Shopsmith Forums

So I went to the local woodworkers supply store here in Las Vegas. Very nice people and run some very knowledgeable people. I must say the store is very well stocked with all the stuff I will be needing. Then I mentioned that I need an Amana saw blade ordered and bored to 1 1/4" and suddenly attitudes changed. Oh you must be using a Shopsmith. Suddenly I was not a serious woodworker. That really pissed me off. I really hate ignorant people that actually believe that because I use SS products I can't possibly be a serious wood woodworker. I in fact use them because I am a serious woodworker. Oh well. Their loss !
Paul

Paul, time to find some other business to
hand YOUR money to!

Was I there with you, I'd have beaten you
to the door!

I've got 3 brothers living in Las Vegas,
what business shall I advise them to stay
away from?

As to your seeing the ShopSmith bias,
my oldest brother thought the same for
quite a few years, until I GAVE him
a Model 10, set up as a lathe. He still
has that one, and a wall-mounted drill-
press. Can't sing enough praises about
them! Finally! (I should point out, that
as youngsters, our next-door neighbor
had a MkVII. Sterling heard the horror
stories of the PLASTIC motor parts, as
did I.)

steve

Ignorance is bliss!!!! Actually anti SS people I think are ignorant of how many lower priced/used dedicate duel machines you can have.
I thought I was the only ranter here.

Norm Abram use to use a Shop Smith, pretty sure he was a serious wood worker..lol..I'm positive the reason my dad bought a SS was because Norm used one on the New Yankee workshop, he loved that show, and Norm. I still use it, went to me after he passed... I'm a wood worker, not a very serious one though, but that is the beauty of a SS caters to all levels of wood worker, and for a small shop can't be beat....

You also can order a 5/8" saw arbor from Shopsmith and use any blade to your liking from whatever source you choose.

I have one favorite carbide blade that I occasionally move from the Shopsmith 5/8" arbor over to my chop saw when I cut crown molding.

It's my version of the J.G. Wentworth commercial "It's your blade. Use it where you want to."

Regards,

Everett

Maybe an option to boycotting the business would be to educate them. Collect 15 or 20 pictures from this forum and show them what can be done with a Shopsmith. And let's not forget that a "serious woodworker" is not defined by the tools they own.

So, what exactly did they say or do to make you think they considered you a lesser woodworker for using a Shopsmith?

Everybody knows that Shopsmiths are just toys. (Insert a sarcasm emoticon, here)

What really 'irks' me is that a 1 1/4" arbor hole is used on really serious wood working tools. Granted they are not typically 10" blades.

As for 'what did they say', I got the impression that is was not what was said
(OH YOU MUST HAVE A SHOPSMITH), but rather their 'attitude' change afterwards.

Hell all you have to due is take the pix your recently posted(and some older ones) and perhaps their 'attitude' might change. If not their loss. I assume ms2 was seeking a reliable source for future project parts. He would have been a good customer to have. Hopefully there is a local 'source' with a more broad minded attitude.

I will just be using the internet for purchases more than I thought. I will give them a second chance though. Better to educate them than let them continue on in ignorance. Hopefully they have a wood working organization that they sponsor as there was in Orange County CA. They tend to hold showings and competitions etc. Thats the place to educate. I have several of the 5/8 arbors for the SS but the blade I am buying will be strictly used on the SS so I might as well get it bored for 1 1/4. It will be a 12 inch blade and my big TS is 10" so it will never be used on it. I have a 12 inch blade now that I use that has a 5/8 bore but the blade is warped so the quality of the cut is not so good. I only use the 12" for a very specific cuts, mostly on tapered table legs.
Paul