Shopsmith Forums

Check out the main page to the on-line catalog. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... _index.htm It appears to have new look and reorganized somewhat to emphasize the Mark 7.

algale wrote:Check out the main page to the on-line catalog. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/product_index.htm It appears to have new look and reorganized somewhat to emphasize the Mark 7.

Sure nuf is. It looks like a lot of work has gone into this and we have been watching it all along. I, however, still like the format of the old (2008) paper catalog.

All of these updates to the online stuff drive me buggy. I had gotten use to what has been there and now it is all changing. I can't keep up and I get frustrated. Yes, I know. It is a sign of aging but I am. Fact of life.

I'll be OKAY though. I still have my old paper catalog and a PDF copy on my computer.

In addition to the different visual layout, one change I noticed is that when you click on a SPT, they've added a "maintenance" line with a link to the service parts list for that SPT. Sort of a merger between the on-line catalog and the service parts catalog.

I'm sure other changes will be discovered as well.

I have barely 'tried' it out and already think think I will like it.

Now for the history stuff, I have not tried that yet.

But for current product info, it appears an improvement.

I have barely tried it out and for now I think I had best keep my opinions to myself.

I knew how to get to everything before.

Now it is like I have never seen this before.

Example: Try to find the part number for the on/off switch on the Power Station. Worse yet, just try to find an exploded parts drawing for same. (I'm sure it's there but I haven't found it yet)

The methods that get me to a parts drawing for the Mark 7 don't work for the Power Station.

I don't have a Mark 7. I want to look at a parts drawing for the Mark 5, Model 510. I hope it is there and I just haven't found it yet.

Example: I need to order an idler shaft assembly and an eccentric for my old Mark V. I can't find it. (I finally found this. Hope I can do it again tomorrow)

I do not mean to be complaining. I'm just frustrated. The changes look great and obviously there has been a lot of work done to get to where the system is now. Thanks Admin for hanging in there. We would be nowhere without your contributions.

dusty wrote: I do not mean to be complaining. I'm just frustrated. The changes look great and obviously there has been a lot of work done to get to where the system is now. Thanks Admin for hanging in there. We would be nowhere without your contributions.
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With a quick look it looks pretty good but I understand your initial reaction...
I have that reaction when I go in Wal-Mart and they have done something like move the shoe polish over to a shelf next to the muffin tins. I react that way because I know full well that I may go in there next week and find that some fool manager had them move all of the ladies bra's into automotive next to the car hood bra's.


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dusty wrote:....I don't have a Mark 7. I want to look at a parts drawing for the Mark 5, Model 510. I hope it is there and I just haven't found it yet.

Here you are http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/productmanuals/MKVSTDPartsList%20_1_14.pdf

OH YES! This seems to be the age of changes. All sorts of manufacturers are certainly changing things - especially where related to computers and internet services. a couple of decades ago, did we anticipate most folks when in a grocery store, or just walking down the street would be talking on a phone? When BIG, FLAT SCREEN TVs came out about 10 years ago, did we think that those same folks at the store (or sidewalk) would be watching a movie on their phone? How about seeing the person they are talking with on the portable phone? Not to even mention the huge changes in automotive and diesel technology. It is all WOW!!!!

We should be used to getting surprised by changes! A change in a computer catalog of a basic machine (and parts for it) that has been around as long as the Mark V should not be a problem, even for a guy like me that prefers printed material on real pages, made from wood fiber.

Live and enjoy!! Realizing that all changes aren't necessarily improvements!

charlese wrote:Here you are http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/productmanuals/MKVSTDPartsList%20_1_14.pdf

OH YES! This seems to be the age of changes. All sorts of manufacturers are certainly changing things - especially where related to computers and internet services. a couple of decades ago, did we anticipate most folks when in a grocery store, or just walking down the street would be talking on a phone? When BIG, FLAT SCREEN TVs came out about 10 years ago, did we think that those same folks at the store (or sidewalk) would be watching a movie on their phone? How about seeing the person they are talking with on the portable phone? Not to even mention the huge changes in automotive and diesel technology. It is all WOW!!!!

We should be used to getting surprised by changes! A change in a computer catalog of a basic machine (and parts for it) that has been around as long as the Mark V should not be a problem, even for a guy like me that prefers printed material on real pages, made from wood fiber.

Live and enjoy!! Realizing that all changes aren't necessarily improvements!

Thanks for the link, Charlese BUT did you get there through this link or did you have that link stashed away on your computer.

The objective right now is to learn how to use the new online tools being provided by the Shopsmith web site.

Starting at the link I show (this post) I can not get to the Mark V link that you posted and I cannot find anything on the Power Station and Crafters Station. There might be others.

OKAY A little bit of progress. I found the link on the Owner's Site but not where I would expect. Clicking on the new link takes you to the Product Index page but to get to the link in question you don't use the Index. At the top of the page (red bar) hover on Support and click on On Line Manuals. There you find a few of the long provided documents which includes the item of this discussion (the 14 page parts list for the Mark V). Now if this page was complete, everything would be great but it is NOT COMPLETE. Nick had said he was in the process of adding the parts lists for all of the equipment to this list but that never got done.

Creating a PDF like this for every major item Shopsmith sells/sold is what I believe is badly needed. In this day and age, many of the vendors are providing that documentation. Check the online manuals offered by Incra for an example.

Thanks for the comments on the new product index page, our site is a work-in-progress.

I want it to be easy to use and am open to suggestions, either in this thread or a PM. To make suggestions easier to illustrate suggestions, I've made the old page available as:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/old_catalog.htm.

Based on the suggestions so far, I do plan to quickly add a service section to it. One problem I've run into is parts explosions for Crafters Station and Power Station, I see discussed here. I've, so far, not found how to get to them on the old catalog, so that I can create a link from the new page.

Thanks for everyones help
Admin

admin wrote:Thanks for the comments on the new product index page, our site is a work-in-progress.

I want it to be easy to use and am open to suggestions, either in this thread or a PM. To make suggestions easier to illustrate suggestions, I've made the old page available as:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/old_catalog.htm.

Based on the suggestions so far, I do plan to quickly add a service section to it. One problem I've run into is parts explosions for Crafters Station and Power Station, I see discussed here. I've, so far, not found how to get to them on the old catalog, so that I can create a link from the new page.

Thanks for everyones help
Admin

I like the new layout overall.

you have a typo under Bandsaw Upgrades: Bnd Dust Chute Upgrade

based on the new layout, you really don't need to abbreviate stuff. I would replace all the "Upgr" with the full word "upgrade". that will help with searching (at least for search engines) as well as browser based text search.

The sections are somewhat inconsistent. For me it would be nice to have a standard order for the subsections. ie: product first, then the consumables, then the accessories, then upgrades, then maintinence. Why are knives for the planer/jointer considered maintinence, while bags are accessories for the dust collector? It seems like for many SPTs I would want to know about the unit itself, the manual, and the consumable immediately. Everything else is secondary.

I really hope you would consider putting more of your manuals up as PDFs for download. The main manuals are a great start, but I would really love to see them for everything. Doing so would mitigate some of the need for the exploded diagrams, because many/most fo the manuals have diagrams and part numbers in them.

Since there are certain sawdust sessions dedicated to refurbing certain SPTs, having links under the maintinence sub-section for a given SPT would be nice.