Hello, I'm looking to get into woodworking. Would this be a good buy for a newbie? http://omaha.craigslist.org/tls/4159546396.html
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Looking to get in to woodworking.
- Thread starter Matt Czaplewski
- Start date
Shopsmith
I don't think it is a good deal. Do a search on your area craigslist for shopsmith, a lot more that are cheaper it seems. But then I am not impressed with the shopsmith overall myself.
I don't think it is a good deal. Do a search on your area craigslist for shopsmith, a lot more that are cheaper it seems. But then I am not impressed with the shopsmith overall myself.
Is there a way to spend similar amounts of money yet go a different route than a shopsmith? My budget can reach the 2k area.
are you wanting to get into "woodworking" (general) or woodturning?
Woodworking mainly, but I would like a lathe for table legs.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
It's not terrible bit not great either. I had one for year and turned a lot of stuff and built a lot of flat work. The good side is it takes very little room and gives you a lot of capabilities. The downside is, it doesn't do anything very well. You have to learn what it's tolerances are and how to work with the slop in the machine.
The other problem is you have to plan your projects carefully so you can do all the necessary functions with one set up before you change to another set up. Otherwise you may have do trial cuts or other things to repeat a set up.
On the plus side, if you learn to work within it's limits you can build just about anything. I did, my Grandfather made even more than me and my dad made a huge amount of stuff.
I am very glad I changed to stand alone machines. They are far more accurate and it's easier to change from one machine to another. However I had my shopsmith set up in a 10x10 room and had almost all the shopsmith attachments. Now I have a 24x24 shop and still don't have enough room for all the machines. I do however have a lot more capabilities than I did with the shopsmith.
The other problem is you have to plan your projects carefully so you can do all the necessary functions with one set up before you change to another set up. Otherwise you may have do trial cuts or other things to repeat a set up.
On the plus side, if you learn to work within it's limits you can build just about anything. I did, my Grandfather made even more than me and my dad made a huge amount of stuff.
I am very glad I changed to stand alone machines. They are far more accurate and it's easier to change from one machine to another. However I had my shopsmith set up in a 10x10 room and had almost all the shopsmith attachments. Now I have a 24x24 shop and still don't have enough room for all the machines. I do however have a lot more capabilities than I did with the shopsmith.
odie
TOTW Team
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I started turning on a 1950's Shopsmith, and would not recommend one for anyone but someone intending to use it only occasionally. As a lathe, it ought to do pretty well for table legs. The trouble with a Shopsmith is it becomes a major hassle to change from one machine to another. It seems simple enough, but change-overs become bothersome when you are right in the middle of a project. "Stand alone" machines are the way to go.
I feel a bit nostalgic about the Shopsmith, because I did so much with it......but, I also remember those times where I felt like kicking it!
Never did like using a 5/8" plain shaft for a spindle. Although it's close, it's not nearly as solid and repeatable as with a threaded spindle.
At $900, I'd pass.......
ooc
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And that's an older machine. The green ones are from the early 70's I think. I think they make a great drill press and the bandsaw is one of the best. I still have a couple of shopsmiths around the shop that I set up as dedicated stations(drill press, bandsaw). With only a jointer and a jigsaw as an addition items I'd pass.
The Swiss Army Knife of tools......
I gave my individual tools to my son who'd recently became a new home owner and bought a Shopsmith for space saving and convenience. I quickly went back to individual tools. I started turning on the SS and it was acceptable but hardly optimum. My biggest complaint is that the table saw is too high for my 5' 8" height. I cut down a set of legs to get a more comfortable saw height but it made the lathe uncomfortably low so I resorted to setting the legs on 4 x 4s to use the lathe. All in all not a good fit for me. There is a reason why so many of the ads read "20 year old Shopsmith. Barely used".
I gave my individual tools to my son who'd recently became a new home owner and bought a Shopsmith for space saving and convenience. I quickly went back to individual tools. I started turning on the SS and it was acceptable but hardly optimum. My biggest complaint is that the table saw is too high for my 5' 8" height. I cut down a set of legs to get a more comfortable saw height but it made the lathe uncomfortably low so I resorted to setting the legs on 4 x 4s to use the lathe. All in all not a good fit for me. There is a reason why so many of the ads read "20 year old Shopsmith. Barely used".
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A Shop Smith can do many things -none very well without spending a great deal of time fiddling with it. Nine hundred dollars is ridiculous. I don't know what a reasonable price would be, but personally, I wouldn't have one if it were free. I think that Patrick's comment is right on the money.
In the past few years, the cost of woodworking machines has gone up by leaps and bounds, so don't expect to get a shop full of machines for $1000. Even twenty years ago, I paid over $7,000 for all my woodworking machines and that did not include a lathe. Just to give you an idea of how much tools have gone up recently, I bought a new lathe two years ago and paid more for it than I did for all my other machine combined. Now, I'll admit that is a 3σ case, but you probably ought to count on spending close to $2,000 for a full size lathe or half that much for a midi lathe with bed extension and stand. BTW, when you have a lathe, that is only the beginning. You won't be able to do anything with it until you get some accessories like chucks, spur drives, live centers, turning tools, a sharpening system, etc. It won't be long before the cost of accessories outstrips the cost of the lathe even for a modest set up.
In the past few years, the cost of woodworking machines has gone up by leaps and bounds, so don't expect to get a shop full of machines for $1000. Even twenty years ago, I paid over $7,000 for all my woodworking machines and that did not include a lathe. Just to give you an idea of how much tools have gone up recently, I bought a new lathe two years ago and paid more for it than I did for all my other machine combined. Now, I'll admit that is a 3σ case, but you probably ought to count on spending close to $2,000 for a full size lathe or half that much for a midi lathe with bed extension and stand. BTW, when you have a lathe, that is only the beginning. You won't be able to do anything with it until you get some accessories like chucks, spur drives, live centers, turning tools, a sharpening system, etc. It won't be long before the cost of accessories outstrips the cost of the lathe even for a modest set up.
for as much as we spend on chucks, centers, tools, and etc - they ought to just give us the lathe!
What Bill B. said. I have as much $$$ in tools and one chuck than I have in the lathe itself.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
If you shop around you can find the more modern Shopsmiths for $500 or so. My dad sold his whole shop with a bunch of the other tools that go with the shopsmith for $1500. Probably $2500 worth of tools when purchased.
Accuracy is not one of shopsmith's traits. You have to learn to sneak up on cuts or work with a hand plane. The lathe is probably it's weakest link. The tailstock is too small and the tool rest is so flimsy you get chatter marks that have to be removed with heavy sanding. The table flexs so you often get a slightly out of square hole when using the drill press.
Like I said, I did a lot of work with a shopsmith and learned to deal with it's problems. I don't feel bad recommending one for a beginner with no shop space. However if your serious about your woodworking buy stand alone tools and get the best you can afford. They will last a lifetime if you get good ones
Accuracy is not one of shopsmith's traits. You have to learn to sneak up on cuts or work with a hand plane. The lathe is probably it's weakest link. The tailstock is too small and the tool rest is so flimsy you get chatter marks that have to be removed with heavy sanding. The table flexs so you often get a slightly out of square hole when using the drill press.
Like I said, I did a lot of work with a shopsmith and learned to deal with it's problems. I don't feel bad recommending one for a beginner with no shop space. However if your serious about your woodworking buy stand alone tools and get the best you can afford. They will last a lifetime if you get good ones
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John,
I never drilled a hole and had the table "flex". But I do use a secondary table on top of the Shopsmith table. Personally I think it makes a great cheap drill press with variable speed. I also have a 1950's Craftsman drill press that seems to have some play in the quill. I probably need to change out the bearings in it. One of these days I'll breakdown and but that new Powermatic drill press but it's over a grand!
I never drilled a hole and had the table "flex". But I do use a secondary table on top of the Shopsmith table. Personally I think it makes a great cheap drill press with variable speed. I also have a 1950's Craftsman drill press that seems to have some play in the quill. I probably need to change out the bearings in it. One of these days I'll breakdown and but that new Powermatic drill press but it's over a grand!
1950's SS 10er
Mine does duty as a buffing station using the beall buffers, which fit the 5/8" spindle perfect, while the Morse taper serves to host the SS drill chuck on my lathe. Horizontal boring when needed. As a lathe, the beast will bounce on any good sized out of round blank, and the tool rest is a pain, as it can only swing. Too low for comfortable turning. But it did build a number of items before I was able to afford stand-alone tools. Scary table saw however, and never did have an under carriage guard to catch dust. Sharpening attachment worked for planer knives. Drill press, mediocre, but it didn't stop me from making it work.
Price, a pass through when my friend's dad passed away, and she took one look at it and went, "but how does it go together", so the price was right.
Mine does duty as a buffing station using the beall buffers, which fit the 5/8" spindle perfect, while the Morse taper serves to host the SS drill chuck on my lathe. Horizontal boring when needed. As a lathe, the beast will bounce on any good sized out of round blank, and the tool rest is a pain, as it can only swing. Too low for comfortable turning. But it did build a number of items before I was able to afford stand-alone tools. Scary table saw however, and never did have an under carriage guard to catch dust. Sharpening attachment worked for planer knives. Drill press, mediocre, but it didn't stop me from making it work.
Price, a pass through when my friend's dad passed away, and she took one look at it and went, "but how does it go together", so the price was right.