Shopsmith Forums

Building a new shop in my back yard, getting tired of rolling the SS and related stuff in and out of the garage. Shop will be 18.5'x32' (truss width and # I got out of a house demo we did a little while ago dictated the size). Foundation and floor framing is done, walls will be going up in a few weeks.

I have a SS 510 with the add-ons listed in my signature, along with a 12" Hitachi dual bevel miter saw, a Ryobi router and table, a benchtop Delta belt/disc sander and assorted hand and power tools. Also may pick up a neighbor's Craftsman table saw/router table combo with a DeWalt plunge router included for pretty cheap. Would be handy to have for those bevel cuts that are the main drawback of the SS table saw. Only thing I really would like to add to the mix (other than another SS ) is a planer, either a used SS, a DeWalt or Rigid and possibly the SS belt sander.

My question - are there any particular power or hand tools that you have found to be indispensable in your shop? Something that you wish you had bought sooner? Or conversely, something you thought you had to have but it turned out to be of not much use?

Also, with my main workhorse being my 510, what would some of you electrical guru's recommend for wiring to the shop (SS or otherwise)? Distance is about 150' from the panel - on the wrong side of the house of course - to the shop I figure to run a/c and heat, although not sure on the heating choice yet. I don't want to have power issues, but I don't need to break the bank on going overboard for future what-ifs that may never happen.

thanks
Tom

Tom. nice size shop!!! I find my Ryobi 10" planer so handy!!! I always wanted a DeWault 13" but can never justify the price. I paid $80 used for the Ryobi. My wood supplier is 15 minutes away, and they have a 52" planer and drum sander, and charge very little for planing and sanding if you want them to do it. So they do all my wood when I buy it because the drum sander takes out all the planer chatter. I use mine for just misc when I want to thin something, so handy to have your own. Here a used 12" on CL go for around 200-250 for a Ridgid, Dewault, or Delta planer.
A good router table and fence and a decent size one, not these toy Sears Craftsman ones. #2 used machine in the shop. I would go with the free standing TS if it is at least as large table wise and powerful as the SS. I just dont like a SS for a TS.
Dust collector of course, which you have.
Oscillating Spindle Sander is handy but not a must have unless you do work with a lot of inside curves/radius in it.
IMHO, forgive me "Mother", I think a lot of the SS SPTs are over priced even used and a limited supply of them. You have a large enough shop to find used free stand machines (belt sander) cheaper then SS. For a belt sander I would not go smaller then a 6x48", after using a 4x36 for a few years.
For electric, I would put in a 200amp box/service, that way you wont need to call Scotty for "more power" in the future. Where shop is can you have them run power from the pole and have a separate service? Other wise you should/would have to add a side box off of the house service, exit it from the house, and trench a line to the shop. Easy if the box is above grade and no concrete in the line to the shop, but if in the basement, a PITA.

Tom
I was running out of space and brain power so here is part 2.
Electric power, depending on heat source, forced air gas furnace needs a dedicated breaker by code usually. If electric base board you will usually need one for every one or 2 max depending on wattage of the heater/s.
What type of AC? if a central unit that is 220V, 2 breaker spots. A large window unit is usually 20 amp dedicated 110v.
Lighting a 15 or 20 amp circuit.
Then the shop machines at least 3, 20 ampers. What size is your DC? That could be close to 15 amps right there, mine is a 1 1/2hp, 1100cfm and draws 11amps. Bench top planer is around 12 amps, TS about the same or more for a 10".
If a one man shop like mine, usually I only have 2 pieces running at once. A machine and the DC. I have 2 shops, a stand alone outside, no heat, for the summer, and the basement in the winter. The basement I have 2 20 amp 115v for the machines, 1 15 amp for lighting, all CFLs, and one 230v 30 amp for the DC. Here again, its just me, so only 1 machine is on at a time usually besides the DC.
Just food for your thoughts.

Tom, I live (now) in Arizona, and I could heat my shop with a Bic lighter, if I needed to.

I used to live in Lawton Ok, and I did have a shop (garage, really) there. I found, and put a wood burning (old fashioned) kitchen stove in there, in a corner. It was plenty, and I had enough scraps to fuel it. I didn't have (and wish I did) air conditioning, though.

A suggestion, look for another (or 2) Shopsmiths to use as SPT mounts for the other tools you want. Used ones will be a LOT cheaper than stand-alone tools, and they will also take up a LOT less room. You can also use the Shopsmith bases as needed, for other stuff.

And, (I'm shocked that Bob didn't mention this) look for a Model 10 or 2. BEST drill-press or lathe you'll find! Much better lathe, and much cheaper drill-press, too. (Try out the horizontal drill-press. One of the BEST features on ANY Shopsmith.)

steve

Yes, (sorry guys!) get a decent free standing table saw! The table saw is (in my {never to be} humble) opinion, the worst feature on ANY Shopsmith. (Don't get me wrong, I've got 4 right now.)

You have a tilting table, table saw, right now. Get a 10 inch tilting arbor table saw.

Either saw will work just fine on cutting stuff at 90 degrees. Ripping stuff at something besides 90 degrees, a tilting table saw will be the best. Crosscutting stuff at something besides 90 degrees, a tilting arbor saw is what you want.

In both instances, an assistant is MUCHLY desired, unless you're cutting short pieces.

steve

And, (I'm shocked that Bob didn't mention this) look for a Model 10 or 2. BEST drill-press or lathe you'll find! Much better lathe, and much cheaper drill-press, too. (Try out the horizontal drill-press. One of the BEST features on ANY Shopsmith.)

steve[/QUOTE]

As soon as I saw you posted Steve, I realized the error of my ways!!!!
Tom, at least 1 ER10 is mandatory, I did not even think of a lathe as I am not a turner yet. Ers make great ones, as well as Drill presses, cheap too. I can only say I was very tired last night. And as some one sez here, " they aint printing them anymore"!!!

Guys, thanks for the advice and info. I have already told my neighbor I wanted the table saw, so that's just waiting on the shop to at least be dried in . The planer is probably next on the list. There is a place here that sells refurbished DeWalt stuff and they've got both planer models reconditioned for $100 less than the big box stores. Only thing I've been reading on the DeWalts is their knives don't last too long and are basically throw-away's. That can get expensive. Anybody have some insight on this?

Haven't looked much at the 10ER's, but I'll start watching CL a little more on those. I've been watching CL mostly for a SS belt sander and maybe a cheaper SS planer. Missed one a few months ago (due to lack of funds at the time), it was a SS Pro Planer for $300. Supposedly was in pretty good shape. Oh well, there's always another one out there. BTW, I use http://www.searchtempest.com which aggregates the CL listings based on your keyword search in a radius you specify from your zip code. It's pretty slick.

My dust collector is the SS model, along with a stand alone Shopvac. I keep an eye out at garage sales for vacs' to use directly at different tool stations, rather than run a bunch of lines along the floor to trip on. Plus all that duct work, fittings, gates, etc. is pretty spendy. I too am a one man shop, with my daughter (15) and son (9) hopefully joining in the fun from time to time. I remember learning a lot, and developing a love for doing this stuff at my grandfathers knee when I was my boy's age. Hopefully, some of that will transfer :-) We've done a couple of projects from the garage/driveway shop and they've had fun doing them. I'll have a dedicated bench set up just for them now that I'll have the space.

I've been going back and forth between a 100 amp and 200 amp setup, with the obvious preference being 200 amp. Big thing will be cost/fund ratio as I get this thing finished out. I have a buddy who is an electrician going to come out and evaluate everything, so we'll see what he comes up with.

"I've been going back and forth between a 100 amp and 200 amp setup, with the obvious preference being 200 amp. Big thing will be cost/fund ratio as I get this thing finished out. I have a buddy who is an electrician going to come out and evaluate everything, so we'll see what he comes up with."
Tom,
I am sure he can give you more insight then I can being an electrician. You mentioned your children in the shop, well I guess it is not a "one man shop" anymore!!!! Great for the kids, and at 15 becoming a young adult.

Here's what I came up with in Sketchup a few months ago as I was planning things out. Amazing how much of this (including the SS) was already modeled and available to use from the Sketchup warehouse.

Here's what I came up with in Sketchup a few months ago as I was planning things out. Amazing how much of this (including the SS) was already modeled and available to use from the Sketchup warehouse.