Shopsmith Forums

Completed my SPT set today, found locally a used jointer to add to the collection.

- Belt sander
- Strip sander
- Lathe Duplicator
- Scroll saw
- Band Saw
- Thickness Planer
- Edge Jointer
- Conical Disc Sander
- Biscuit Jointer
- Various router, shaper, and moulding bits

Add to that the original SS functionality for Table Saw, Boring/Drilling/Sanding/Polishing and Turning and I think we have a winner!

Time to make some saw dust!

Too bad I cannot run them all at once where they are currently mounted

With all those tools, your shop floor should already be covered with 3 inches of sawdust.

You got two things I’m still waiting on, thickness planer and the strip sander.

I’ve got a feeling you’re going to have fun and enjoy them.

You have now found the need for the 2nd machine.

A Shop Deputy Kit (which you can make with pieces from eBay) / buy new from Shopsmith, or a cut-down 'Shorty' often power extra SPT's to have them readily available and reduce the re-configuring time they take to mount and set-up.

That extra headstock can be really helpful if you elect to do some deep servicing on your main unit.

Word of advise: When you have two systems, do something to differentiate between tables, extension tables, rip fences or anything that has to be aligned to a machine.

They may be aligned almost perfect on their home machine, but move some parts between one and the other and bets are off that it will be in proper alignment. Knowing which part you have pre-adjusted saves time, frustration, and damaging expensive stock by misaligned cuts.

Everett

everettdavis wrote:You have now found the need for the 2nd machine.

A Shop Deputy Kit (which you can make with pieces from eBay) / buy new from Shopsmith, or a cut-down 'Shorty' often power extra SPT's to have them readily available and reduce the re-configuring time they take to mount and set-up.

That extra headstock can be really helpful if you elect to do some deep servicing on your main unit.

Word of advise: When you have two systems, do something to differentiate between tables, extension tables, rip fences or anything that has to be aligned to a machine.

They may be aligned almost perfect on their home machine, but move some parts between one and the other and bets are off that it will be in proper alignment. Knowing which part you have pre-adjusted saves time, frustration, and damaging expensive stock by misaligned cuts.

Everett

I definitely need to make some sawdust! I am a bit cautious to use it too much until I have had a chance to go through the headstock completely. I'm all for preventative maintenance, especially as parts become harder to obtain.

Great words of advice, I do already have a complete extra set of extension and floating tables. Rather than a deputy and a spare headstock, I am considering building a stand alone setup powered from a variable speed motor, I already have a couple of DC motors & controls to learn from. But that's another topic

I think if I brought another SS machine home at this time, my wife would insist the workshop is my new living quarters until I learn to behave myself.

First major project for me is to convert my 2-car garage into a dual purpose workshop, both for the oily greasy mechanicals on one side and for the dusty wood flavored hobby on the other side. I have a scissor hoist for vehicles I hope to turn into a convertible woodworking bench, its extremely heavy and should make a good solid (adjustable height) platform. We'll see.

I may be sleeping in the garage...

Hypothetically speaking, lets assume I bartered my way into a second MarkV and am picking it up tomorrow in a snow storm. I'm not keen on having two full length machines. If I was to convert one to a shorty, assuming that is a logical decision, is there any consensus as to an ideal length to cut the way tubes down to given the assortment of SPT that I currently have?

Anyone have two machines and have suggestions?

I believe the SPT that will get used more often would be:

Jointer
Planer
Band Saw
Scroll Saw

SPT used less frequently:

Strip sander
Belt Sander

My initial thought would be to set one full length machine up with the table saw and jointer, the second shorty machine with the dado blade and the planer. The sanding disk could be easily installed in either. Longer machine is obviously the go-to for turning.

If I make the shorty too short, the mounted planer won't fit of course.

Just stirring up conversation, interested to hear from you all.

Steele510 wrote:I may be sleeping in the garage...

Hypothetically speaking, lets assume I bartered my way into a second MarkV and am picking it up tomorrow in a snow storm. I'm not keen on having two full length machines. If I was to convert one to a shorty, assuming that is a logical decision, is there any consensus as to an ideal length to cut the way tubes down to given the assortment of SPT that I currently have?

Anyone have two machines and have suggestions?

I believe the SPT that will get used more often would be:

Jointer
Planer
Band Saw
Scroll Saw

SPT used less frequently:

Strip sander
Belt Sander

My initial thought would be to set one full length machine up with the table saw and jointer, the second shorty machine with the dado blade and the planer. The sanding disk could be easily installed in either. Longer machine is obviously the go-to for turning.

If I make the shorty too short, the mounted planer won't fit of course.

Just stirring up conversation, interested to hear from you all.

First decide upon the actual goal(s).

Do you intend to include the carriage and main table in the shorty?

If so the extra way tube length so as to also accommodate the planer makes the feasible shorty length too long IMHO to be practical.

If you will restrict the planer to only the full length machine, the possible length reduction for the shorty can be more aggressive.

Now back to the original main table question. A positive answer also restricts the amount of length reduction possible.

So the final determination depends primarily upon the intended use and which SPT's to use with the shorty. Since not all SPTs will require the main table, greater reduction is possible with their use.

I consider the lower limit(shortest tubes) practical is to cut each BENCH tube so as to create two shorter tubes differing in length by 3/4"(26 and 26 3/4).[that gets you both a shorty bench and way tube from only one original length bench tube] However that restricts the possible used of the main table so something slight longer is more practical. Opinions differ as to what that is.

Really appreciate the thoughts JPG, I wasn’t considering the main carriage and no doubt that will make a huge difference on the optimum shorty length, if there is such a thing. Still early, I’m likely to think about this for a while before ever making a tube shorter.

I did pick up the second SS today, its a year or two newer than what I had but has been lost and forgotten for a couple of years by the looks of it. It runs and I’m sure it will clean up nicely. Really a minimal investment, a barter trade which you could argue I have about $150 invested. Came with all tables, fence and a lot of turning items. Missing the miter gauge and all drive hubs. Came with saw blades and lower guards, no upper guard (I have a spare already). You’ll see another speed reducer and a couple of router and drill chucks. A mixed bad of goodies. I think this was predominantly used as a lathe, it was extremely dusty and the powerhead is literally full of dust.

Glad I picked up an air cleaner last week.

When I built mine I thought about how wide the space was between the legs (48") and the fact I had two old shopsmith cabinets, they were sold so three of them fit, thus I went for cutting off 16". We all have our reasons.

Ed