Shopsmith Forums

Ok I have to know where does all the shopsmith item come from ,some of the items are brand new. thanks

When buying at auctions and from relatives of disabled or deceased owners, I would often find one or more Shopsmith accessories or parts still in the original box or package. I recently brought a 1987 510 from a nephew that had a jointer that had been opened but never been removed from the factory shipping box. I sold it on Ebay a month or two ago. Shopsmith sold most of their inventory of parts in late 2008 before they closed the factory building. I got some myself. I am still finding a few bags or boxes from that time when I am searching in my parts shed for other parts. I only sold the larger and more expensive items at that time. The rest was stored for later use.

I've seen enough late model shopsmiths (510s or 520s) or major accessories being advertized on Craigslist as still in the box that I no longer find it all that surprising. Now, if I saw a 10er or Greenie new in the box, that would surprise me!

Al, usually when I see a Model 10, it comes in a FEW boxes, none of which are the original ones. Some of them may be called "baskets" or "cases." (Most times strung together.)

I have seen 3 ER jointer heads, in the original boxes, however. One of my later Model 10 purchases came with sanding drums, both from the ER factory in San Francisco, and the new Home. The ones from the 50's were still in pristine shape, but the newer ones had delaminated. (Looked like a toilet paper tube someone had soaked in water.) Both were in factory boxes.

steve

When I bought my 1952 10ER, most of the smaller items were in their original boxes. Inside the boxes, a couple of the items were clearly unused, still wrapped in that wax-paper tissue stuff that I hadn't seen in many decades. On one of the boxes, there was still a price sticker sporting an early-50's date stamp. I just cleaned all the dust off of the packaging, and keep it stored in a plastic container for safekeeping.

Even the unused/unwrapped items had a little bit of surface rust, as the finish was just bare steel on most everything. But Evaporust and a Nyalox brush quickly made them look new again.

Shopsmith advertising promotes the idea of woodworking as relaxing, and a way to escape the pressures of work into a world of the past. The idea of creating something with your own hands that would outlive you, a legacy as it were, really appeals to those in the high pressure fast passed world. Shopsmith’s live demonstrations really make an impression.

The money isn’t a problem, the time however is another thing. Fellows catch the dream at a shopsmith presentation. It all looks so easy. So they lay out the cash, get the boxes home and unloaded in the garage. Some even assemble the unit and cut a board or two. But unfortunately, for many guys, the real world takes over, and kills the dream.

They keep saying they will get back to it, but eventually, they need the space, or they have to move, or they die, and the tools hit ebay and CL, practically new, some still in the boxes.

I know. I came within a heartbeat of buying one on several occasions. But I had been through it before with other things, and I knew the dream wouldn’t last once Monday came around. But I promised myself, ONE DAY. And now that I am retired, that day has come, or rather it did last June.

kablerj wrote:Shopsmith advertising promotes the idea of woodworking as relaxing, and a way to escape the pressures of work into a world of the past. The idea of creating something with your own hands that would outlive you, a legacy as it were, really appeals to those in the high pressure fast passed world. Shopsmith’s live demonstrations really make an impression.

The money isn’t a problem, the time however is another thing. Fellows catch the dream at a shopsmith presentation. It all looks so easy. So they lay out the cash, get the boxes home and unloaded in the garage. Some even assemble the unit and cut a board or two. But unfortunately, for many guys, the real world takes over, and kills the dream.

They keep saying they will get back to it, but eventually, they need the space, or they have to move, or they die, and the tools hit ebay and CL, practically new, some still in the boxes.

I know. I came within a heartbeat of buying one on several occasions. But I had been through it before with other things, and I knew the dream wouldn’t last once Monday came around. But I promised myself, ONE DAY. And now that I am retired, that day has come, or rather it did last June.

You and me brother. You could have been telling my story!

Dick