Shop Smith

[CarlLaFong]

I have a Robland LX31 Combination machine. It is a European built machine for small shops and higher end hobbyists. It is a Table saw, 12 inch planer/jointer, shaper and mortiser. It has 3, 3HP 220volt motors. I use the saw function 90% of the time. Switchover time from one function to another is pretty fast. It doesn't have a lathe or drill press like the Shopsmith. I have 2 stand alone drill presses and have no need (yet) for a lathe. I also have a portable planer that I use most of the time. I use the Robland planer when dealing with big stuff or heavy cuts. I considered a Shopsmith at one time, but found the tablesaw to be rinky dink at best. I can cross cut or rip a 4x8 sheet of plywood singlehanded and with ease with the large sliding table on my machine. It did cost just a tad more than a SS, however

Here's a pic of one
http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/ ... o-machine/

[Wolffarmer]

I have a 1955 Mark V. Bought it used spring of 07. Built my trailer with it and hand tools. Yes the table saw is not the greatest, specially the first one. Later on they made a much larger table and a whole mess of additional tables/rails for it. But if you have your saw blades on their own mandrels you can swap blades in a flash. That is the one place it really shines. The drill press set up is pretty good for wood working and now I seldom use my stand alone for wood work, and seldom use the shopsmith for metal. The lath is pretty good, change speeds with a twist of the dial. The band saw is not all that great but it is a whole lot better than most of the sub 14 band saws. The 4 inch jointer is, well, small.

What I really like is the 12 inch disk sander. That makes me want to hug it. And i might get another disk so I can swap grits fast like the table saw blades. I have also made me a set of disks from MDF, and a guide so I can sharpen hand plane blades and hand chisels with it, sort of like a Work sharp but a whole lot larger. And they are sharp, I am wearing a bandage on my finger right now from where I grabbed a hand plane last friday that I thought the blade was retracted. And I can cut hair off my arm with them but not quite up to calling it "shaving" need to do better.

If you have a project that is well planned out the swapping from one operation to another will not be that hard. The Shopsmith site has videos someplace on it. Parts break downs.

If you buy parts from Shopsmith it some times take a long time to get them as they have to have their suppliers build it. I don't think SS actually builds anything these days.

Really for an entry level a used Shopsmith is pretty good. Just don't get turned off of wood working because of the table saw. I now have a real cabinet table saw and haven't chucked up a saw blade in the SS since I got it.

Heck, Andy Rooney had one for many years and I never heard him do a rant on it.



Randy

[TOTAL CARNAGE]

Thank you all again. I know that a multi tool will never be as good as dedicated tools but just bringing it back to life is the part that will please me most.
I found today that I have a 1954 Mark V. I opened up the case to check the belts and found it to be like new in there! I'll bet it doesn't have 20 hours on it. So, first part done. Runs fine and the bearings are quiet and have no play.
Here are the pics!

[TOTAL CARNAGE]

I also found out who tossed it. He said it was in his dad's basement for years. His dad tore it apart and told him to get rid of it.
He is sure there are more parts still in the scrap bin so I'll be digging in it tomorrow (if it's not still raining) and there may be more of it still at his dads so he is going to look for me.
I'll wait and see what I end up with and figure out the rest from there. With e-bay, craig's list, and new from Shop Smith I should be able to bring this back to service and not have a fortune tied up in it. Who knows, maybe it will still be around in another 57 years

[Wolffarmer]

If that is a 1955 SS you got the good way tubes on it ( the tubes the head stock and table slides on ) Shine them up and put some paste wax on them and that head stock will unlock and slide real nice. You will think that it will just make it slide better. But it also makes it unlock easier. Won't have to smack the locks with your hand to get it unlocked. Kind of cool really

Randy

[TOTAL CARNAGE]

Year
SS'# Starting Year
1954
263051
1955
288541
1956
316979
1957
347643
1958
353145
1959
355557
My number is 284819 looks like 54.....late 54

[Wolffarmer]

You got the good tubes. Take care of them.



Randy

[eamarquardt]

He is sure there are more parts still in the scrap bin so I'll be digging in it tomorrow (if it's not still raining) and there may be more of it still at his dads so he is going to look for me.

DUMPSTER DIVING!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!

Cheers,

Gus