Shopsmith Forums

woodburner wrote:Funny how many of you picked the lathe option on the shopsmith as your favorite tool (or close to the top of your list). Wonder why most of you just didn't purchase a stand-alone lathe. A lathe that has the same capacities of a shopsmith in lathe mode is a whole lot cheaper and easier to set-up and use.

Hmmm, Because I don't always do just what I most enjoy doing? If the majority had said "Belt Sander is my favorite tool", would your question be the same? I can buy a belt sander for a lot less than the cost of a Shopsmith.

I wanted a full function wood shop and it had to fit along side the car in my garage.

Originally Posted by woodburner
Funny how many of you picked the lathe option on the shopsmith as your favorite tool (or close to the top of your list). Wonder why most of you just didn't purchase a stand-alone lathe. A lathe that has the same capacities of a shopsmith in lathe mode is a whole lot cheaper and easier to set-up and use.

My response to that is that when I purchased my Shopsmith, I needed a multi-functional tool that would give me quality and because of having a small shop area that didn't give me the option of many stand alone tools. I had never done any turning before and had my Shopsmith for a good 10 years before I ever learned how to turn. I know that I can get a small bench top lathe for much less, but can do everything I want to on the Shopsmith so see no need for a stand alone lathe or bench top lathe.

woodburner wrote:Funny how many of you picked the lathe option on the shopsmith as your favorite tool (or close to the top of your list). Wonder why most of you just didn't purchase a stand-alone lathe. A lathe that has the same capacities of a shopsmith in lathe mode is a whole lot cheaper and easier to set-up and use.

I think the word of the day is "SPACE". My first workspace was an 8 x 9 bedroom. Shopsmith gave me a viable shop in that space. I made a lot of projects in that little room. Couldn't have done that with a lathe.

woodburner wrote:Funny how many of you picked the lathe option on the shopsmith as your favorite tool (or close to the top of your list). Wonder why most of you just didn't purchase a stand-alone lathe. A lathe that has the same capacities of a shopsmith in lathe mode is a whole lot cheaper and easier to set-up and use.

When I bought my 510 new in 1988 I was in a 16' X 24' one car garage. I had drooled and obsessed over having a new Shopsmith for over 28 years. When the money became available why would I have bought anything else?
I like the lathe but I have a short interest span. Doing only lathe work would have soon bored me out of my skull. There are only so many things that you can make on just the lathe. Lathe projects tend to be just part of another item for me.
I "liked" a lathe but I "needed" to be able to do general woodworking... Some of it light commercial mill work until $$$ dictated that I spend my time on occupational pursuits that paid better.
I bought my SS with several accessory items including the shaper package so that I could then do about anything I needed to. I then got rid of several lesser quality tools including a small shaper, a home made disk sander, a conversion drill press (post thingy w/table, held a 1/2 inch drill) and a couple of small bench lathes.
Every year things changed and so did shop goals.

Then I started retiring and things just went silly...

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but you can't cut your turning blanks, square them up and drill them on a lathe
I love woodworking. I mean so much that I even enjoy sanding....(yea... not really ). I think the fact that the Shopsmith offers so many functions is what I liked most about it. When I was also drooling over the thought of some day owning one I didn't know about other similar machines, but probably would have still selected the SS because of the info-mercials and travelling shows.
Anyway, when I finally did scrape enough money together to buy one I had nothing left for other useful tools like a drill or power saw. For years, the SS drill press did 100% of my drilling (well, 100% of all my woodworking except for sanding which I had to do by hand).
I suppose the versatility is what I like so much about computers too. I think it's great that woodworking and computing can dovetail so nicely together.
I'm not surprised the lathe is a favored function.

woodburner wrote:Funny how many of you picked the lathe option on the shopsmith as your favorite tool (or close to the top of your list). Wonder why most of you just didn't purchase a stand-alone lathe. A lathe that has the same capacities of a shopsmith in lathe mode is a whole lot cheaper and easier to set-up and use.

In many instances, the ShopSmith is a hand me down or inherited as in my case. My only cost is recurring maintenance and consumables (Which everyone incurs). Why spend a bunch of money on a lathe when I already have one? I have also yet not ever heard of some making a rip cut on their purpose built lathe, or connecting it to a jointer, band saw, jigsaw, sander etc.

Favorite of the moment? The one I currently need to use. I have been using the bandsaw more of late!

I was just pointing out a running fact in this thread, that's all. Didn't mean to cause such a stir. So many of you pointed out that the lathe is your favorite tool, and not so many of you said the Shopsmith as a whole.

I understand the usefullness of the Shopsmith with all its functions, that's why I bought one. But most of you didn't specify that, you just said a lathe or woodturning. The Shopsmith as a lathe is just one of its great options, but most of its other options were not listed, just a lathe, which is what lead me to ask the questions that I did.

Sorry if I ruffled anyones feathers.

woodburner wrote:I was just pointing out a running fact in this thread, that's all. Didn't mean to cause such a stir. So many of you pointed out that the lathe is your favorite tool, and not so many of you said the Shopsmith as a whole.

I understand the usefullness of the Shopsmith with all its functions, that's why I bought one. But most of you didn't specify that, you just said a lathe or woodturning. The Shopsmith as a lathe is just one of its great options, but most of its other options were not listed, just a lathe, which is what lead me to ask the questions that I did.

Sorry if I ruffled anyones feathers.

I don't think anyone was ruffled. We all just enjoy an excuse to get up and dance to the Shopsmith theme song.
Hey! What IS the Shopsmith theme song??? We need to work on that.


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[quote="robinson46176"]I don't think anyone was ruffled. We all just enjoy an excuse to get up and dance to the Shopsmith theme song.
Hey! What IS the Shopsmith theme song??? We need to work on that. ]
Nor do I! Tis easy to get 'slightly' off center of the original subject considering how these threads 'develop'.

The original post asked which ss tool do you like the most. I took that to include all the spt functions as well as the basic 5/7.

In any event we all have our favorites that may(should) differ amongst us. That was why to original post was created.

BTW, I have NO feathers!:D Cannot fly either!

If we do get a themesong, please do NOT get 'C A' to 'se--a-i---e-i-ng' it! She might turn the words into a bearish thing(Grizzley)!