On 3/28/18 10:05 AM, Leon wrote:
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!Â* 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!Â* The New Yankee Workshop started of with a ShopSmith.

Probably explains why the set master I referred to had one.
He worked for a PBS station. :-)


--

-MIKE-

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

On 3/28/2018 10:21 AM, -MIKE- wrote:
On 3/28/18 10:05 AM, Leon wrote:
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!Â* 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!Â* The New Yankee Workshop started of with a ShopSmith.

Probably explains why the set master I referred to had one.
He worked for a PBS station.Â*Â* :-)


I highly suspect that the one Norm used belonged to the production guy,
like the shop. Sponsors probably dictated an upgrade to what they
manufactured. IIRC a Delta contractors saw and finally a Unisaw.

And then a belt sander suitable for flattening the surface on an air
craft carrier. ;~)

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:07:33 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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! ;~)

But you just paint one of those used shipping containers the write
color scheme.......

Emily Latella should be along shortly.

On 3/28/18 10:44 AM, Leon wrote:
On 3/28/2018 10:21 AM, -MIKE- wrote:
On 3/28/18 10:05 AM, Leon wrote:
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. 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.

Probably explains why the set master I referred to had one. He
worked for a PBS station. :-)


I highly suspect that the one Norm used belonged to the production
guy, like the shop. Sponsors probably dictated an upgrade to what
they manufactured. IIRC a Delta contractors saw and finally a
Unisaw.

And then a belt sander suitable for flattening the surface on an air
craft carrier. ;~)

LOL.
Having worked for the State and knowing some of their weird purchasing
requirements, he may have had other motivation for buying it.
They may have had a policy stating you could only purchase one major
tool for whatever grant they got to pay for it.

However, I suspect he just fell in love with the hype like most guys who
buy them and wanted one for himself and let the State fund it. :-)


--

-MIKE-

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

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

"Leon" wrote in message
news
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.

Mostly used as a drill press as I recall Norm saying!

On 3/28/2018 3:33 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
"Leon"Â* wrote in message
news
Agreed!Â* 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!Â* The New Yankee Workshop started of with a ShopSmith.

Mostly used as a drill press as I recall Norm saying!


And a lathe IIRC. ;~)

"BillinGA" wrote in message
...

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.


My father got a new in the crate Shopsmith with a jointer and scroll saw
from a retired Boy Scout Scoutmaster around 1960... His troop gave it to him
when he retired but he had no interest in woodworking and sold it at a good
discount off retail. The Shopsmith still resides in my father's shop. I
started using it when I was very young making jig saw puzzles at first and
then moved on to using the drill press, jointer and table saw. Switching
between options isn't a big deal... I was doing it as a kid (though the
jointer seemed to weigh a ton to me back then!).

After using my big stationary tools I find the Shopsmith inadequate but it
has served my father well for nearly 60 years... and he can still get parts
for it! He upgraded the motor to a larger one when Shopsmith had a sale on
them. That was a good move as the original was grossly underpowered for
table saw use... It doesn't look a whole lot different from the Mark 5 they
sell today.

Clare Snyder writes:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

In 1978, the U.S. minimum wage was $2.65/hr. That's 300 hours (or almost
five weeks) to pay for the shopsmith (assuming no other expenses for
that month). So, in reality, $800 probably used at least six
months of discretionary income for the average laborer, if not more.
(taxes, fica reduce the top end, then there are day-to-day living
expenses, so it probably would take over a year for someone to save
$800 for a shopsmith).

$10.00/hr in 1978 was rare, particularly for an average laborer (I was
getting $7/hr with shift differential in a starch factory about then
which was generous).

"Leon" wrote in message
...

On 3/28/2018 3:33 PM, John Grossbohlin wrote:
"Leon" wrote in message
news
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.

Mostly used as a drill press as I recall Norm saying!


And a lathe IIRC. ;~)

Yeah... he did use it as a lathe too. I don't recall ever seeing him use it
as a table saw. I think the Shopsmith was Russell Morash's if I remember the
story correctly.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:47:40 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

Clare Snyder writes:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

In 1978, the U.S. minimum wage was $2.65/hr. That's 300 hours (or almost
five weeks) to pay for the shopsmith (assuming no other expenses for
that month). So, in reality, $800 probably used at least six
months of discretionary income for the average laborer, if not more.
(taxes, fica reduce the top end, then there are day-to-day living
expenses, so it probably would take over a year for someone to save
$800 for a shopsmith).

$10.00/hr in 1978 was rare, particularly for an average laborer (I was
getting $7/hr with shift differential in a starch factory about then
which was generous).


Point made then. Minimum wage today here in Ontario is $14. 2 weeks
is 80 hours. Thats $1120.

The "average laborer" does not work for minimum wage.

Average wage around here is about $21 an hour. or $1680 for 2 weeks
work.

At your $7 per hour in '78 it took almost 3 weeks of before tax
earning - so equivalent to about $2580 today

You were "above average" - as you said your $7 was "generouss" - so
equivalent pricing today is LIKELY closer to 6 weeks earnings (@$5 per
hour then) - so about $5160 today.

Mark 7 lists for $4279 US today - or about $5550 Canadian - - - - -
-

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:25:07 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:47:40 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

Clare Snyder writes:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

In 1978, the U.S. minimum wage was $2.65/hr. That's 300 hours (or almost
five weeks) to pay for the shopsmith (assuming no other expenses for
that month). So, in reality, $800 probably used at least six
months of discretionary income for the average laborer, if not more.
(taxes, fica reduce the top end, then there are day-to-day living
expenses, so it probably would take over a year for someone to save
$800 for a shopsmith).

$10.00/hr in 1978 was rare, particularly for an average laborer (I was
getting $7/hr with shift differential in a starch factory about then
which was generous).

Mark 5 is $3520

Minority view: I used a Shopsmith to build an entire kitchen. It was a major PITA to change from one setup to another, but it got the job done. Kinda liked the horizontal boring function, but the teensy table made cutting sheet goods a challenging operation.

My shop at that time was about 40sf in the furnace room of a Civil War era row house. Space is the mother of that invention.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 00:08:02 -0400, 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.

That's not Festool's market and Festool doesn't make junk.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:06:36 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.

I may have to downsize but the shop won't get too much smaller. ;-)

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 11:03:12 -0500, Markem
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:07:33 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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! ;~)

But you just paint one of those used shipping containers the write
color scheme.......

Emily Latella should be along shortly.

I thought it would have been Jane Curtain.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

On Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 1:52:39 PM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

The cheaper ShopSmith Mark V is $3559 today on their website. If $800 was two weeks pay back then, the average laborer made $20,800 in 1978. Seems high. Maybe it was three weeks pay for $800. That would be average pay of $13,600 in 1978. Based on a Google search I did, I found annual income in 1978 of $17,700. So two to three weeks for the average worker.

But today the cheaper ShopSmith is $3559. If that is two weeks pay today, then the buyer is earning $92,534 per year. That is a lot more than the average pay in the USA. If its three weeks pay, then we are talking about a yearly pay of $60,503. Almost exactly the median income in the USA in 2017..

If the $800 in 1978 is accurate and the $3559 today, it takes the average worker 2-3 weeks of income to buy a ShopSmith.

wrote in
:


I may have to downsize but the shop won't get too much smaller. ;-)

All I need is a simple 4 room house: Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen, and living
room.

The shop, OTOH, needs to be a intelligently partitioned 128'x128' space!

Puckdropper
--
http://www.puckdroppersplace.us/rec.woodworking
A mini archive of some of rec.woodworking's best and worst!

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 01:48:14 GMT, Puckdropper
wrote:

wrote in
:


I may have to downsize but the shop won't get too much smaller. ;-)

All I need is a simple 4 room house: Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen, and living
room.

We "need" a lot more than that but perhaps not all five bedrooms[*].
;-) My issue is the yard, though. I have to hire someone to mow the
1.5acres, now. :-(

The shop, OTOH, needs to be a intelligently partitioned 128'x128' space!

If that's a basement, your four rooms are pretty good size!
[*] SWMBO once asked why we need 3600ft^2. My answer was that we
wanted a large master suite, w/walk in closets, a large kitchen, and a
formal dining room. These things don't come in a small house.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 18:45:00 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 1:52:39 PM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

The cheaper ShopSmith Mark V is $3559 today on their website. If $800 was two weeks pay back then, the average laborer made $20,800 in 1978. Seems high. Maybe it was three weeks pay for $800. That would be average pay of $13,600 in 1978. Based on a Google search I did, I found annual income in 1978 of $17,700. So two to three weeks for the average worker.

But today the cheaper ShopSmith is $3559. If that is two weeks pay today, then the buyer is earning $92,534 per year. That is a lot more than the average pay in the USA. If its three weeks pay, then we are talking about a yearly pay of $60,503. Almost exactly the median income in the USA in 2017.

If the $800 in 1978 is accurate and the $3559 today, it takes the average worker 2-3 weeks of income to buy a ShopSmith.
So, however you run the numbers, the price of the Shopsmith really
has NOT gone up very much - which was my point.
(if it has, in reality, gone up at all)

On 3/28/2018 4:38 PM, Gramps' shop wrote:
Minority view: I used a Shopsmith to build an entire kitchen. It was a major PITA to change from one setup to another, but it got the job done. Kinda liked the horizontal boring function, but the teensy table made cutting sheet goods a challenging operation.

My shop at that time was about 40sf in the furnace room of a Civil War era row house. Space is the mother of that invention.




You do with, what you have. ;~)

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:


On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:


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.

But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.


Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.



In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.


I think your wage estimate is high.


1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.

On 3/28/18 10:13 PM, Leon wrote:
On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.Â* Like everything else it has
gone
up in price.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then.Â* Beer?Â* Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

Â*1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years
later.

That was darn good money back then.


--

-MIKE-

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

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.


Well, 1972 I was making $5 per hour - about $225 per week
I was out of the North American labor market for 2003-2004.
I made about $13000 in 1975.

I believe that was close to average - likely on the low side.
2 years later I bought a house for $35000. That house is about
$350,000 today, and I make a LOT less than $130,000


I bought a brand new loaded "suv" in 1976 for about $6500 (Ramcharger
SE 318 automatic 4X4 with full load) Equavalent today $45000 or
more. - about 7 times more

-MIKE- on Tue, 27 Mar 2018 23:20:04 -0500
typed in rec.woodworking the following:

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.

Great line.

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

On 3/28/2018 10:48 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
On 3/28/18 10:13 PM, Leon wrote:
On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.Â* Like everything else it has
gone
up in price.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then.Â* Beer?Â* Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

Â*Â*1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years
later.

That was darn good money back then.


I could not complain, I also had the perk of a new demonstrator vehicle
every 6K miles, gasoline, and insurance.

Having said that I was in my early to mid 20's at the time and my
equal's, at other dealerships, were in the 6 figure range. Dealerships
in Houston back then paid their very managers well.

On 3/28/2018 11:29 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:


On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.


1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.



I bought a brand new loaded "suv" in 1976 for about $6500 (Ramcharger
SE 318 automatic 4X4 with full load) Equavalent today $45000 or
more. - about 7 times more



Fully loaded to day is a LOT different than fully loaded then. I
suspect today you get a lot more with fully loaded, or even partially
loaded.

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:34:52 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

Mark 5 is $3520

Is that with all the bells and whistles? Or are the extras extra?

On 3/29/2018 11:49 AM, Markem wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 17:34:52 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

Mark 5 is $3520

Is that with all the bells and whistles? Or are the extras extra?


Check the web site. ;~)

If you want an electronic speed control it is going to be quite a bit
more expensive.

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 11:08:49 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 11:29 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.


I bought a brand new loaded "suv" in 1976 for about $6500 (Ramcharger
SE 318 automatic 4X4 with full load) Equavalent today $45000 or
more. - about 7 times more


Fully loaded to day is a LOT different than fully loaded then. I
suspect today you get a lot more with fully loaded, or even partially
loaded.
More toys but nomore capability to push a plough or boost vehicles -
it was my "service truck" - power windows and doors, AC, Stereo, Full
time 4wd, V* with 150 amp alternator and dualbatteries.

On top of that I bought the Frink plow and the "curbsider" booster
cables (50feet of welding cable).

I had 10 grand in the completed rig. The only options I didn't have
from the factory was the big engine (400cu in) and the roof rack
(which was a dealer installed "factory" option)

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.

But we all know that you're *FAR* from average. ;-)

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:29:17 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.


Well, 1972 I was making $5 per hour - about $225 per week
I was out of the North American labor market for 2003-2004.
I made about $13000 in 1975.

In 1972 I was making $1.85/hr (20 hrs per week). I think my wife was
making $2/hr.

I believe that was close to average - likely on the low side.
2 years later I bought a house for $35000. That house is about
$350,000 today, and I make a LOT less than $130,000


I bought a brand new loaded "suv" in 1976 for about $6500 (Ramcharger
SE 318 automatic 4X4 with full load) Equavalent today $45000 or
more. - about 7 times more

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 21:08:58 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:29:17 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.


Well, 1972 I was making $5 per hour - about $225 per week
I was out of the North American labor market for 2003-2004.
I made about $13000 in 1975.

In 1972 I was making $1.85/hr (20 hrs per week). I think my wife was
making $2/hr.

I was a licensed mechanic - Electricians and plumbers made
significantly more.

I believe that was close to average - likely on the low side.
2 years later I bought a house for $35000. That house is about
$350,000 today, and I make a LOT less than $130,000


I bought a brand new loaded "suv" in 1976 for about $6500 (Ramcharger
SE 318 automatic 4X4 with full load) Equavalent today $45000 or
more. - about 7 times more

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 22:28:56 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 21:08:58 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:29:17 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 3/28/2018 8:40 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 14:52:37 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 10:15:03 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

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.
But not as fast as the average wage, or the price of Gasoline, or
beer.

Gasoline is cheaper now than it was then. Beer? Dunno haven't bought
any in over a decade.


In 1978 $800 was a pretty sizeable chunk of cash!! A good 2 weeks pay
for an average laborer.

I think your wage estimate is high.

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.


Well, 1972 I was making $5 per hour - about $225 per week
I was out of the North American labor market for 2003-2004.
I made about $13000 in 1975.

In 1972 I was making $1.85/hr (20 hrs per week). I think my wife was
making $2/hr.

I was a licensed mechanic - Electricians and plumbers made
significantly more.

I was in college, working for the university as an electronics
technician (slave student type). My wife slung salads in a
restaurant, about that time. ;-)

I believe that was close to average - likely on the low side.
2 years later I bought a house for $35000. That house is about
$350,000 today, and I make a LOT less than $130,000


I bought a brand new loaded "suv" in 1976 for about $6500 (Ramcharger
SE 318 automatic 4X4 with full load) Equavalent today $45000 or
more. - about 7 times more

wrote:
On Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:29:17 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:13:38 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet

1979, I was making about $1125 every two weeks, double that 5 years later.


Well, 1972 I was making $5 per hour - about $225 per week
I was out of the North American labor market for 2003-2004.
I made about $13000 in 1975.

In 1972 I was making $1.85/hr (20 hrs per week). I think my wife was
making $2/hr.

1972 Ford Pinto, $1990 new, out the door.
This was the one no one wanted to be "rear-ended" in.
Rolled over 100K too. Clutches were pricey ($400-600).

replying to Dhakala, Phyllis Stadley wrote:
What a GREAT idea! I have one that I have no idea how to use or what it is
worth. My father was a carpenter by trade for a living so only bought the best
of the best. He has passed on now 12 yrs ago. It has been sitting in my
garage taking up space. I need help getting rid of it. It is older, but in
perfect shape.

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

replying to Harv.sr, Paula L ODELL wrote:
I am In Kcmo and have a wood lathe for sale if intersted.

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

replying to oswin2461, Paula L ODELL wrote:
I have a wood lathe that was inherited to me and I have no clue in how to use
it nor would I want to. How much are they worth?

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

Paula L ODELL m writes:
replying to oswin2461, Paula L ODELL wrote:
I have a wood lathe that was inherited to me and I have no clue in how to use
it nor would I want to. How much are they worth?

Technically it was bequeathed to you. You inherited it.

They can be worth nothing, or upwards of $1000. It depends on the
brand, model and condition.