Shopsmith Forums

8iowa wrote:Ed:

I couldn't disagree with you more in regards to Popular Woodworking. Their editor, Chris Schwarz is one of the best woodworking editors "out there". In addition, he is a super guy. One can email him with a question, and he actually answers personally.

In early October, Popular Woodworking is putting on a woodworker's simposium in Cincinnati. I'm seriously considering making the 800 mile drive from Gainesville to attend. http://woodworkinginamerica.com/GeneralMenu/

I get similiar responses from the editors of Wood, Woodsmith and Shopnotes when I address questions to them. I don't know these people personally but they seem to be reasonable people. Their woodworking knowledge seems to surpass mine so they are natural resources to me.

Popular Woodworking to me always seems to be an edition behind. If one of the major mags do a tool review it seems PW does the same test in the next one or two editions following. If Wood says they fault this tool because when they tested by doing thus and such it failed. PW says the weak spot of this tool is x citing the same weakness only without any explanation of how they came to the conclusion.

However the fact you like the magazine and I don't only proves the need for chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Our tastes are different.
I just don't care for Popular Woodworking, never found an article in the mag that I felt justified my time in reading it. Of course I find this with many mags, I once had a 30 year or longer subscription to Popular Science but today I don't even pick one up to thumb through, to me the mag has become useless.
Best to you

I have to Change over from a 1/4 inch dado blade to a 3/4 inch today. What a pain. Probably take me at least 40 seconds. ***************** However the last time I did the set up on my Unisaw it took me 10 minuets to find the blade nut I droped in all the saw dust in the cabinet.

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Could you tell I was being Facetious?:D

mbcabinetmaker wrote:I have to Change over from a 1/4 inch dado blade to a 3/4 inch today. What a pain. Probably take me at least 40 seconds.***************** However the last time I did the set up on my Unisaw it took me 10 minuets to find the blade nut I droped in all the saw dust in the cabinet.

****************************

Could you tell I was being Facetious?:D

Are you familiar with a magnet on the end of a "car antenna". Or was that nut aluminum or brass?:D

My sawdust seems to be capable of totally consuming anything dropped into it!

Often you will hear "Buy American" tools but in the next breath " I can buy stand alone tools cheaper" So what is it, you cant buy stand alone American made tools cheaper. Every part on the Shopsmith may not be 100% American made but it is still made in the USA. I took a tour of the Shopsmith factory. A lot of parts are being machined in that place.
Yes, change over can be a problem at times but there is a benefit. For example, How many tools can you cut a board then change to a sanding disk and sand that cut to the exact same setup?
As far as " Outdated engineering " Miter Slot, Shopsmith switch to a Standard slot now would not make sense. Change the slot and all Shopsmith owners are now upset that everything they purchased in years past don't fit the new table. My ShopSmith was purchased in 1989, My belt sander 2008, Now I would need two miter gages if a change would have been made.
Shopsmith would be forced to offer every tool in Standard or Shopsmith miter slot. Customers calls the 800 to buy a tool, How many do you think is even going to know what size slot they own?

Popular Woodworking is right in my back yard. I have been to their shop many times. They are woodworkers who write about woodworking. You will not find a bunch of people who are more dedicated to the advancement of the craft of woodworking.

Okay I give, I give Shopsmith is highly advanced fully American made priced thousands cheaper than any competitor, any change over bias is in the head of the people that never used a Shopsmith and Popular Woodworking is the finest Woodworking magazine out there.

Anyone that doesn't give Shopsmith and the new Power Pro a glowing review is a bed wetting, thumb sucking Taliban terrorist and probably a commie to boot.

Once again we proved loved is blind.

I surrender to love.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Okay I give, I give Shopsmith is highly advanced fully American made priced thousands cheaper than any competitor, any change over bias is in the head of the people that never used a Shopsmith and Popular Woodworking is the finest Woodworking magazine out there.

Anyone that doesn't give Shopsmith and the new Power Pro a glowing review is a bed wetting, thumb sucking Taliban terrorist and probably a commie to boot.

Once again we proved loved is blind.

I surrender to love.

I don't believe you are a convert. You have changed your position far too easily.

You are more likely like I am on Mark V adjustments using the dial indicators. I still believe in setup being done as accurately as humanly possible (to within thousandths) but I have given up on preaching this to those who do not want to hear.

I am not a convert.

Ed never gives up this easily. He must of had a bad day. We still love ya Ed!

Ed in Tampa wrote:...However I'm not going to try to convince people that a Shopsmith is not a serious compromise compared to individual machines.

If the article does not focus to some degree on the above three points/limitation then it will be a less than honest review.

The Shopsmith is a space-saver. Any review that diverts from that basis and starts comparing to stand-alones irrespective of footprint is not only less than honest, it's bogus. Imhso.

Ed in Tampa wrote:... thought that was the one of the purposes of this forum to discuss and learn how others have over come various shortcommings in the Shopsmith.

What I can't get past is contrasting a Mark V with a plethora of stand-alone machines that would not and cannot exist in the "shops" of many if not most Shopsmiths.

Howabout we start that discussion with "if we all lived in 35,000 square foot homes..."

Ed in Tampa wrote:Okay I give, I give Shopsmith is highly advanced fully American made priced thousands cheaper than any competitor, any change over bias is in the head of the people that never used a Shopsmith and Popular Woodworking is the finest Woodworking magazine out there.

Anyone that doesn't give Shopsmith and the new Power Pro a glowing review is a bed wetting, thumb sucking Taliban terrorist and probably a commie to boot.

Once again we proved loved is blind.

I surrender to love.

Do extremes ever really exist?