aloibl wrote:My wife has been pretty good to me on my woodworking needs. Do not want to push that any further by buying up units I don't need. I can easily justify two units. 520 setup as a table saw and using my 500 for everything else. Everybody needs two. After two than you have a hoarding problem.
I look at it as an investment. I have paid next to nothing for any of the Mark Vs & 10E/ERs. I am unfortunately disabled and have had a total renovation of our home which added a 15' x 18' extension to the rear of our garage. Had the roof ripped off the garage and a 14' x 28' x11' high master bedroom for my wife. Split the old master bedroom in to a laundry room, walk in closet, and a master bathroom. Then I have the HVAC system with a geothermal heat pump & a 10K solar power system.
The work started in 2008 & the upstairs floor was totally renovated, all new carpet, window treatments, new main bath with jacuzzi, 200 amp power upgrade and a 100 service for my shop.
So for 4 years, I stumbled on deals as good as or even much better than this $500 deal like the 520 & new bandsaw last April which was only $100 more. So this Spring I will inventory and keep what I need and you guys can fight over the rest… I had no intention of having so many, but 2 Mark Vs were given to me. $75 for a 510 because the seller thought the motor was bad. Then another guy was given a 510 and every SPT excluding a bandsaw along with the complete Incra fence system and he sold it essentially for the price of the Incra system along with extra blades for the planer/jointer/and saws. Why? He thought the Shopsmith was unsafe & he wanted a Saw Stop. My problem is I can't say no to a bargain when I can more than double my investment.
I was rebuilding 3 headstocks and then Shopsmith came out with the PowerPro. That made me regroup. I have no emotional attachment. I simply bid on things at Ebay if the price is right & I've stumbled into deals on Craig's List where extras in the cardboard boxes might include a speed changer/reducer. I can't stand junk. I do enjoy rebuilding/restoring old things. My 1955- I think Greenie with be nice when it is finished. I did buy a lot of spare parts from Shopsmith only when items were on sale or back when you could buy something cheap & get 20% off your next order. But those days are gone.
With all the renovation work- removing walls, replacing all the ductwork with air sealed insulated ductwork, plumbing with PEX, rewiring the entire place, I just can do so much. So my Shopsmiths are soon going to be all restored to new condition. I was joking about being on Step 9. But if people want to essentially give things to me, I will never refuse.
My goal, most likely will be to have maybe just two Mark 7s and the Greenie- unless I give the Greenie back to the person who gave it to me. It's up to them. But honestly, I just do what I can & until I've competed an inventory- I already have shelving units on wheels from Costco, I'll keep things stowed in boxes in the basement along one wall a some in my garage.
My interest in woodworking is a retirement dream. I spent my life in electronics and wanted a change. My father handed me down all his Shopsmith stuff. I also plan to add some good quality hand planes and wood chisels. My journey started with Shopsmith. Then after a lesson from Nick Engler on sharpening with the strip sander, I developed an interest in sharpening & metallurgy which got me into collecting knives and learning how to forge my own. Unfortunately, my back has told me otherwise. But learning about sharpening has been fascinating. I stumbled on a used Tormek machine and other Japanese water stones along with Belgium coticle stones. There is just so much. One could spend a fortune on this stuff which is my reason only for buying used or on really good sales. In my travels I came across a Southbend lathe which I simply sold along with an induction furnace- people sell the darndest things.
I've had a chance to meet some very interesting people during my journey like Nick Engler from Dayton, Bill Mayo in Florida, Alfred Pendray who holds the patent on Wootz steel, and many others. I have been to one person's home who has a Shopsmith Crafter's Station in his dining room and a basement completely full of Shopsmith stuff. I have nothing on him. But he is a wheeler/dealer and had a great business on Ebay. Some times his items went for more than Shopsmith was selling them for new.
I am not buying anymore Shopsmiths until I have sorted out what I have & even then I seriously doubt it. No mas… .no mas…
