Shopsmith Forums

For me it's just a time saving and a little space saving. I like the ability to have the SS set up with lighting and vac system already in place. The footprint also fits my shop better. I really prefer a SS as a drill press and got rid of my actual drill press.
Paul

rjent, I cant speak for all, but as a multiple machine owner and some dedicated for a special perpous. They run forever, easy to work on and used cheap, plus variable speed without having to change a pulley belt, unless an ER without a speed changer. I missed out on a mint ER for 50$ today because I got tied with moms visiting nurse, you cant buy some cheap crap bench top DP for that, and I bet the price was negotiable a bit.

ERLover wrote:rjent, I cant speak for all, but as a multiple machine owner and some dedicated for a special perpous. They run forever, easy to work on and used cheap, plus variable speed without having to change a pulley belt, unless an ER without a speed changer. I missed out on a mint ER for 50$ today because I got tied with moms visiting nurse, you cant buy some cheap crap bench top DP for that, and I bet the price was negotiable a bit.

That is not my question LOL.

I have three machines as well and one of them is an ER. I just don't find converting a machine to a DP difficult or time consuming at all. I understand the multiple machine idea (obviously), but if I have a lot of drill press work along with tablesaw/jointer or other processes, I will set one of the machines into DP mode and leave it. But when I do that, I can always go back to one of the other 4 (or 6) functions if I need to.

I dunno, just kind of seems to defeat the purpose of these machines ....

I initially got my 10E with the intention of making it a dedicated drill press and perhaps wall mounting it.

Ain't gonna happen. Guess I saw the light!!!

rjent wrote:I have a dumb question. I know ... noob.

Why all the gnashing of teeth over a drill press that becomes permanent? Isn't the SS "going vertical" an asset? I just don't get the dedicated machine mentality ....

I mean, if you have 3 shopsmiths, then you have three of everything ... right, why relegate it to just one process .... kind of defeats the purpose?!?!?

Anyway, can someone enlighten me ....

Smaller footprint. Takes up less floor space than a stock SS in drill-press mode.

Not a problem if you have a 1200 sq. ft. shop!

There are thousands of us on this forum and no two of us have the same shop, working habits, goals, what we enjoy, wallets and on and on... That is part of what is so great about this hobby / craft.
Some of us are forced to admit from time to time that we are more about the shop and tools than about woodworking.
Some look at the woodshop as a place to use up time to prevent boredom. Others want to be as productive as possible and think more in terms of volume production. My shop was intended to be more of the latter until my dickey-ticker went wonky a few years ago. I am getting back to it more now and I want to be able to make a set-up and leave it sat up for the whole job run. Shopsmiths give me that capability. If I make a drill-press set-up and suddenly need to drill a few holes I don't want to break down my set-up and neither do I want to have to change modes on a non-sat-up Shopsmith for a few holes. That is why I built the double drill press. My goal is not to use up time. I have too many other things to do... While many might be working on one project until it is done I might be working on two to ten different things at once. I tend to think more in terms of factory type production. It's just a matter of different strokes for different folks... I would never expect other folks to work the way I do and by the same token I would never want them to expect me to only function the way they do.
I was in a friends shop today because he wanted to show me what he was working on. He does mostly reproduction custom millwork in an old grain mill building. He is at the moment working on at least a dozen different things in the shop and maybe 5 more projects away from home working on historic reproduction work mostly for the state of Indiana at historic properties. He uses mostly quite old factory machinery and several shaping units that he built himself. This is all he does now and makes a decent living at it.
This evening I was visiting with another woodworking friend who has had a busy shop (his is very modern) for maybe 30 years. He used to have a bunch of employees but since he is my age (73) and simply does not need the money (I wonder what that is like) he has cut back a lot. Instead of making a thousand of some product he now works alone or with a helper or two but loves making custom items one at a time on special order. He said tonight that he likes it so much that if he could not charge he would still keep doing it.
The three of us all work very differently but I really enjoy spending time talking woodworking to both of them.
I don't know many woodworkers locally. The friend I was visiting with tonight said that I the only other local woodworker he knows. I'm sure there are others but they tend to be nearly invisible.

.

rjent wrote:

ERLover wrote:rjent, I cant speak for all, but as a multiple machine owner and some dedicated for a special perpous. They run forever, easy to work on and used cheap, plus variable speed without having to change a pulley belt, unless an ER without a speed changer. I missed out on a mint ER for 50$ today because I got tied with moms visiting nurse, you cant buy some cheap crap bench top DP for that, and I bet the price was negotiable a bit.

That is not my question LOL.

I have three machines as well and one of them is an ER. I just don't find converting a machine to a DP difficult or time consuming at all. I understand the multiple machine idea (obviously), but if I have a lot of drill press work along with tablesaw/jointer or other processes, I will set one of the machines into DP mode and leave it. But when I do that, I can always go back to one of the other 4 (or 6) functions if I need to.

I dunno, just kind of seems to defeat the purpose of these machines ....

If you don't have a lot of room I agree. After all that is what the SS is all about. If you have enough room and still use SS because it is great at everything then why not?

My shop is 30' X 40'. I have lots of room. A 10ER dedicated DP, a MK V dedicated DP, full size 520 MK 7 Power Pro, free standing scroll saw, MK V 520 shorty, Pro planer, Powermatic PM2000 table saw etc., etc.

A dedicated DP does not defeat the purpose of the machine in any way. If you have the room it enhances the the machine. After all the SS DP is the best wood working DP in the industry and you don't have to change over.

Got it ,,,

Still seems like plowing in one direction only, but, with a flip over 3 bottom plow ... but got it ....

rgent, I know you got it but to hammer home, they are over designed/engineered machines, can be easily repaired/rebuilt, most parts are still available from the Mother Ship, here in WI, the senerio is, dad bought one in the late 50s, early 60s, did not use it much, dad died 5ish years ago, mom still living at home, now needs to go to the "home" kids come in and usually sell it with all cheap, some nuts go to the SS site and want half of a new one and it sits on CL for months till they figure it out. I can buy a greenie with a jointer and maybe a BS on any given weekend here for 300$ ish. It goes in streecks. You cant buy a decent anything for that, just a 12" variable speed disc sander is have of that, without the options of a 6x48 belt sander on the other end.Ect Ect Ect

rgent, my first one has shaper bits still in the box in the oil paper never used that dad bought, he bought it in 1956 from Gimbels!!!! A tube of SS grease still in the box was good to go, along with a pack of self adhesive sanding sheets, the boxes where deteriorating, but not the product.