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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Anyone have a Shop Smith?

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Eddie in MI

02-07-2006 16:59:07




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My Pop has one in the basement, and I'm pretty sure that it will be coming to me when he's done with it. Anyone own one? Is it useful? Is it a qulity American machine or is it an imported deal? I'm asking because it looks older (a guess: maybe 1970s?)... anyone know any history on these things?

-Ed




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Fawteen

02-08-2006 13:16:03




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
I have one I've had since 1980, when a 4x8 "shed" was my only shop. Built some nice stuff with it.

Now that I'm retired and have a 12x24 shop, I've supplemented it with a "real" table saw and a compound miter saw, but I still use it. That little bitty table made it difficult to do accurate cuts on long or large pieces, but that was really my only complaint.

The "PITA to change functions" is a load. Nothing could be simpler, all you have to do is think a bit and plan your operations so that you're not changing unnecessarily.

If I had a big shop to outfit, a Shopsmith wouldn't be my first choice, but for a small shop, you can't beat it.

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Dave (CO)

02-08-2006 11:23:47




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
My dad, my brother and I all have one and really appreciate the space savings and versatility. As far as everyone saying it"s a hassle to do change-overs between tools, go to a demonstration and count how many times the salesman does that 15 min. time.



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M Nut

02-08-2006 07:11:46




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
I have two of them. The are good machines, some say collector items, and work well. I'd say you'd like it. One was my dad's and the other was his dad's. (my grandpa)



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Steve Crum

02-08-2006 06:37:40




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
I had one for a short time, a very good quality machine but as everyone has stated, a real PITA to change over to a different operation constantly. Great for a retired folk with lotsa time. I sold mine and stocked with independent tools. But then I was doing some production work so time was money.



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bcPA

02-07-2006 23:43:52




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
I spoke to a factory rep last year at a lowes store. I told him I was interested in a used one. He told me for a while they were not making them for a while and then a owner of one of their machines bought the right to manufacture them. Also he said that for a while a knock off was made some where in the orient and the quality is not there in those made over seas. Plastic gears inside ect. He told me something about color also but I dont remember the details as to tell them apart.

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N. TX Tim

02-07-2006 20:38:58




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
Ed, I have one that my Dad bought while I was a teenager so I could help him do our home remodeling. I also owned one with all the attachments and have sold that one. They are definitely American made...I think in Ohio. There are good and not so good about the machines. You have to plan your work well as switching from one operation to the other can be a pain as mentioned. But, there some nice features as well. Like, you can use the ripfence and table adjustment for the drill press. Much faster and more accurate than clamping and readjusting a board to the table top. At one time their attachments were much cheaper than free standing machines and there in was their appeal. But...over time there attachments became as expensive or more than individual machines and that has hurt their appeal. I plan on keeping mine...there are some things that it will work well on...and the price is right.

Tim

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Jim Broughton

02-07-2006 20:34:06




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
Hey, I've got an old 1947 model, and it works GREAT!!..Now that being said, the others are right, it is a pain to "set-up" for all the different tools. I leave mine mostly in the "lathe" position, some times use the drill press (it just "swings up") when doing mortises, and the table saw is OK, only thing is it's a "tilt-table", which can be kind of dangerous, especially with a longer piece of wood, so be careful...and they are kinda dangerous if you have young children around...switches are too easy for young fingers! It's a great lathe, though, and all in all, a good tool . Lots of luck with 'er ! Jim

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KEB

02-07-2006 20:23:35




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
I have one made in the 1950's. At least the older ones are good quality and well made. They're great for limited space, but as noted it's a real pain to change from one mode to the other. Mine is used primarily as a table saw, but it does work well as a drill press and a lathe. Like all multi-purpose tools, it can do a lot reasonably well, but nothing great. All in all, a useful tool to have.

Keith

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Butch(OH)

02-07-2006 17:22:04




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
They are decent enough I guess but everybody I know that has one has soon tired of switching it around and leaves it set up as one tool, and purchased other job specific machines. Pretty sure that your looking at USA made. My father-in-laws has been in lathe mode ever since the first time I saw it, 25 years ago.



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SteveinCT

02-07-2006 17:17:41




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 Re: Anyone have a Shop Smith? in reply to Eddie in MI, 02-07-2006 16:59:07  
Eddie, my dad passed last year and left me his Shopsmith. It's still in my parent's basement, I have to go pick it up. He used it all the time, drill, saw, lathe, disc sander all in one and they still make parts and attachments. The only negative is the draw on startup. My pop used to blow a fuse every once in a while and he had 200 amp service with the Shopsmith right by the panel. I say keep it. it's American made and it's a good machine! Steve

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