Shopsmith Forums

I have attended dozens of Shopsmith demonstrations, and have been informed, inspired, and entertained each time…. Until now.

Yesterday, March 12th, I attended the Shopsmith demo in Hagerstown MD. I’m sorry to report that this was the most pathetic demonstration of any product that I have ever seen.

The demonstrator was unorganized, uninformative, total lack of enthusiasm or showmanship, and at times was outright rude to observers.

His Mark 7 was dirty, and not maintained.

The headstock scraped when he slid it in either direction. When he raised up for the under table shaper demo, he realized the table and headstock were about a foot too high. He simply loosened the lock and allowed the headstock to freefall to a slam at the bottom. When he returned it to the horizontal, the head was seized on the way tubes, so he commenced beating on it with a block of wood. Finally after much beating and tugging, he got it to move, albeit reluctantly. I suggested that some JPW might be in order. He replied. No, it probably just need lubricated. I thought about it at last week’s demo, but I haven’t gotten around to it.

When he demoed the band saw, the rear bearing was shot. The noise was unbearable. I could tell the folks watching were put off by the sound as well, so I said “My band saw isn’t nearly that noisy. I think you need to replace that rear bearing.” He said something to the effect of, I’m going to get to that one of these days.

When nobody was around, I suggested that he should tell folks when they own a Shopsmith, there is a wealth of videos, and an amazing user forum available to help them get started and grow in woodworking. His reply was a shrug. At which point, I left.

During the demo, he said that Norm Abram got his start in woodworking on a Shopsmith inherited from his father. This is news to me. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

His name????

JPG wrote:His name????

Grand PooPah beat me to it. I am sure ShopSmith would like to know who this "representative" is ....

I hope his first name is not Dave. And I do not mean 'Smith'.

kablerj wrote:I have attended dozens of Shopsmith demonstrations, and have been informed, inspired, and entertained each time…. Until now.

Yesterday, March 12th, I attended the Shopsmith demo in Hagerstown MD. I’m sorry to report that this was the most pathetic demonstration of any product that I have ever seen.

The demonstrator was unorganized, uninformative, total lack of enthusiasm or showmanship, and at times was outright rude to observers.

His Mark 7 was dirty, and not maintained.

The headstock scraped when he slid it in either direction. When he raised up for the under table shaper demo, he realized the table and headstock were about a foot too high. He simply loosened the lock and allowed the headstock to freefall to a slam at the bottom. When he returned it to the horizontal, the head was seized on the way tubes, so he commenced beating on it with a block of wood. Finally after much beating and tugging, he got it to move, albeit reluctantly. I suggested that some JPW might be in order. He replied. No, it probably just need lubricated. I thought about it at last week’s demo, but I haven’t gotten around to it.

When he demoed the band saw, the rear bearing was shot. The noise was unbearable. I could tell the folks watching were put off by the sound as well, so I said “My band saw isn’t nearly that noisy. I think you need to replace that rear bearing.” He said something to the effect of, I’m going to get to that one of these days.

When nobody was around, I suggested that he should tell folks when they own a Shopsmith, there is a wealth of videos, and an amazing user forum available to help them get started and grow in woodworking. His reply was a shrug. At which point, I left.

During the demo, he said that Norm Abram got his start in woodworking on a Shopsmith inherited from his father. This is news to me. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

It is true that Norm had a Shopsmith on the set of his very early wood working shows and then Delta came on scene. It is, however, a long stretch to say that Norm got his start on a Shopsmith. Norm was a carpenter before he become a TV celebrity. I know nothing about him inheriting a Shopsmith from his father.

http://www.normstools.com/episode.shtml

kablerj wrote: During the demo, he said that Norm Abram got his start in woodworking on a Shopsmith inherited from his father. This is news to me. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

I think that is true. I have not seen them but people have said that in the very first episodes of The New Yankee Workshop there was a Shopsmith in the shop.

JPG wrote:I hope his first name is not Dave. And I do not mean 'Smith'.

When you asked, my first thought was Dave something. But I am not certain. I'm terrible with names. But I am sure Shopsmith knows who is doing the demo in Hagerstown MD this weekend.

jsburger wrote:

kablerj wrote: During the demo, he said that Norm Abram got his start in woodworking on a Shopsmith inherited from his father. This is news to me. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

I think that is true. I have not seen them but people have said that in the very first episodes of The New Yankee Workshop there was a Shopsmith in the shop.

During the first year of New Yankee Workshop a Shopsmith occasionally made an appearance but the Shopsmith was never really featured.

There's a website purporting to list Norm's tools with a link to the Shopsmith tools he used and the episodes he used them in. It is extensive.

http://www.normstools.com/shopsmith.shtml

dusty wrote:It is true that Norm had a Shopsmith on the set of his very early wood working shows and then Delta came on scene. It is, however, a long stretch to say that Norm got his start on a Shopsmith. Norm was a carpenter before he become a TV celebrity. I know nothing about him inheriting a Shopsmith from his father.

http://www.normstools.com/episode.shtml

Why is it a stretch to say that Norm got his start on a SS? Certainly not on his TV show but it could have gotten him started in wood working at a young age, just like a lot of us. For the demonstrator to say so that is a stretch, I agree, but he had one on his early shows.

Look at Wikipedia, there is not much there but there is nothing that says he started as a "carpenter". He is a college graduate in engineering and business. The anecdote about the barn he built that resulted in This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop has been on one of the New Yankee Workshop shows.

As for the SS, Wikipedia says this about the first programs "The shop's layout and equipment were mostly Abram's preferences."

Why would anyone know anything about him inheriting a SS from his father unless he said it some where? Which apparently he has not. Again, not the demonstrators right to say.

Obviously SS did not launch his woodworking career but I bet it certainly influenced it. What is wrong with that?

SS should investigate this demonstrator and depending on the results should not let him represent the company. That demo was absurd.