Shopsmith Forums

I am impressed with the news being I have a number of Shopsmiths. I just had an addition added to the rear of my garage and will have 5-6 Shopsmiths- every model & flavor as stand alone tools. One feature I was not going to use is the table saw function because of the small size of the motor. But with a much more powerful motor, this could be the answer. But would any of you with more experience care to share your opinion? Thank you.

backhertz wrote:I am impressed with the news being I have a number of Shopsmiths. I just had an addition added to the rear of my garage and will have 5-6 Shopsmiths- every model & flavor as stand alone tools. One feature I was not going to use is the table saw function because of the small size of the motor. But with a much more powerful motor, this could be the answer. But would any of you with more experience care to share your opinion? Thank you.

I don't know that I have more experience but I do have an opinion.

Unless you are cutting really heavy lumber, the Shopsmith motor provides all the power that is needed in a small table saw. If your motor bogs down, you have either maintenance problems or you are misusing the equipment in some way. Remember, you are not in a lumber mill.

Like Dusty, I don't know that I have more experience but I also have an opinion.

The Shopsmith is good at being many things, but a table saw is not one of them.

Lack of power is a limitation, but that's never been my beef with the Shopsmith as a table saw. What I don't like is the small table, the inconsistent location of the blade in that table, and tilting the table to make angle cuts.

Quite honestly, my little sub $100 Craftsman portable tablesaw is a better more usefull tablesaw than my Shopsmith. The sub $300 Craftsman portable tablesaw is far better. The big Rockwell tablesaw is incomparably better.

To work within the limitations of the tablesaw on the Shopsmith I think a sled is the top tool to have.

As far as the table being too small and the tilting table being an issue - the problems are different depending on which Mark V you have. I have the 510 (upgraded to 520) so I have a slightly larger table which has the extensions and I have equipped it with an outfeed table. The issue of inadequate table space is a non-issue for me.

I sometimes wish I had a tilting arbor but so seldom that this is not an issue either.

It all boils down to needs and expectations. I am a hobby wood worker and have grown completely accustomed to my small shop and my Mark V. The Shopsmith is the only table saw I shall ever need. Well, that is not true. I also have the Crafter's Station which has the same table capacity but a bit less power and lower rpm's. I use it for work at the kids homes mostly (easier to transport).

After all - the Shopsmith was designed for the shop with limited space and an owner with an unlimited desire to do wood working. It fulfills those demands superbly.

A good alignment, sharp blade, waxed tabletop and proper blade settings to the thickness of materials are key to the performance of the SS tablesaw setup. I too have a portable craftsman tablesaw for transport and quick one time cuttings but when accuracy and smooth cuts are needed the SS tablesaw is the answer for me.

Sharp blades and proper feeding of materials will help you in appreciation of the SS tablesaw performance!! (in my opnion)

I agree with Doug. I use an extremely sharp and clean 9" planer blade in my greenie and it cuts very well.
The other thing to keep in mind is to check that everything is parallel and true. I frequently check to make sure the miter slots are parallel to the blade and that the rip fence is parallel to the slot. Also, every time I tilt the table I check it with an engineer’s square when I put it back at 90o. I don’t trust the automatic stops. It takes all of 4 seconds to check, but will save you a ton of frustration. I also do the same thing with the miter gauge.
Lastly, I like the fact that the blade can moved in the insert slot. Say I want to rip something at 3½”. Rather than trying to set the rip fence to exactly 3½” and hoping it stays there when I lock it down, I set it to close to 3½” and then use the quill to set it exactly to 3½”.

Just my opinion!

Sincerely,

Ron

Ron309753 wrote:I agree with Doug. I use an extremely sharp and clean 9" planer blade in my greenie and it cuts very well.
The other thing to keep in mind is to check that everything is parallel and true. I frequently check to make sure the miter slots are parallel to the blade and that the rip fence is parallel to the slot. Also, every time I tilt the table I check it with an engineer’s square when I put it back at 90o. I don’t trust the automatic stops. It takes all of 4 seconds to check, but will save you a ton of frustration. I also do the same thing with the miter gauge.
Lastly, I like the fact that the blade can moved in the insert slot. Say I want to rip something at 3½”. Rather than trying to set the rip fence to exactly 3½” and hoping it stays there when I lock it down, I set it to close to 3½” and then use the quill to set it exactly to 3½”.

Just my opinion!

Sincerely,

Ron

Using the quill to perform fine adjustments of the blade position is an excellent recommendation. However, it mandates that you put your quill lock mechanism together correctly. :oI recently had mine all apart and when I put it back together I placed the two serrated washers back with the serrations face to face. Doesn't work. The quill lock is unreliable this way.

Thanks Dusty (or should I say Chief),

I actully got the quill idea from the PTWFE!

Sincerely,

Ron

backhertz wrote:I am impressed with the news being I have a number of Shopsmiths. I just had an addition added to the rear of my garage and will have 5-6 Shopsmiths- every model & flavor as stand alone tools. One feature I was not going to use is the table saw function because of the small size of the motor. But with a much more powerful motor, this could be the answer. But would any of you with more experience care to share your opinion? Thank you.

Backhertz
I fail to understand the power issue, you feed wood at rate what maintains blade speed if the blade slows down you slow down. This is fact on any saw. Even 5hp cabinet saws that have power feeders do this, most are variable speed so you can set the feed rate to match the cutting rate.

I have never had a power issue with my Shopsmith. In my book not a problem.

Table size and tilting table and variable table position, yes a problem. I want an out feed table so badly but I don't want another thing I have to adjust everytime I make a slight depth of cut adjustment. I want a larger table but I don't want to have adjust an Aux table/floating table everytime I make a slight depth of cut adjustment. Tilting table can be a pain if you cut a lot of bevels, which I don't, but I have learned to live with it.

Yes your right a moveable table on a table saw is not fun.

I have to ask myself one very important question. That is, am I doing enough cutting on my Shopsmith to warrant a standalone machine. My answer is at this time no.

I use my Shopsmith mostly for home maintaince and repair with an occasional furniture project thrown in when I get bored or want to try something I saw. Just like I can't justify a bandsaw, a drill press, a lathe, a jointer, disk sander or any of the other functions in standalone it is nice to have them available to me when I need them.

If was building a new project everyday, or earning a living in wood working you can be certain I would have standalone machines. Again you have to remember at the time I bought my Shopsmith I couldn't buy standalones of similar ability for the same costs. Today that is not true.

If I was starting out today there is no way I would consider a new Shopsmith. I can buy equal ability standalone machines far cheaper. That leaves only one variable space. Yes the SS takes less space than the standalones it replaces but then we have to live with the compromises such as moveable tables and etc.

Truthfully if space was really an issue I think I would seek out another hobby.

We are kind of scattering like geese away from the Power Pro subject of this thread, however I will follow suit.

I completely agree with EVERYTHING Ed posted above, and would like to add a little, concerning shop space. Shop space is always an issue, especially in smaller shops.

I used to think my present shop 16' X 20' was plenty large enough for my Shopsmith and storage for the SPTs. Then came the storage needed for the associated woodworking tools - lathe chisels, arbors, lathe centers, squares, wrenches, screw drivers, chisel sharpening jig, various saw blades, conical disks, bench chisels, jointer blade sharpening jig, drum sander/shaper fence, tenon jig, router bits, drive couplers, spare drive belts, dado blade, drill chuck, Overarm router and associated tables/fences, on and on - - -

Multiple drawers, with and without dividers, along with wall cabinets and a bench or two leaves little "extra" room for finishing supplies, and ample room for assembly.

My point of the last two paragraphs is to express that even forming my shop around a Mark V, the 'space required for a bicycle' just won't handle the necessary space required. Since I often need to rotate my Mark V 90 degrees and also occasionally need infeed/outfeed room I often wonder just how much space I have "saved" with my Mark V.

Now do I add to those concerns - "Where do I store my old headstock?"