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Went to Lowes today and found out they are going to sell the ShopSmith tool. It looks very well built, but it would be a pain to “transform” the tool every time you wanted to go from a table saw to drill press. and at $2500 they wont sell many. I can buy alot of good stationaly tools for $2500. Has anyone ever used one of these??
BTW, they also have Cub Cadet tractors at Lowes now, bet the Cub dealers wont like that.
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Replies
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Jon
no offense but,
1. Shopsmith is not a serious tool
B. Lowes is not a serious Lumber yard
III. Cub Cadets are now made by MTD, not a serious tractor manufacturer.
T
*Shopsmith? We dont use no stinkin' Shopsmiths!
*I know the Shopsmith is not a "real" tool. I would never buy one, and at $2500 not many other people will either. I was just writting this to tell people on this board.
*Is anybody interested in an $800 ShopSmith, brand new from Lowe's?Just wait about 9 months.Lowes is famous to "dumping" products when they decide not to carry them any more.A couple of years ago I got the Jet 14" BS for about $300 when they replaced the Jet equipment with Jet Homeshop line (which they drop later for Delta).And last month I got the Dewalt DW788 scroll saw for $199.
*My impression of the Shopsmith has always been the Kirby Vacuum of stationary woodworking tools!
*Bill, I think you correct. Not many people will want to spend $2500 on any tool at Lowes. I was on Showsmith's website and they have accesories that you can buy. They 11" band saw is $499 and 13" Planer is $949, I dont see how they sell any tools at these prices. They just seem way over priced.
*Bill thanks for the heads up. I dont go into Blows much just for little things but Ill keep my eyes open for a tool sale. could always use a good band saw
*WINDOWS!! Went to a home show and looked at a window made by Advanced Window Products linked to Schuco Co. Has anyone ever used or have these windows in there home/business?It is a pvc window frame with a built in roller shutter system.I live on the coast and they meet Dade Co. testing.Thanks
*I think the Smopsmith appeals to a certain segment of the DIY/woodworker market which doesn't have much room for a shop. Since Lowes also appeals to that same market, it's probably a good fit from a marketing standpoint. But I wouldn't have one either. The guys I've talked to that have them say the thing is way underpowered for a tablesaw, and setup is really a pain. They're also fairly tall when they're set up as a drill press, so they hit the floor above when they're in a basement.
*I had one. Liked it as a back up for the stationary tools and as a lathe. I could ramp it up into the van for some projects. The $2,500 is too much though. If you still want one, try for a used @ around $450 to $800.
*b AutoHammer now at Fred Meyers !!!!
*Luka- I've heard some whispering about this incredible tool. It's exciting to know I'll be finding it at Freddy's!.............All I can remember is like it was some kind of joke, or one of those crazy useless Japanese inventions. So, is this thing really for real?
*well my dad left me a shopsmith after he died and i sold a couple of tools that were free standing, it works great for the homeowner and general house husband but for commercial stuff, i miss my table saw. It was large and took up alot of space. the shop smith has the table top raise and lower for depth cuts instead of the blade(normal table saws) so if you buy one you will have to design an out feed suport that will be able to elevate with the table itself for large sheet matl. my advise is buy that roll a round kit for the bottom of your current saw (unless it was a large contractor saw) and roll it in the corner.If i didn't get it for free i wouldn't buy one.The other thing is that all the piece's are expensive and you don't get a motor with them. i am talking prices like 699.00 for a band saw that you attach to your 2500.00 shop smith. it doesn't add up.
*Hey Luka I heard alot about that tool. We dont have any Fred Meyers here in So Cal (bummer) but maybe you could pick me up one along with the "nail tight" accessory that goes with it. Ill pay for the shipping. :)
*Can you throw in a can of Spray on Hair???They have 4 colors which will match anyones hair.
*Ron, I haven't been to Freddies for a while. I don't know if the thing is even still in the shelf there. They had this one shelf that was "as seen on tv". I don't remember the price either. All I remember is the hammer. A plastic yellow handle, and a black hammerhead that looked like an antique in design. I didn't even stop long enough to pick one up to see what it felt like.Next time I am in there, I will pay more attention. I'm pretty sure there wasn't anything on the shelf that was labeled as an accessory for it.
I bought one used for $500 about 20 years ago. The table saw is pretty useless, the lathe and the 12" disk sander are about all I use it for. One thing that helps the lathe is to form up and pour a concrete base. Otherwise, it's so light, if you chuck up anything just slightly out of round of any size, you have to go easy or the machine will hop all over the place.
For the price of a new one you can get a good start on some good quality stationary tools and with some creative use of a small space and some roller bases, you can do just fine in confined quarters while you dream of a new shop.
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Went to Lowes today and found out they are going to sell the ShopSmith tool. It looks very well built, but it would be a pain to "transform" the tool every time you wanted to go from a table saw to drill press. and at $2500 they wont sell many. I can buy alot of good stationaly tools for $2500. Has anyone ever used one of these??
BTW, they also have Cub Cadet tractors at Lowes now, bet the Cub dealers wont like that.
Jon,
I am new to this forum and just saw your post concerning the Shopsmith. I see that it was sometime back but perhaps this will be useful now. I see that several people answered you and had generally negative comments. They make some good points that anyone should consider when buying a tool. I would like to tell you about my experiences with the machine.
I bought my Mark V new in 1978. An uncle of mine had an earlier version that he purchased in the 50's and turned out some fine looking projects. About the time I bought mine, Shopsmith was hitting the malls pretty hard with their demos and it definitely got me interested. Since I purchased mine, two friends and one relative have also purchased machines for themselves. People continue to buy the Shopsmith and it has been upgraded considerably.
I enjoy woodworking as a hobby but have also built an addition onto our house using this tool. The first time I used my Shopsmith illustrates some of its utility. We had a one car garage that left little room for any power tools, not to mention the inevitable clutter that accummulates in the garage. I had my car up on jack stands with the transmission on the floor to replace the clutch. We lived in a small town and the parts stores had already closed. Well, come to find out, the part store had sold me the wrong clutch pilot tool. I tried stabbing that transmission but could not get everything in line. My Shopsmith was brand new and wedged into one corner of the garage. Hum...wonder if I could make a clutch pilot tool? Well, shortly thereafter I had a wooden clutch pilot tool and not long after that, the transmission was back in. The Shopsmith is on wheels and takes up about as much space as a bicycle.
I have never found a company to be more helpful than Shopsmith. Right after I bought the Mark V, they came out with the 12" planer. I had some trouble right off the bat with the planer and could not figure it out. Turns out it was only a wood chip wedged into part of the mechanism. I called the factory and a woman answered the phone. I asked to speak to someone who could help me with my problem. She said, "Go ahead." She solved my problem on the spot! Found out that that they don't start their people as receptionists. The folks who answer the phones are either trained to service the machines or worked on the assembly lines. I often remember how professionally these people treated me when I am on the phone to some other company, trying to get through an automated phone system or talking to folks who don't have a clue as to the product they are selling. Incidentally, before I sat down to write this, I called Shopsmith and verified this is how they still do business.
Then there are the training sessions that Shopsmith holds around the country. I went to one last Summer in El Paso. It cost a total of $25 for a complete day of servicing and woodworking sessions. They put the tools into our own hands and helped us with any specific problems we might have. Of course, I bought some more accessories, this time adding sharpening equipment for my planer! Shopsmith also has an "acadamy" that I have never been too. If their one day sessions are any kind of a gauge, I think I would really enjoy attending.
I ran a couple of tests before I came in to write. Usually, I have the table saw configured with the joiner also hooked up. They happen to run at the same speed. You rip something 1/32" over and then go right to the joiner to really clean up the edge. Actually less time than it would take to shut down the saw and go to a free standing jointer. To go from this configuration to drill press took me 63 seconds and I was in my cluttered shop and did not try to hurry (It's too hot here in Carlsbad, New Mexico right now to hurry). To go from bandsaw to jointer takes about 40 seconds. I have never found the setup changes to be that much of a problem.
The Shopsmith is a very well made tool and you can turn out some accurate work with it. The only item I have had to replace in 24 years has been the on/off switch. In the event that you completely wore out the headstock (the motor unit), the factory will do a complete rebuild for about 1/3 the cost of a new machine. Here is something else. They can also ship you a "loaner" headstock so that you can keep working while they fix yours. I have yet to find the person that has required to have the headstock rebuilt. Perhaps if you used this machine day in and day out commercially, you would reach this point. Someone else will have to speak to that.
I am definitely not into commercial woodworking but I could see that this machine might come in real handy if you needed to take your table saw, band saw, jointer and drill press up into an apartment to work on a project.
Would I like to have one of those nice Delta table saws with a cast iron table? Sure! But I still can't afford to buy one! My Shopsmith will just have to do for a few more years. Maybe when I retire! Hope this is helpful. Incidentally, if you can find a used Shopsmith, I would not hesitate to buy it! take care.
Mike
Received your email today. I an in Asheville, N.C. enjoying the pretty hills. Read through some of the past messages regarding the Shopsmith. I usually ignore the scarcastic comments as usually that individual has never turned one on. In my travels as an instructor for Shopsmith I have met thousands of owners who are just fascinated by the equipments performance. Many are proud home owners who are wanting to do some of the work themselves to save money, but more importantly the satisfaction of doing some of it themselves. Many hobbiest own the Shopsmith, too. Another cross-over group are the wood carvers. Many have Shopsmith tools. The diversity of owners is quite interesting. Many, many professional people. Policeman, firemen(lots of firemen), doctors, attorneys, and various engineers. All sorts of woodworking enthusaists, men and women, have been using their Shopsmiths for 20, 30, and 40 years. 1953 was the first year a Shopsmith Mark V was built. Did you know you can get any part you need for a 1953 model today? Besides, when was the last time one of the critic' s tool makers sent in a professional to teach them in their own home town how to maintain and do just about any type of woodworking project they had in mind with their tools? And when you purchase a new Shopsmith at a Lowe's they will include a certificate to attend the next Academy class that usually comes through their area in about 8 to 10 weeks after their purchase. Actually, the price for a new Mark V Pro-fence system is not $2500, but $2,800 and is worth every bang for the buck. My class crosses the country yearly providing one on one support to all owners in the cities I visit. I also have provided my email and voice-mail to a plethera of Shopsmith owners who contact me all the time with any question they have. Ask the critics if they have the name of a woodworking specalist with their tool company they can call or email. Sure Shopsmith equipment is expensive. Very good tools always are. Anyone can attend one of my classes whether they own the machine or not. They can contact Shopsmith for a schedule if they choose to. It might open their eyes. Woodworking is not big motors with large blades and a "Tim Allen" mentality. It is much more that that. Say, it was good to hear from you. Hope life is treating you good. Any questions, Mike, you know how to reach me. Be good, Edd
"Woodworking is not big motors with large blades and a "Tim Allen" mentality"
That's sick, Edd. Really sick. Tim Taylor is my hero.
Edited 6/3/2002 9:26:06 AM ET by Boss Hog
Edd,
It certainly sounds prettier where you are than here in the desert! We have had no rain for a long time now. Thanks for your comments. I think my experiences as a satisfied Shopsmith owner are similar to those of your customers. Quality of the machine is very high and like I said before, the support from the company is second to none.
I put the new style guard/featherboard on my old jointer. That was a good move! A lot safer and much easier to control the stock. You were right when when you said that if we made no other upgrades, we should definitely install this one! Finally found a man locally who could sharpen carbide blades. He does a good job from his tiny shop. Also found he is a Shopsmith owner too!
So, when are you coming out toward Southern New Mexico/West Texas again? I wish you would put on class strictly devoted to turning on the lathe. Take care, it was good hearing from you.
Mike