Shopsmith Forums

I have a question for everyone. At the end of the day how do you leave your Shopsmith?

Let me explain. I got into a routine that as I'm claning up my shop (garage that is used to park cars) at the end of each day I strip my SS down to basic machine. By that I mean I remove anything on the arbor, the mitre gauge and fence and and saw guard. My normal configuration is Aux table on the left with the headstock pushed against it and a floating table on either side of the main table and lowered so they slide under the arbor and against the headstock.

That gives me the option of starting each day in the shop with a clean machine ready to be configured for that day's use. I also always know where everything since everytime I remove a something from the SS I put the part in the place assigned to it. For instance my favorite blade is mounted on the an arbor and stored in the cabinet with other blades (some are mounted to arbors and some are not) along with the lower saw guard. On that same shelf I also store my sanding disks. So I can just go to that cabinet on that shelf and grab my lower saw guard, the blade I want or sanding disk and install them on my machine. When I finish with the blade I put it back on the shelf. Below that shelf I store my upper blade guard, my mitre gauge along with my drills and chuck. On a shelf above I store the fence and push sticks and feather boards.

However as I was telling someone else I end up getting frustrated spending so much time setting up and adjusting table height. It seems like all I ever do is adjust the main table the aux table then I have to run around and adjust the height of the infeed and outfeed supports. I was telling them I was even considering getting a dedicated table saw just so I wouldn't be do all this adjusting.

The person I was talking to suggested I start keeping the SS be in normal saw configuration with the table height set for a normal saw height and leave it there unless I needed to change it to another configuration. By doing this they were able to use stop collars on the their tables which made setup so easy. He apparently set his table deep enough to make the majority of his cuts and put a collar on support posts of his main and aux table so it was simple to get them at the same height. Since this height was locked it he was able to leave his infeed and outfeed supports locked in also.

I'm curious now how do you leave your machine. Do you just finish the day and leave? Or do you have some sort of routine? In other words if we were to walk into your shop at the beginning of the day how would we find your Shopsmith?
Ed

Hi, Ed- I'm in your situation also, at the end of every day everything needs to be put away in its proper place so that I can get the car back in the garage.
I try to plan ahead, so that, for example, if the next project needs the lathe, I'll remove the table and put on the universal tool rest, tailstock, etc., before I put the Shopsmith away. And I try to make sure the speed is turned down to "C" or less so that the next day's work doesn't start off with a "bang" by an act of carelessness.
When I'm using the table saw, I try to cut the thickest stuff first, and yes, I often don't reset the blade to a lower height before I cut thinner stock, for the same reasons you mentioned. So I am anxiously waiting for SS to sell the modified outfeed table described by Nick, where it moves up and down simultaneously with the table.

Gary

Hi Ed,

Some might say I am lazy, but I do not see it that way: I leave my machine in the configuration that I last used it, except that if there is a saw blade installed, I raise the table so that the blade is below the table surface (safety rather then convenience). I figure that I do not know what the next operation will be, so I do not use extra time to break it down...I would have to do that anyway, or not. I do have the luxury of having enough shop space to leave the SS "out" all of the time.

Interestingly, in my last post, I copy-pasted the Title line, but it did not come out right. It should say: How do you leave your Shopsmith.

Hi,

At this point in my life, being retired as well as having almost no shopspace I always run the shop vac over the machine(s) at the end of the day then take them down to or back up to a standard point. Since they have a space to fit into and over sets of cabinets they always go back in that location.

So for me the standard way to leave the one machine is with the extension tables (I have a left and right ones) on the machine, the main table on the machine and that is it. The second machine stores my stripsander on the left end, then the entension table on the right side and the two floating tables followed by the main table. The miter gauge in the left slot and the rip fence to the right side of the table.

In the past when I had more space I was often tempted to leave the machine set-up especial if I knew I was coming back the next day to continue a project. But at that point in time I also had 3 kids and their friends around. So I felt better when I removed the cutting parts off the machine... just in case. But the machine might have been left "out" where it was being used.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Ed

I clean up my shop daily. I leave the shopsmith in the saw mode with my router table to the left and ext and floating tables to the right. My bandsaw and jointer aren't far away so if needed I just take the router table off and install the bandsaw/jointer. When I need to use the ss in drill press mode I typically do all the drilling and then switch back to saw mode. I also use a dremel in a stand for drilling starter holes for the scrollsawing I do. I have a jointmatic that is on its own stand and I try to use it as much as possible for routing. As Tim (a1gutterman) can vouch for me my shop is small so I have to be organized. I do a pretty good job of planning out my projects now so I don't have to switch around much.

I participated in four years of Industrial Shop while I was in high school. During that time, Mr. Thompson taught me that I could not call a days effort complete until the shop was clean. If I leave the shop in a mess, to this very day, Mr. Thompson reminds me that I have not cleaned up properly. I have gone back to the shop many times to complete this routine cleanup so that I could sleep.

Mr. Thompson would have me break down all the setups and return equipment to their proper storage area. For Mr. Thompson that was the tool crib. I don't have a tool crib but the tools all have designated storage locations. Before I quit, tools get returned to their proper locations.

Some photos of a standard "end of day" in my shop.

I admire you folks who have the discipline to clean-up daily "as it should be done", and as Mr Thompsons taught, but I must confess I don't do it. Usually the SS is left the last way it was used and the work area has all the last tools used laying about. I often kick myself for this but have yet to change my habits.

I had grandchildren living with me for several years and in those times I did remove the safety switch and lower the blade before turning out the lights but now that we are alone again, even that good habit has passed.

Have fun

John

I do both depending on the circumstances. Right now i'm leaving the machine in its setup configuration, but unplugged, because I know that I'm doing the same thing tomorrow that I'm doing tonight, cutting plywood panels for cabinets.

My normal method is to put the machine in a safe configuration with no attachments, blades or other implements left on the machine and unplugged. In either case the machine is throuroughly wiped down, vacuumed and waxed for the next use.

Like John, I admire you folks having the discipline to put everything away at the end of the day and set the Mark V in a specific position. I used to come close to that when I was working in a 7' X 16' space. Now in a larger, uni-use (almost) shop, I have the luxury of leaving the shop as it was when I finish for the day.

The one exception to quick leaving is - I always completely vacuum up the whole shop including the Mark V. Every once and a while, I find that coming into the shop to start a day, becomes an adventure. I have to put tools away before starting work.

There is another thing I also do (you could say religiously). Although my grand Kids are in their tall teens and early 20s - every time they or anyone comes into my shop when the SS is not running, I quickly pull out the red plug from the power switch. I am usually the only person in my shop. I have the only keys!