Shopsmith Forums

I made a survey yesterday in which I asked if you bought your SS from Shopsmith or not.
Many in fact most responders that replied said they had more than one shopsmith.

Shopsmith is sold on it's ability to supply a full workshop in limited space. So assuming limited space is a selling point over stationary machines it seems to be an oxymoron to own multiple machines.

Ed in Tampa wrote:I made a survey yesterday in which I asked if you bought your SS from Shopsmith or not.
Many in fact most responders that replied said they had more than one shopsmith.

Shopsmith is sold on it's ability to supply a full workshop in limited space. So assuming limited space is a selling point over stationary machines it seems to be an oxymoron to own multiple machines.

To quote(sorta) Farmer: With 5 shopsmiths I have 5 table saws, 5 drill presses, 5 horizontal boring machines, 5 disk sanders, 5 router/shapers.

With 5 standalones, one only has one each.

Ed in Tampa wrote:I made a survey yesterday in which I asked if you bought your SS from Shopsmith or not.
Many in fact most responders that replied said they had more than one shopsmith.

Shopsmith is sold on it's ability to supply a full workshop in limited space. So assuming limited space is a selling point over stationary machines it seems to be an oxymoron to own multiple machines.

I don't really look at it that way. My view, and yes I am a newbie to this "hobby", is that multiple machines let you have multiple table saws, multiple drill presses, multiple lathes, multiple disk sanders ... etc.

I have purposely make some projects with just the Mark 7 and it is outstanding, but because these machines can be configured for multiple functions, it just gives you more flexibility in how a project is made .... and that is what the concept is with this machine. I don't think it was JUST footprint, it was the idea that this one machine had five functions.

It does it with bells on!

I'm a one machine owner (a 520). And I currently keep all my SPTs (band saw, scroll saw, belt sander & strip sander) on dollies.

But I am keeping my eyes on CL for another Shopsmith so I can make a shorty/mini. My reasoning is that a shorty/mini would hold two SPTs at the ready without taking up much more floor space than the dollies I currently use.

algale wrote:I'm a one machine owner (a 520). And I currently keep all my SPTs (band saw, scroll saw, belt sander & strip sander) on dollies.

But I am keeping my eyes on CL for another Shopsmith so I can make a shorty/mini. My reasoning is that a shorty/mini would hold two SPTs at the ready without taking up much more floor space than the dollies I currently use.

If spt storage is the 'only' goal, two legs, two end caps and some 1 1/2" emt conduit will 'do'.

Casters optional.

JPG wrote:

algale wrote:I'm a one machine owner (a 520). And I currently keep all my SPTs (band saw, scroll saw, belt sander & strip sander) on dollies.

But I am keeping my eyes on CL for another Shopsmith so I can make a shorty/mini. My reasoning is that a shorty/mini would hold two SPTs at the ready without taking up much more floor space than the dollies I currently use.

If spt storage is the 'only' goal, two legs, two end caps and some 1 1/2" emt conduit will 'do'.

Casters optional.

Storage isn't the only goal. As I said in my original post it will hold them "at the ready" meaning ready to use without doing anything else.

algale wrote:

JPG wrote:

algale wrote:I'm a one machine owner (a 520). And I currently keep all my SPTs (band saw, scroll saw, belt sander & strip sander) on dollies.

But I am keeping my eyes on CL for another Shopsmith so I can make a shorty/mini. My reasoning is that a shorty/mini would hold two SPTs at the ready without taking up much more floor space than the dollies I currently use.

If spt storage is the 'only' goal, two legs, two end caps and some 1 1/2" emt conduit will 'do'.

Casters optional.

Storage isn't the only goal. As I said in my original post it will hold them "at the ready" meaning ready to use without doing anything else.

Will not that hold them the same as a shorty?

Okay I can understand that if you own 5 SS you have 5 saws, 5 drill presses and etc.
But why?
Unless you are in production mode what hobbies needs 5 of the same tool?

Hey if you like fooling with SS and enjoy tearing them down and putting them back together I get it, another machine to work on.

But if you are like me using the SS to sharpen mower blades one day and cutting plastic feet for the lawn furniture the next and cutting a piece of trim that needed replaced on the house the next day I do not see it.

Every time, I repeat every time I make a none through cut on my Shopsmith in table Saw mode I long for a stationary machine.

If I had the room I would own stationary machines and never look back. But I don't so I have a Shopsmith and I understand that I must accept compromise in ease of use and the need to tear down and setup in another machine mode.

My full length 500 has a Jointech saw train on it. Sorta limits it's use to sawing and router table use. The shorty does everything else.

I don't think it is a question of space for me. I like woodworking with SS's. When and if I get a larger shop I will have some additional stationary tools but for what I do now they work well. One of the features that a SS offers is the ability to combine different functions to allow me to produce different pieces. An example of that is the horizontal boring and disc sanding. Having a horizontal quill fed disc sander is a tool that as far as I know strictly belongs to SS and something once you have gotten use to would be maddening to not have. I already have a Rockwell TS which is my main saw. But I keep a SS set up with a sled so I can just walk over and make a quick crosscut. Two of my five 510's are fixed tools that no matter what size shop I have had will always be left in that specific function. The drill press and drum sander are two tools I don't believe I could improve on for any amount of money. Another feature I really like is the band saw. I have two that I acquired with the SS's. I leave one set up permanently with a narrow blade and one set up with a resaw blade that I can take on and off another machine. Not having to change blades is really a time saver. I had a large Grizzly band saw and that is one tool I would add if I had the space. Anyway this is why I own them !
Paul