Shopsmith Forums

Since Nick and Drew are the only salesmen I have seen, I cannot understand how any major items will be purchased by anyone. If there is no one to demonstrate the actual use, there will be no new sales.

In any case, I will really miss Nick and I hope he keeps us informed where he ends up. I have many of his books and I will look forward to any new work that he produces. He is of the highest quality.

Nick and Drew

You will surely be missed. Having only been involved with this forum since last Dec. I have thoroughly enjoyed all your help and expertise. I too would like to thank the two of you for all your efforts and like someone else already said, the two of you have been what Shopsmith means/meant to me.

Best of Wishes in all your future endeavors.

This is so very disappointing. The Sawdust sessions have just been getting better and better. The content was truly unique -- I've learned a lot from you guys.

Good luck Nick and Drew! I hope you guys will continue teaching woodworking in a different venue. So much of the woodworking articles that I read is just repetition of the same thing. It's rare to see really interesting and unique content.

Ray

My brother gave me "CABINETRY The Woodworkers Guide to Building Profesional-Looking Cabinets and Shelves" Copyright 1992. I've read it over and over and since I just got a Mark V 510, I could see myself building some of the higher quality items in the book. Oddly enough the first item is a 'Corner China Cabinet' by Nick Engler.

It is my greatest hope that you will find a way to continue to encourage this and the next generation of 'wood-be' cabinet makers and artesians. Creativity is slipping away from us. Being able to do for ourselves instead of needing someone else do it for us is precious and having great instructors keeps us alert and thinking about unseen possibilities.

Best wishes to Nick and Drew. I do hope to see you back on the air.

P.

Nick,
I am truly saddened to hear of your layoff. I am sure that with your God given talents and knowledge both you and Drew will rebound in fine shape. It's happened to a lot of other people (myself included) and we muddle on through.

I hope Shopsmith can weather the storm that is brewing, as I just ordered 9 items tonite from them and there are a number of other things I want.

Good luck to you all,
Dick

Every ad-on I've purchased as been a direct result of the on line Sawdust Session. I'm at a loss as to how SS plans to market items. Probably the next to go will be the IT guy, and this web site will be history. Hope I don't have to look toward e-bay for parts support. You guys will be missed. Good Luck hope to meet you at the next woodworking show out west.

It makes me wonder about the various close-outs that Shopsmith has been having recently. I, too, wish the owners of the company would weigh in on this subject.After reading the threads relating to this subject, I am very hesitant to order anything extra for fear the company is getting ready to shut down. And I think that is the question the Folkerths should answer: "Is Shopsmith ceasing operations?"

BPR

During the Shopsmith week-end last July, during a break, I had a brief chat with Drew. I told him that if this Shopsmith program of theirs didn't work out, they should establish their own woodworking school, somewhat like the Mark Adams school in Indianapolis, only with "distance learning" capability. I sincerely hope that they will continue to provide woodworking education in some venue.

Curiously, I've noticed that some forum members have responded with comments that they will curtail purchases of Shopsmith tools and accessories while others seem to think that this is the time to place orders. Obviously there is a lot of confusion and concern out here in our Shopsmith family. This upheaval is a whole lot more than just a normal "layoff" situation. Robert and John Folkerth, are you listening? This is not a time for you to remain silent. You have a lot of very loyal and concerned Shopsmith users out here who are more than just merely customers, many of us have been promoting Shopsmith products to friends, family, and members of other forums for years, acting as your extended sales force.

We are family....all of us. There are the regulars here who participate frequently and then there is the great silent majority we never hear from but are family never the less. Yesterday, I decided I would not write anything about any of this. It was a blow that deep inside, I knew was coming but just didn't know when. I think we have all seen it coming and have been in a state of denial. I guess becoming older has tipped my hormones a bit and yesterday was truly an emotional issue for me. Today, some of that emotion has turned to anger. Anger not at Shopsmith but at the conditions that has created it. I pray I am wrong but I truly believe that yesterday was Shopsmiths warning to us that things are not good and that failure is probably eminent. I applaud the efforts of Shopsmith to invest in the internet and believe this decision was the correct one. Through the web, Shopsmith via Nick, Drew and even the dogs gave us tools and knowledge that cannot be replaced and I hope that somehow Shopsmith will be able to leave thoes Sawdust Sessions in place for us to refer back to or put them all to DVD's for purchase in case this entire forum closes. This mornings letter from Rick also confirmed what we all knew. I have owned my SS arsnal for a good ten years and have attended many of Rick's sessions and no matter, the price of admission was always worth it just to pick up on a couple of new hints from Rick, a true praticing professional, fluid in speech and dynamic.

I realize this entry is negative but due to the times, and recent history, I feel like something not good is in the works. Shopsmith is not the only tool maker in trouble and no doubt we are going to see falls and cutbacks from many manufacturers. All of the big players have turned to foreign manufacture for survival and its more than you think. I read the small print on boxes and instruction manuals and I'm telling you that America has sold out to Asia. The last two years of the Woodworking Show in Atlanta have shown a tremendous decline of tool and company representatives in attendance and so it goes.

For all of us in the SS family, if the end is close, I hope that a solution can be found even if it means selling to a buyer who will try to maintain the quality or have the funds available for future development. The Sawdust sessions and all the other little goodies that SS fed to us was the best support we could ever hope for. It went far beyond what most companies offer for their products and to me was a true investment in their future. I certainly echo one other letter on the forum this morning stating that he would pay for these services so count me in too but we can't do it alone. It takes a country full of people to do it and with no communication or advertisment out there now I can't hlep but hear Paul Harvey say and thats the rest of the story.

I'm saddened and in grief people. All I can say now is that after all is said and done and that if SS intends to fight to the bitter end that us, your family will hang in there with you and for you to do what ever is necessary for survival.

Arno