Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 (Tek) 9/28/84 based on 9/17/84; site tekchips.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!hplabs!tektronix!tekcrl!tekchips!toma From: toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) Newsgroups: net.rec.wood Subject: Re: Shopsmith Message-ID: <73@tekchips.UUCP> Date: Thu, 8-Aug-85 12:41:31 EDT Article-I.D.: tekchips.73 Posted: Thu Aug 8 12:41:31 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Aug-85 01:01:07 EDT References: <27e04fd2.a51@apollo.uucp> Reply-To: toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 61 Summary: An owners happy experience I bought my Shopsmith about a year ago, and wished I bought it years ago! Let's face it, it appears to be awfully expensive, but its utility and quality more than make up for it. I don't have any add-on tools, but I am planning to buy the band saw sometime within the next year. I also own a Craftsman radial arm saw and jig saw (the latter about 30 years old). Also a wide variety of hand tools, powered and not. Here are my comments about the different functions: General--Speed control is a big win. Sturdy and machined well, but I wish the table was cast iron instead of aluminum. Some operations need extra bracing for accuracy, the experts at the store have lots of tips, but no mention of this is made in the manuals. Speaking of which, if you are in an area with a factory store, the support is great (a big selling point!). They have free short classes as well as reasonable cost hands-on 1 3 or 4 day classes. Excellent set of manuals come with the machine--includes a basic course on using the Shopsmith. They don't want you to fail -- their customers are their best salespeople! Table Saw-- I feel that this is its weakest function. The table is really too small for crosscutting, and the tilting table makes beveling real tough. But then I use my radial arm saw for that, and it peforms the job better than a table saw would anyway (no flames, please!). If I didn't have a radial arm saw, I might have thought more about the wisdom of a Shopsmith. Adjusting the cutting depth by moving the table up and down is a disadvantage because any extension table(s) (btw, I bought an additional one) or rollers must be readjusted as well. On the plus side, its footprint is smaller than any **good** table saw (with extensions) and it does a fine job of cutting sheets of plywood. With a 5/8" arbor you can use standard (non-Shopsmith) blades and accessories. I have made my own table inserts. Sander-- Nice big sanding disk. Very flexible since you can use just about any table-saw-like setup. Can mount a disk on each side (different grits). Lathe-- Never used a lathe before; I even took their one day class on how to turn wood. Great fun. Can't compare with other's except it does seem to have greater capacity (esp. for bowls). I think tool rest could be easier to adjust and wider as well. Drill Press-- Large capacity. Uses the table saw's table so you can tilt it and use the mitre gauge and rip fence to allign the work. Disadvantage is that it is the most radical change of the five so takes longest set-up time (and I tend to use this alot). Horizontal boring machine-- Some may not count this as an extra tool since it is the drill press lying horizontally with the table horizontal! But boy is it a big win for me. Great for drilling dowel holes for gluing up table tops. I do alot of this (I am making some solid wood furniture), and this function was worth the cost of the machine for me. Conclusion -- Unless you have both lots of money (to buy professional quality stationary tools) and lots of space, BUY IT! (You also get a 30 day trial period--return it if you don't like it).