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My first project with my SS

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 12:28 pm
by otee453
I first heard about the shopsmith when I was a kid when my father wanted to purchase one. He never did because of the cost of a new one (long before the days of craigslist and the internet & apparently they weren't available used in the "old fashioned" newspaper classified!!).

I did alot of looking in the Topeka (home) and Kansas City area on Craigslist, and after looking at a few and getting a good feel for values, I purchased a SS built in 1981 for $400. It had all the basic attachments plus saw blades, router chuck, several lathes chisels, speed reducer, power couplings and fittings and was in GREAT condition.

After playing with my machine and making some shop jigs and such, I decided to upgrade to the double bearing quill (a great improvement), a SS router table ($50 on craigslist) and a SS bandsaw ($100 on craigslist), a craftsman router combo kit ($85 craftsman club) and a 15 piece router bit set from MLCS ($40, w/free shipping).

So after about $800 investment plus a couple hundred bucks on pipe clamps, etc...

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My TV stand for our guest room is by no means complete. It will have a drop down door on the top shelf for VCR/DVD, etc... and the bottom will be a drawer on sliders. After it is all said and done, it will be painted an eggshell white. I designed it myself, built to match the $1500 Basset armoire and nightstand my wife purchased for the guest room.

Funny, the $1500 she spent on furniture for the guest room is what possessed me to purchase my shopsmith and start building my own. So what I was angry about, I guess I can thank her for!!
Shhhh, don't tell her that though......

I think the shopsmith is an absolutely great machine. Anyone who says it is not "accurate" enough for fine furniture probably couldn't do fine work on any machine. The SS is plenty accurate. It takes an accurate OPERATOR. I should add, this is my first woodworking project since making basic trinkets in high school twenty years ago. Yes, it does take a little time to change over tools, but you start learning about how to think about and plan your cuts and work. The SS is an absolutley amazing machine. I love the fact that I am only limited by my imagination in operating the hundreds of functions this great machine is capable of.

I love my SS.

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:23 pm
by charlese
Way to go otee! Nice work - and a real pretty 500! I know, with your attitude and abilities, you will continue to enjoy your Mark V and its versatility. Also good to read you on the Forum! WELCOME! Hope to follow along with your SS activities!

Too bad your dad was not able to realize his dream! Was he able to do woodworking on stand-alones?

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:25 pm
by dusty
I must say, your first project looks great. By the time you do two or three you'll be making furniture that would pay for your shop several times over.

Great Job.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the view into your sawdust work world.

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:26 pm
by a1gutterman
Imageotee453,
Knot only does your first project look good, you have a great looking shop too! Good to have you with us. Keep us posted on your progress.

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:37 pm
by kd6vpe
otee453,
Very nice work. And welcome to the forum. I see the start of a real nice shop your work is very nice, can't wait to see what you come up with next.

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:00 pm
by otee453
charlese wrote:Way to go otee! Nice work - and a real pretty 500! I know, with your attitude and abilities, you will continue to enjoy your Mark V and its versatility. Also good to read you on the Forum! WELCOME! Hope to follow along with your SS activities!

Too bad your dad was not able to realize his dream! Was he able to do woodworking on stand-alones?
No, my father never did get into woodworking. He'll be jealous when he sees my setup.


Thanks everyone for all the compliments. I am pretty proud of how it turned out so far. I purposely picked this item to build as a first for a couple reasons.
First, I will paint it, so if I did make some learning mistakes, I could bondo over them and cover it with paint, although so far, no bondo needed.
Second, I could use cheap birch ply and pine so mistakes wouldn't be too costly, again, no second trips to the store for lumber (knock on wood).

Thanks again everyone.

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:13 pm
by judaspre1982
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Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 3:18 pm
by nuhobby
Great story and Fine Pictures!
Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing & inspiring us as well.

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:08 pm
by fjimp
Wow soon your wife will be paying big bucks for what she wants. That's one good way to outfit your shop. Congratulations. fjimp

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:52 pm
by john
Nice job on that piece. I'm sure it would look good any way you decide to finish it.

The shop looks good too.

John