Shopsmith Forums

The timing was perfect.

About two years ago I decided I needed a "real" workshop, and my wife wanted a bigger kitchen and dining room. Thus we went on a quest for a home better suited to our wishes, and also put our house up for sale. Ironically this caused me to have NO workshop, because to make the house show better, we put a lot of things into storage, my 520 among them.

Late last year we moved into our new home, which has a 18x20 unfinished workshop area in the walkout basement (including window and exterior door!) Health and other issues kept me from installing lighting, electric, and storage until just last week. The project is now well underway.

Which brings me to today.

I walked out to the mailbox and found a glossy multi-page Shopsmith catalog. Not a full-line catalog, but a catalog of new and highlighted items. This is the first time I've ever received anything from Shopsmith that I didn't pay for.

This is the first time since I bought my Shopsmith (three years) that I really got the feel that Shopsmith had a future. Yes, it was just an advertisement, but to me -- right or wrong -- I finally feel like the company is coming back from the verge of demise and will be there for some time to come.

Clearly Shopsmith's glory days are over, but this is a sign that the days of gloom are coming to an end as well.

Good news! Both that you're healthy and getting back to your shop, and for Shopsmith.

Along similar lines, I've noticed that Lowe's now carries Shopsmith brand sanding disks. Maybe they've been there all along and I'm just now noticing them since becoming a SS owner, but I'm pretty sure it's a fairly recent development.

Buying the SS sanding disks from Lowe's is another good way to support the company. Now if Lowe's will just start stocking the 12" disk size...

Culprit wrote: Along similar lines, I've noticed that Lowe's now carries Shopsmith brand sanding disks. Maybe they've been there all along and I'm just now noticing them since becoming a SS owner, but I'm pretty sure it's a fairly recent development.

That happened about Sept 2011.

paulrussell wrote: This is the first time since I bought my Shopsmith (three years) that I really got the feel that Shopsmith had a future. Yes, it was just an advertisement, but to me -- right or wrong -- I finally feel like the company is coming back from the verge of demise and will be there for some time to come.

I got one of those glossy brochures about the PowerPro a few months back. At approximately the same time and for unknown reasons I stopped getting the emails advertising the current "Specials" that I had signed up for. I have tried re-signing up three times but I still don't get the emails anymore. It is that kind of thing that makes me worry about Shopsmith's future.

beeg wrote:That happened about Sept 2011.

Must be a regional thing.
I stopped in the Lowes near Palm Springs and asked if they had any ShopSmith items and all I got was "Huh? What's ShopSmith?"
Not kidding.

wiredone wrote:Must be a regional thing.
I stopped in the Lowes near Palm Springs and asked if they had any ShopSmith items and all I got was "Huh? What's ShopSmith?"
Not kidding.

There are dumb dumbs all over this world. Why would you not expect to find some of them at Lowe's.

wiredone wrote:Must be a regional thing.
I stopped in the Lowes near Palm Springs and asked if they had any ShopSmith items and all I got was "Huh? What's ShopSmith?"
Not kidding.

To clarify it, the roll out began about then.

I gotta do my own survey. I'll be in Lowes sometime during the next couple days. I'll ask then.

My results may be biased; however, since they just did a demonstration in this Lowe's.

I'll do both of the Lowe's that are this side of town.

Yeah, I got my catalog this past week too. Great reading. Now, if they'll just follow it up with a real, honest to goodness 2012 Shopsmith Catalog.

Picked up my held mail from last week and it included the 'new stuff' catalog.

I am also encouraged by its creation and arrival!

Hopefully better days are ahead!

Not me... Then again I may not be on that mailing list. Pretty much everything that I bought from SS I bought from the factory store in Dayton when it was still open. Walked in and paid cash.
If I don't get one soon I'll request one. As I progress slowly along on the shop this year I will be adding some small stuff.


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