I have one. Menards is a Home Depot type place with generally lower
prices. There's a chain of them in the upper midwest including Wausa WI
where my parents live, but they have an even better home supply store
there called Fleet Farm - generally outstanding prices, best I have seen
anywhere. You find the Fleet Farm stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Wish we had them here in Colorado. I keep a shopping list for whenever I
visit up there.

But I digress. As you said, the Menards tool is a shopsmith clone made
in Taiwan. Shopsmith parts are interchangeable in my experience. I
haven't noticed them in the Menards stores for a while, don't know if they
are available anymore. I haven't had the cover off mine for a long time
but I think the belt is a standard v-belt and you can get one anywhere.

As a multi-purpose tool, the Menards clone isn't as high quality as a
geniune Shopsmith, as you might expect, but it was only 1/3 the price when
I bought mine. The saw table is small enough to be awkward for a lot of
things, I replaced the poor rip fence with one from Shopsmith, it makes a
good variable speed drill press and horizontal boring machine, I love the
big sanding disk and 6x48 belt sander attachment I got for mine. As a
wood lathe, it is AWFUL. Don't even bother trying it, you'll just be
frustrated. Even the small Jet and Delta lathes are light years ahead of
it.

If I can be of any help, send me an email:

-mike paulson, fort collins, co


In article ,
John Hartmus II wrote:
Has anyone heard of a Shopsmith clone bearing the name "Menards P. H. D."?
My Dad jus bought one at an auction and it needs a top belt. Any
suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,
John Hartmus II
E-Mail