How can we help Shopsmith?

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:01 pm

Just a few thoughts for you.

This tread is the 5th most viewed one in the forum. When I just looked the top two were in the tool review area the third in the general area then back to the review area then comes this thread.

Now if we look at replies it is now number 2, only a posting in tool review area has it beat.

So how would you rate this thread? If you can figure out how to do it go give it a rating and if you wish explain why you gave it the rating you did... we are only 20 replies short of being number one! All of those additional post will then translate in to move views and before long this thread can have the most views too.

Ed

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 2:00 pm

I really have enjoyed reading and participating in this discussion. I do not believe there are any people more devoted to their machines than Shopsmith owners! I love the product and the concept of having a machine that truly "does it all". I have owned other table saws over the years and the Shopsmith leaves them far, far behind. I believe all of the comments made here have had something valuable within them. We all want to see Shopsmith not just survive, but thrive. So what if someone gives advice: maybe there is something good that will come out of it. It is my belief this thread is #1 on the thoughts of many owners. Contrary to what some may think, I do not think this thread has been hijacked. I prefer to think that owners are concerned and want to offer their help and give advice, no matter what their perception is. After all, one definition of truth is what our perception of reality is.

BPR

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:40 pm

Do you have a plan if shopsmith doesn't make it?

Will you sell off yours and get another brand(s) equipment?

Keep it, but just waiting for the prices on ebay to go up enough to make some extra money?

Try to collect every thing you can find on ebay to keep yours running?

Figure the world is not going to stop rotating and not even worry about it?

Just wondering what thoughts you are having.

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:46 pm

Say you win a dream shop give-a-way. You can buy any tools you want and you have $20,000.00 to spend. At the sametime a small plane crashes into your shop and all of your shopsmith gear is gone... hey it could happen....

So you have a clean slate shop wise, what do you buy? All the shopsmith things $20K will buy? Try to replace the things you had which might have been a mix from several companies??

Any thoughts?

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:50 pm

Say we here that shopsmith is closing it doors in January.

What things would you try to purchase before that happens?

Repair parts, add ons, major upgrades, bandsaws, jointers, planners, stand alone accessories???

Get the rest of the stuff on your wish list???

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:57 pm

Let's say we hear that shopsmith has been sold to a far eastern tool company. The new name is shopsmith of india.

Now would you keep your shopsmith or sell it?

How would you feel about ordering parts or add ons?

Oh yes the customer service is also in india... how would that make you feel?

Hey, no problems with any of this??

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:06 pm

I was looking at the number of members we have, give or take a few the number now is 2600. We are lead to believe that the number of machines are in the millions, that what was it 12,000 exchange hands each year now. We know that wood workers are able to use computers... at least some of us anyway....

So how come after more then a year we still have only 2600 people signed up? Look at all the good information they are missing out on! Even if we add in the numbers from ssug.org and the yahoo shopsmith membership we are still just a drop in the bucket compared to the number of owners.

So what are your thougths

Ed

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:29 pm

Ring ring. Hello. Hello, this is "public shopsmith" calling, we have decided to make some major changes in our company. We are becoming a not-for-profit company, we will continue to pay our staff, continue selling our product but will not make profits for anyone. In order to do this we need you to dig into your pocket this year for a $100 donation. How ever if you can afford $500 we will send you a free DVD. At the $1000 level we will have the DVD signed by Nick. We will only make these calls 4 times a year, those donating at least $50 will only be called once a year. Let me be the first to welcome you to "public shopsmith".

Now how much are you will to donate?
Hello?
Hello?

click mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

So what do you think about this idea?

Ed

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 7:41 pm

reible wrote:I
So how come after more then a year we still have only 2600 people signed up? Look at all the good information they are missing out on! Even if we add in the numbers from ssug.org and the yahoo shopsmith membership we are still just a drop in the bucket compared to the number of owners.

So what are your thougths

Ed

A lot of Shopsmith owners are not computer owners! Although I have uses computers since the 1980s, and although we have had a computer in our home since the mid 1990s. I didn't have the time or inclination to have my own computer until last year.

Also, my thoughts include - I feel the ssug and yahoo groups are not easy for me to use. I'd actually have to use my brain to figure out the procedures to use them. - therefore they do not attract me.

This forum in very intuitive.

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:07 pm

charlese wrote:A lot of Shopsmith owners are not computer owners! Although I have uses computers since the 1980s, and although we have had a computer in our home since the mid 1990s. I didn't have the time or inclination to have my own computer until last year.

Also, my thoughts include - I feel the ssug and yahoo groups are not easy for me to use. I'd actually have to use my brain to figure out the procedures to use them. - therefore they do not attract me.

This forum in very intuitive.

Well you could be right about some of them not having computers but from the numbers I've seen we are still missing a few that do. "Sixty-two million U.S. households, or 55 percent of American homes, had a Web-connected computer in 2003, according to just-released U.S. Census data." Now that was 4 years ago so the numbers are bound to be much higher now.

Now some of us have had a long history using computers... even in highschool in the advanced math class we did Fortran coding forms then had them sent out for punch cards then sent out again to get run on a computer... several week process if it worked, longer if you did something wrong. When I went to work at a major communications company we did the same sort of things except it was done all in house... so who remembers chad? We had a lot of fun with that stuff. Oh yes then the teletype machines and the accostic coupled modems at 150 baud.... Then the early ibm pc with dual floppies and 640 Mb of memory and the Commodore Vic 20... ah the good old days. Well enough of that.

So granted a few people have computers but don't know how to use them but still....

Ed