Super Shop - vs - Shopsmith

tmillie · Post by **tmillie** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:00 am

I saw this ad in my local craigslist, I was mislead, do you guys have any opinions on this machine? I'm not a fan.

http://omaha.craigslist.org/tls/1130529531.html

tmillie · Post by **tmillie** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:01 am

Here was a good little link that compared the differences:

http://www.songofthegreatlakes.com/ssvssmithy.htm

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 6:40 am

tmillie wrote:I saw this ad in my local craigslist, I was mislead, do you guys have any opinions on this machine? I'm not a fan.

http://omaha.craigslist.org/tls/1130529531.html

You were mislead by the ad which states it is a Shopsmith which it is not.

I don't have one and have never used one so I can not make a comparative accessment. It looks like it might be a nice machine but that is all I will say.

I would like to work with one just to see but I certainly would not pay $1500 for the experience. Especially not when I am so super satisfied with my own Mark V.

The comparison made on songofthegreatlakes.com is an excellent presentation but remember - "It is one man's opinion".

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:12 am

I would be concerned about the future availability of parts and service for the Super Shop. A company in Ann Arbor used to have the marketing rights but that is no more. The machine is made in Tiawan and apparently is still sold here, but I'm not even sure about that.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:36 am

8iowa wrote:I would be concerned about the future availability of parts and service for the Super Shop. A company in Ann Arbor used to have the marketing rights but that is no more. The machine is made in Tiawan and apparently is still sold here, but I'm not even sure about that.

I believe Harbor Freight is selling the machine now. It looks the same. Yes, parts availability and service will always be a problem for these machines.

tmillie · Post by **tmillie** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:59 pm

Thanks for the response. I wouldn't consider it, but I can see how some people might be tempted. I'd almost feel like I was cheating on my girlfriend

- like you guys, I'm very happy w/ my Mark V - thought it would make for interesting fodder

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:22 am

Another thing to consider is the fact that the Super Shop weighs around 500 lbs. Anyone who wishes to purchase this machine has to be prepared to be able to move it.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:26 am

I would think about buying one if I felt it was OK but my circumstances are a little different. I'm really good at scrounging parts, adapting parts and making parts so parts availability is not that huge of a consideration to me. There have to be some broken down ones out there for parts machines too. I would have to feel a little richer though to put that kind of money in another toy that I don't really need.

I have no problem jumping brands... I love my Shopsmiths but I only have one marriage (46 years this June). I'm faithful to that marriage but I keep a harem of shop tools.

The feature that would excite me the most would be the collet capability. I don't currently have a collet set for my metal lathe (but want one soon) but it does have the capability to accept a collet set without any modifications. Try as I might I have not figured out a good safe way to change a SS quill to any other standard attachments (even like a MT #2) without replacing the entire upper section (drive sleeve and quill) and I just don't have the time or interest to try that.
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I have mixed emotions about my current shop setup. I love all of the room I have now in both shops by separating the wood shop from the general shop (mechanics, tire, machining, welding & blacksmithing) but I didn't realize until I did it just how much cross-over work I was doing. Since the shops are 200' apart I get some extra walking in now.
The wood shop is 300' from the house and the general shop is only 100' from the house. I am torn over the notion of maybe replacing the current woodshop which is a little over 1300 sq.ft. with a new add-on to the general shop of about 900 sq.ft. and just "borrowing" some space from the general shop.
I'll probably just leave them the way they are... I want to spend time "in" the shops, not building... I have enough building projects in the mix as it is. Still a lot of work on the stable and a "micro-burst" of storm recently did serious damage to a large barn down the road. I'll probably have to work on it off and on all summer. I also have an extra old house in terrible shape I want to get down near that barn. Naturally it stood there just fine through the storm.

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I would like to play with one of those Supershops a little.