On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 18:54:54 GMT, "Dave" wrote:

I have a chance to get a used Shopsmith real reasonable. I am only
interested in using it as a lathe and I was wondering what your opinion/s of
it is for lathe work. Would I be better off getting a Delta or Jet? They
cost 600 bucks plus. Thanks for your opinions.


I have owned a shopsmith since 1974 and IMHO the lathe is the best
function it has. It will accommodate reasonably long stock, has a 12"
capacity over the ways, has an outboard faceplate capability, and last
but not least is the moveable quill and speed control system.

The weakest part of the SS again, IMHO, is those flimsy sheet metal
skirt-type legs. They don't offer stability on par with the rest of
the unit. I remedied this with my SS since I didn't have a "must roll
around" requirement, I used 8" concrete sonatube forms and poured
columns and anchored a 5/8" j-bolt into the top of each. I made two
"blocks" of wood 4" thick and about 1'x1', bolted them on each end to
the j-bolts embedded in the columns, then attached the blocks top
surfaces to the end castings where the sheet metal legs used to screw
on using aluminum angle, then filled the casting cavity with expanding
spray foam "great stuff" for extra connection and dampening. I also
used a polymer rubber gasket under the blocks at the point where they
attached to the concrete.

The concrete used was strengthened with poly fiber and acrylic
pasticizer and tinted black, and the wood blocks painted black as
well. The most impressive thing is how well the SS works in all modes
now that it is solid as a rock and vibration dampened, WOW! Oh, I
forgot to mention I chipped out a "crater" in my shop floor into which
the columns were poured so they are cemented to the floor so to speak,
a cheap fix (about 100$, if I had to buy everything new, most of the
stuff I had as leftovers from other projects however..) I wasn't
really upset with the performance of the SS before the leg mods, but
I was shocked afterwards regarding how much more smoothly it cut, and
the lathe tools felt more stable on the tool rest, too. Hard to
describe adequately, but suffice to say it is a different (way better,
imho) machine now...good luck with what ever you go with for a lathe,
but the SS would fare favorably with the other two you mentioned, even
with the crappy skirts. regards, Joe.