" in 1963 at a demo. at Montgomery Wards in Oklahoma City. I paid Montgomery Wards $ 190.55. From SS at the time it would have been about $325.00 I still have it. It is now a 510. I also have a Mark VII with a new style power head that I use mainly to use the band saw and disc and drum sander. I have had two other Mark V 510 and a Mark VII
that I bought to get some accessories that I wanted sold them on CL.

I really want a Power Pro but at my age, just can't seem to justify the expense.

Don G

Let me see,I got my first Shopsmith in the mid 1980's. I am the second owner of a 10ER. He bought it new in 1952. I picked up a mark VII about 7 or 8 years ago. And a couple of years ago (within a two week period) I got to more 10ERs. One is still in pieces and the other is permanently a drill press (with speed changer). The Mark VII drives my SPTs. I did buy a new Bandsaw from the MS a couple of years ago.

I kept seeing a guy on tv, I think that was PBS, not sure. He was making things with a Shopsmith Mark V. In the 80s. Shopsmith open a store in Montreal and it is where I went with the money in my pocket and bought my MarkV which I recently upgraded to a Mark 520.
I bought the band saw at the last show they came to do in Quebec city, it was their demo. I was working at the Hilton where the congress centre was situated.
The best way to convince somebody to buy a Shopsmith is to see it operate. That is the only way to see its versatility.