Shopsmith 5 in 1 tool

[ryan.s]

I was looking for a lathe on craigslist and came across this listing. Would you guys jump all over this or pass? Keep in mind it will take some work to pick it up, I'll have to borrow a truck to get that thing home.

Thanks.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/tls/190234139.html

[cabinetman]

Ryan

If everything is there and works, how can you go wrong. As far as the TS option, you would prefer to have a larger table, accurate fence system and decent power. For $75 it could be a lot of fun. Maybe very useful for what you want.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[wardprobst]

The great thing about this tool is the customer support from ShopSmith. I rebuilt my father in law's '55 model and the support was great. I like the tool but found I used the everything but the table saw since I got the BT3. For that price I'd go for it.
DP

[GeekMom]

I have a Shopsmith 500, and it's great for a lathe. Even has variable speeds without changing belts. I use the other features as well, and I think they work pretty well.

[LCHIEN]

I have a Shopsmith 500, and it's great for a lathe. Even has variable speeds without changing belts. I use the other features as well, and I think they work pretty well.

The things that would bother me about a shopsmith
1) does everything but none of them excellently
2) too much setup esp. if you go back and forth between setups.

[Warren]

I've seen excellant work come off a Shopsmith. A friend of mine with less room than I for a shop does some elegant work on one. For just the lathe and at that price I'd snap it up. If you're not going to use the other setups you should be able to tune it up rather well for turning.

[russd]

If it is a Mark II, you might want to pass on it, they weren't built to shopsmith standards.

http://www.songofthegreatlakes.com/ssmodels.htm

I like the 10 ER ( I have 2) They use a standard 56 frame motor and a heavy cast iron frame.

IMO the saw is the weak point,you raise the table not the blade.

The disc sander is nice (big table)
drill press is nice + big table and you can use the fence
Lathe is decent

[ryan.s]

If it is a Mark II, you might want to pass on it, they weren't built to shopsmith standards.

http://www.songofthegreatlakes.com/ssmodels.htm

I like the 10 ER ( I have 2) They use a standard 56 frame motor and a heavy cast iron frame.

IMO the saw is the weak point,you raise the table not the blade.

The disc sander is nice (big table)
drill press is nice + big table and you can use the fence
Lathe is decent

Thanks for your comments guys! That's what I love about this forum, everyone is very helpful and the knowledge base is very deep. After doing some additional research it seems that people that use the shopsmith like it very much. I hear that once you get used to changing the setups it's really not bad at all, although I probably would mostly use the lathe since that's a tool i'm lacking at the moment. I'm gonna try and pick it up tomorrow if it's not already gone.

Rusty - Thanks for the link a lot of good info there. I'm trying to match up the pictures in the link you provided with the picture from craigslist but they all look so much alike. Can't figure it out. I guess I'll have to verify with the seller when I go take a look.