Have a neighbor that is trying to sell a Shopsmith that belonged to her
husband who died a couple years back. Since I'm always in the driveway
working on wood (at least until SWMBO gives the green light for a backyard
garage) she asked me about it and how to sell it. Recommended the local
Trading Post Mag but have no idea what to tell her to ask for it.

Looked at the machine and it appears to have all the standard accessories
plus the bandsaw and jointer attachment. Her husband was the type that took
good care of things so I'm sure it is in excellent condition.

Any body have an idea what she should ask/can get for it? Looked at a couple
of Shopsmith auctions on Ebay but they weren't much help. Thanks.

Oswin

I do not know where you are from but the ability to sell one probably
depends on the size of your classifieds marketplace. I know Shopsmith has a
following of avid enthusiasts and if you find the right person she might
sell it.

You might take a look at EBAY and note machines that have bids. I just took
a quick look and found machines with bids run from $250 to around $650.
There are also some in the $1,200 range without bids. There are also SS
users groups including a Yahoo users group -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SSusers/. Try googling some of these groups
and see if there are users in your area.

RonB

Click on the following link. This is an E-bay search of COMPLETED
Shopsmith listings.This will give you a pretty good idea of current
market value.


http://search-completed.ebay.com/sho...4100QQsbrsrtZl

Good luck,
Chuck

All over the map around here. A friend just went through weeks of trying to
sell one that was part of a bigger deal. I think a couple of months and
$450. I don't like them at all, because of the inconvenience, but I know
people do do small stuff successfully.
Wilson
"oswin2461" wrote in message
news:JEMJe.85491$%Z2.38122@lakeread08...
Have a neighbor that is trying to sell a Shopsmith that belonged to her
husband who died a couple years back. Since I'm always in the driveway
working on wood (at least until SWMBO gives the green light for a backyard
garage) she asked me about it and how to sell it. Recommended the local
Trading Post Mag but have no idea what to tell her to ask for it.

Looked at the machine and it appears to have all the standard accessories
plus the bandsaw and jointer attachment. Her husband was the type that
took
good care of things so I'm sure it is in excellent condition.

Any body have an idea what she should ask/can get for it? Looked at a
couple
of Shopsmith auctions on Ebay but they weren't much help. Thanks.

Oswin

In article JEMJe.85491$%Z2.38122@lakeread08, says...
Have a neighbor that is trying to sell a Shopsmith that belonged to her
husband who died a couple years back.

Any body have an idea what she should ask/can get for it? Looked at a couple
of Shopsmith auctions on Ebay but they weren't much help. Thanks.


If it's a fairly recent model (last 10-15 years?), I've seen similar go
for $800-$900 at estate sales. I've seen newspaper ads in the $1000-
$1500 range, but don't know if they sold for that.

If it's an older model (Shopsmith's been around a long time) it could go
as low as $200-$300 even in great condition.

--
BNSF = Build Now, Seep Forever

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 13:29:40 -0400, "oswin2461"
wrote:

Have a neighbor that is trying to sell a Shopsmith that belonged to her
husband who died a couple years back. Since I'm always in the driveway
working on wood (at least until SWMBO gives the green light for a backyard
garage) she asked me about it and how to sell it. Recommended the local
Trading Post Mag but have no idea what to tell her to ask for it.


Depending where you are I might be interested.

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 13:29:40 -0400, "oswin2461"
wrote:

Have a neighbor that is trying to sell a Shopsmith that belonged to her
husband who died a couple years back. Since I'm always in the driveway
working on wood (at least until SWMBO gives the green light for a backyard
garage) she asked me about it and how to sell it. Recommended the local
Trading Post Mag but have no idea what to tell her to ask for it.

Looked at the machine and it appears to have all the standard accessories
plus the bandsaw and jointer attachment. Her husband was the type that took
good care of things so I'm sure it is in excellent condition.

Any body have an idea what she should ask/can get for it? Looked at a couple
of Shopsmith auctions on Ebay but they weren't much help. Thanks.

Oswin

The following are the two Shopsmiths that I have purchased. Note that
I had previously inheireted a Shopsmith from my Dad:

1. A 1997 Shopsmith model 510 in good to excellent condition. It
included a bandsaw, a jointer, a strip sander, a DC3300 Shopsmith dust
collector, and all of the appropriate bits, blades, lathe tools,
fences, arbors, 2 - 12" sanding disks and a Forrest WWII blade, etc.
It also included a number of non-Shopsmith stuff such as a DeWalt ROS,
a downdraft sanding table insert, a bunch of wooden wheels, plugs,
dowels, etc. Total proce $1,250. I then sold my 1982 Model 500 in
excellent condition with a bandsaw and jointer along with appropriate
bits, blades, arbors, fences and 1 - 12" sanding disk along with a
spare saw table and fence for the same $1,250.

2. A 1988 Shopsmith Model 500 that clearly had not been used more than
once or twice, probably only to play with it when it was initially
set up. It came with a bandsaw that was still in the box, a belt
sander that was still in the box, a jointer that was still in the box
and a lathe duplicator that was still in the box. Unfortunately, this
had been inheireted by a woman when her dad died and she had just kept
it stored in her basement. She had apparently somehow lost some bits
and pieces including the fence, the drill chuck and some others and it
had some rust on the way tubes. Cleanable, but not excellent condition
due to the rust, but otherwise very good shape and basically unused.
All totaled $650. I spent about $150 getting all the needed bits and
pieces that were missing. This was purchased for my brother so he
ended up with a very nice and essentially new Shopsmith setup fopr
$800. (I got to keep the Lathe Duplicator for my efforts).


Obviously, I was in no hurry to buy so I found a couple of good deals
locally,(no shipping). I sold my 1982 model 500 to the first guy that
answered the ad in the local PennySaver for the asking price with no
haggling so I might have under-priced it.

Dave Hall

oswin2461 wrote:
Have a neighbor that is trying to sell a Shopsmith that belonged to her
husband who died a couple years back. Since I'm always in the driveway
working on wood (at least until SWMBO gives the green light for a backyard
garage) she asked me about it and how to sell it.

Maybe it's worth more as a tax write-off? See if the local high school
or some nonprofit could use it. Need to ask an accountant how big the
receipt for "market value" should be.

She might want to save that one till year's end, and try to sell the
thing in the meantime. But if she just wants it gone in a hurry,
donating it might be fastest.

replying to oswin2461, Harv.sr wrote:
I can offer $300.00 for it plus I will pay shipping.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/woodwo...ith-34401-.htm

replying to Harv.sr, Time Warp wrote:
Do you think he still has it after 12 years? Probably best that you don't
expose yourself to power tools if you're not bright enough to see that this
dates back to August 2005!

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/woodwo...ith-34401-.htm

On 12/24/2017 4:44 PM, Time Warp wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, Time WarpÂ* wrote:
Do you think he still has it after 12 years?Â* Probably best that you don't
expose yourself to power tools if you're not bright enough to see that this
dates back to August 2005!


If he still has it by now he'd be happy to get 50 bucks for it.

replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/woodwo...ith-34401-.htm

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them. When I saw them demo'ed at the woodworking shows when I was
still too young to have a drivers license, I immediately thought "I've
got to get one of those someday!". Turned out, I found alternate ways to
to incur higher cost. ; ) Maybe it make more sense if someone is
working out of a one car garage, and he or she doesn't have to worry
about the value/cost of his or her time.

If there's a Shopsmith "cult" online, I would share the details of what
you have to sell there.

On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/

When I saw them demo'ed at the woodworking shows when I was
still too young to have a drivers license, I immediately thought "I've
got to get one of those someday!". Turned out, I found alternate ways to
to incur higher cost. ; ) Maybe it make more sense if someone is
working out of a one car garage, and he or she doesn't have to worry
about the value/cost of his or her time.

If there's a Shopsmith "cult" online, I would share the details of what
you have to sell there.

On Monday, March 26, 2018 at 11:05:58 PM UTC-4, J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


My favorite featu

"A new removable safety switch"

....because who needs a new safety switch when a old regular switch will work just fine. ;-)

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.



When I saw them demo'ed at the woodworking shows when I was
still too young to have a drivers license, I immediately thought "I've
got to get one of those someday!". Turned out, I found alternate ways to
to incur higher cost. ; ) Maybe it make more sense if someone is
working out of a one car garage, and he or she doesn't have to worry
about the value/cost of his or her time.

If there's a Shopsmith "cult" online, I would share the details of what
you have to sell there.

On 3/27/2018 1:18 PM, Bill wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for
one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

All in ones are a PIA.

On Monday, March 26, 2018 at 10:05:58 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


I'm guessing he means competition from other non Shopsmith manufacturers. Similar to the way Festool's tracksaw now has competition from Mafell, DeWalt, Makita, and soon Bosch. Apparently ever company thinks track saws are wonderful. For the do everything Shopsmith market, you do have multi function machines sold by MiniMax and Felder/Hammer. And maybe another European company too. But comparing a MiniMax or Felder/Hammer to a Shopsmith might get you clubbed in the head until dead by anyone who owns a MiniMax or Felder/Hammer. They aren't really comparable. There is some saying that goes something like imitation is the best form of flattery. The fact that NO ONE copied Shopsmith kind of implies its not a good idea.

On 3/27/2018 3:11 PM, wrote:
....

... The fact that NO ONE copied Shopsmith kind of implies its not a good idea.

The were introduced in a different time, different environment and
primarily for a specific type of clientele. Just having a limited
market doesn't necessarily mean it isn't a good idea -- only that niche
markets don't support mass production and high volume.

My uncle after the end of WW II started his interior decorating business
and cabinet shop with nothing more than a Shopsmith and some
Craftsman-type hand tools and succeeded to build the largest Armstrong
dealership in the state with it as the only power tool for quite a
number of years. He was still using it regularly albeit not for
everything as initially when I was helping set tile on weekends to earn
a few extra bucks while at university nearly 15 years later and it still
had a place in the shop when he retired/sold the business after almost 40...

As production equipment for a large shop with the "veritable plethora"
of imports and benchtops they're no longer as attractive; even for the
casual weekender the mobile stuff is now small enough can actually do
something with it to make room but back then that just was not an option.

--

On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:56:09 -0500 typed
in rec.woodworking the following:
On 3/27/2018 1:18 PM, Bill wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for
one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

All in ones are a PIA.

All in ones invariably find you needing the other setup without
changing this one, to 'fix' something.
--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?

On Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 2:56:21 PM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
On 3/27/2018 1:18 PM, Bill wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for
one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

All in ones are a PIA.

Confucius say:

"Tools that claim to be great at all things are rarely good at anything."

On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 15:22:06 -0700, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:56:09 -0500 typed
in rec.woodworking the following:
On 3/27/2018 1:18 PM, Bill wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for
one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

All in ones are a PIA.

All in ones invariably find you needing the other setup without
changing this one, to 'fix' something.

And it's impossible to get the thing set up for the first operation
exactly the same way. I worked for a guy that had one. He was always
running up against this problem. OTOH, he lived in a trailer and
there wasn't a lot of extra room. He'd never own one, if he had any
other option.

On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:19:04 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 3/27/2018 3:11 PM, wrote:
...

... The fact that NO ONE copied Shopsmith kind of implies its not a good idea.

Actually there WERE Knock-offs of the Shopsmith.
Can't remember the name - but there was one that was actually fully
compatible with all the accessories, but as in MOST Chui-Clone stuff
internal parts were not interchangeable.

TotalShop?I think was the one major name.
There were 8 or 9 companies named by Shopsmith in actions
infringement.

The were introduced in a different time, different environment and
primarily for a specific type of clientele. Just having a limited
market doesn't necessarily mean it isn't a good idea -- only that niche
markets don't support mass production and high volume.

My uncle after the end of WW II started his interior decorating business
and cabinet shop with nothing more than a Shopsmith and some
Craftsman-type hand tools and succeeded to build the largest Armstrong
dealership in the state with it as the only power tool for quite a
number of years. He was still using it regularly albeit not for
everything as initially when I was helping set tile on weekends to earn
a few extra bucks while at university nearly 15 years later and it still
had a place in the shop when he retired/sold the business after almost 40...

As production equipment for a large shop with the "veritable plethora"
of imports and benchtops they're no longer as attractive; even for the
casual weekender the mobile stuff is now small enough can actually do
something with it to make room but back then that just was not an option.

On Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 7:12:38 PM UTC-4, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:19:04 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 3/27/2018 3:11 PM, wrote:
...

... The fact that NO ONE copied Shopsmith kind of implies its not a good idea.

Actually there WERE Knock-offs of the Shopsmith.
Can't remember the name - but there was one that was actually fully
compatible with all the accessories, but as in MOST Chui-Clone stuff
internal parts were not interchangeable.

TotalShop?I think was the one major name.
There were 8 or 9 companies named by Shopsmith in actions
infringement.


Yes, there was a TotalShop.

There was also a SuperShop and an Iron Wood, which looks remarkably like a SuperShop.

on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 18:55:22 -0400 typed in
rec.woodworking the following:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 15:22:06 -0700, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:56:09 -0500 typed
in rec.woodworking the following:
On 3/27/2018 1:18 PM, Bill wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for
one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

All in ones are a PIA.

All in ones invariably find you needing the other setup without
changing this one, to 'fix' something.

And it's impossible to get the thing set up for the first operation
exactly the same way. I worked for a guy that had one. He was always
running up against this problem. OTOH, he lived in a trailer and
there wasn't a lot of extra room. He'd never own one, if he had any
other option.

House mate was storing one, I got to use it. Drag it out, set it
up, tweak it, tweak it some more, run it.
Really keen, but if I could have afforded better, I'd get it too.

RIght now, I don't have the room to store it, let alone use it. (I
don't have the space to store a whole lot of things I wish I had. Band
saw for one.)

tschus
pyotr

--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?

On 3/27/18 5:55 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 15:22:06 -0700, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:56:09 -0500 typed
in rec.woodworking the following:
On 3/27/2018 1:18 PM, Bill wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for
one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

All in ones are a PIA.

All in ones invariably find you needing the other setup without
changing this one, to 'fix' something.

And it's impossible to get the thing set up for the first operation
exactly the same way. I worked for a guy that had one. He was always
running up against this problem. OTOH, he lived in a trailer and
there wasn't a lot of extra room. He'd never own one, if he had any
other option.


I used to work at a university that taught media production.
The college ran the local PBS radio and TV stations.
They had a full-time set master who had been there for decades.
The set shop was up on the top floor, hidden away from everything. It
also had a locker room and showers... apparently for all the
non-existent carpentry crew. I swear the guy probably lived up there.

Anyway, the only shop power tool he had was a big ShopSmith and the
thing was pristine. I never saw any sawdust in that shop.
The TV studio's set hadn't changed in a decade or longer. I remember
when they did make a change, it took the guy the entire school year and
following summer to build the new set.

I remember going up there one time to ask if he could cut something for
me that I was using to build some shelves in my storage closet.
I stood there and watched him take about 20 minutes to set up the
ShopSmith to rip a couple boards. Then about another 20 minutes to set
it up to cut them to length for me.
He asked if I wanted him to bore the holes I had marked. I made some
excuse that I had a meeting or something. I didn't want to be there
another hour while he putzed around setting the drill press section up
and taking his sweet time wasting taxpayer dollars on his cushy state
government job.

Part of this was due to the fact that he had a permanent position in a
government that he was going to coast downhill through all the way until
retirement.

But the other part was that stupid ShopSmith. Since that day the
ShopSmith, for me, has always been a metaphor for people who get paid to
spend the most time possible to do the least amount of work possible.

Most people who owned them just enjoy to tinker around with them and
show them off to they neighbors. They rarely even build anything with
them.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
www.mikedrums.com

-MIKE- on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 20:23:25 -0500
typed in rec.woodworking the following:

Most people who owned them just enjoy to tinker around with them and
show them off to they neighbors. They rarely even build anything with
them.
You definitely have to have the "tinker with stuff" gene.
--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?

wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?


Not at all. Evidently there are customers for it--retired folks,
who have downsized, and have deep pockets and very modest project
goals.

On 3/27/18 11:08 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking
for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?


Not at all. Evidently there are customers for it--retired folks, who
have downsized, and have deep pockets and very modest project goals.


They are the time-shares of woodworking tools.
The two happiest days of a ShopSmith owner's life are the day he buys it
and the day he sells it.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
www.mikedrums.com

-MIKE- wrote:
On 3/27/18 11:08 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill
wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill
wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still
looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details
about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would
probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to
get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?


Not at all. Evidently there are customers for it--retired
folks, who have downsized, and have deep pockets and very
modest project goals.


They are the time-shares of woodworking tools.
The two happiest days of a ShopSmith owner's life are the day he
buys it and the day he sells it.


Yes, I understand. Remember, I was the one who didn't even
realize that they are still in production....

I bought one in 1978. I was limited to keeping my woodworking equipment in a 4x 8 carport storage room. When needed, I would roll it out onto the carport and cut/turn away. Shopsmith offered classes at a very reasonable rate and the training projects made one familiar with the different configurations. The variable speed motor is plenty strong and doesn't rely on expensive electronics. Still runs well after all these years. The ease of dado adjustment comes to mind as the blades are right there and you lower the table over them for use. I've never taken 20 minutes to make any setup change and that includes going from a "table saw" (not much table) to a drill press.....more like 5-6 minutes. Since then I was able to have a larger shop and , like most others, acquired a table saw, radial arm, router tables, etc. The Shopsmith met my financial and space needs at the time of purchase. It doesn't do any one function particularly well when compared to dedicated tools but I've never regretted the purchase.

writes:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?

Hey, shopsmith is priced like Festool - $4500!

BillinGA on Wed, 28 Mar 2018 03:55:05 -0700 (PDT)
typed in rec.woodworking the following:
I bought one in 1978. I was limited to keeping my woodworking equipment in a 4x 8 carport storage room. When needed, I would roll it out onto the carport and cut/turn away. Shopsmith offered classes at a very reasonable rate and the training projects made one familiar with the different configurations. The variable speed motor is plenty strong and doesn't rely on expensive electronics. Still runs well after all these years. The ease of dado adjustment comes to mind as the blades are right there and you lower the table over them for use. I've never taken 20 minutes to make any setup change and that includes going from a "table saw" (not much table) to a drill press....more like 5-6 minutes. Since then I was able to have a larger shop and , like most others, acquired a table saw, radial arm, router tables, etc. The Shopsmith met my financial and space needs at the time of purchase. It doesn't do any one function particularly well when compared to dedicated tools but I've never
regretted the purchase.

Exactly. It beats not having whatever it is you need.

I just don't have the space right now for a shop smith. Or
anything else, for that matter.
--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?

On 3/28/2018 6:55 AM, BillinGA wrote:

I bought one in 1978. I was limited to keeping my woodworking equipment in a 4x 8 carport storage room. When needed, I would roll it out onto the carport and cut/turn away. Shopsmith offered classes at a very reasonable rate and the training projects made one familiar with the different configurations. The variable speed motor is plenty strong and doesn't rely on expensive electronics. Still runs well after all these years. The ease of dado adjustment comes to mind as the blades are right there and you lower the table over them for use. I've never taken 20 minutes to make any setup change and that includes going from a "table saw" (not much table) to a drill press....more like 5-6 minutes. Since then I was able to have a larger shop and , like most others, acquired a table saw, radial arm, router tables, etc. The Shopsmith met my financial and space needs at the time of purchase. It doesn't do any one function particularly well when compared to dedicated tools but I've never regretted the purchase.


I bought mine lightly used in '83, around $800 for the Mark V and the 4"
jointer. The "shop" was an 8' x 9' corner of the basement - there was
just no room for individual machines. It was my main shop tool for 18
years, and I turned out a lot of projects with it, mostly furniture.

Current shop is 24'x 28' - cabinet saw w/50" fence, 2 RAS, CMS, 8"
jointer, 12" planer, 10" band saw, floor model VS drill press,
oscillating drum sander, router table, dust collector, two benches and
the Shopsmith.

As a saw this SS sucks.

The table is tiny (14"x18"), requiring supports for work longer than
about 24". Adjusting table height instead of blade height is cumbersome,
as the supports must be adjusted to match. Bevel cuts mean tilting the
table rather than the blade, which means long boards have no support and
want to slide toward the blade. Rip cuts on force the fence is on the
end support, while the motor and main table have to be adjusted
separately to the desired width. (This is better on new models with
guide rails for the fence - but some function changeovers are now more
involved.)

But the same table that I cussed at for sawing shines for drilling,
horizontal boring, and drum or disc sanding due to the tilt table, fence
and easily adjusted height. Having the tool on the quill means I have a
stop when I apply the sanding disc to a large workpiece rather than
moving the work. Or I can extend the drum over the table. The only
reason I have the Delta drill press is that I needed slower speeds than
the minimum 700 rpm on my older belt drive SS, plus I found a bargain.
(Newer models run 250-10,000 rpm.) Some days I find I'm using both the
Delta and the SS drill function with different setups. I don't think of
myself as a woodturner, but the lathe function has worked well for
several spindle projects. The small jointer is OK for edging pieces up
to about 36" long, inadequate for most face jointing. (I learned how to
use my Stanleys - #8,#6,#4 & #3.)

SS prices are ridiculous, they always have been. But I don't think I'll
ever get rid of mine, as it still solves many problems for me.

On 3/27/2018 8:23 PM, -MIKE- wrote:

Snip
\

Most people who owned them just enjoy to tinker around with them and
show them off to they neighbors.Â* They rarely even build anything with
them.


Agreed! Once proficient with demoing the machine at a trade show you
can go from one set up to another relatively quickly.
BUT try setting it up to the same set up you had previously when you
have an interruption and change to a different set up.

BUT! The New Yankee Workshop started of with a ShopSmith.

On 3/27/2018 11:08 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking
for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?


Not at all. Evidently there are customers for it--retired folks, who
have downsized, and have deep pockets and very modest project goals.

In that case they would be getting rid of their ShopSmith and buying
Festool.

On 3/28/2018 8:56 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
writes:
On Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:18:21 -0400, Bill wrote:

J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

RedAce wrote:
replying to Harv.sr, RedAce wrote:
I have a Shopsmith I am looking to sell if you are still looking for one. I
would have to get my husband to get some of the details about it.


If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


Actually, its seems like a pretty good product for Festool to get
involved with.

You're kiddin', right?

Hey, shopsmith is priced like Festool - $4500!


BUT Systainers do not come that large! ;~)

On 3/27/2018 3:11 PM, wrote:
On Monday, March 26, 2018 at 10:05:58 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:47:18 -0400, Bill wrote:

If they were such a "wonderful idea", someone would probably still me
making them.

Somebody is.

http://www.shopsmith.com/


I'm guessing he means competition from other non Shopsmith manufacturers. Similar to the way Festool's tracksaw now has competition from Mafell, DeWalt, Makita, and soon Bosch. Apparently ever company thinks track saws are wonderful. For the do everything Shopsmith market, you do have multi function machines sold by MiniMax and Felder/Hammer. And maybe another European company too. But comparing a MiniMax or Felder/Hammer to a Shopsmith might get you clubbed in the head until dead by anyone who owns a MiniMax or Felder/Hammer. They aren't really comparable. There is some saying that goes something like imitation is the best form of flattery. The fact that NO ONE copied Shopsmith kind of implies its not a good idea.



Actually there was a different brand that offered a ShopSmith like
clone, IIRC in the 80's or 90's.

On 3/28/2018 5:55 AM, BillinGA wrote:

I bought one in 1978. I was limited to keeping my woodworking equipment in a 4x 8 carport storage room. When needed, I would roll it out onto the carport and cut/turn away. Shopsmith offered classes at a very reasonable rate and the training projects made one familiar with the different configurations. The variable speed motor is plenty strong and doesn't rely on expensive electronics. Still runs well after all these years. The ease of dado adjustment comes to mind as the blades are right there and you lower the table over them for use. I've never taken 20 minutes to make any setup change and that includes going from a "table saw" (not much table) to a drill press....more like 5-6 minutes. Since then I was able to have a larger shop and , like most others, acquired a table saw, radial arm, router tables, etc. The Shopsmith met my financial and space needs at the time of purchase. It doesn't do any one function particularly well when compared to dedicated tools but I've never regretted the purchase.




IIRC in 1978 the Shop Smith was about 1/3rd the price it is today, maybe
a bit less, I was thinking $800 or so. Like everything else it has gone
up in price.