How did you get your Shopsmith

[deanthom]

I assumed from reading the posts on here that the majority had gotten theirs used, or inherited them. Thanks for the feedback.
Not so! Look at your poll and then in the lower right corner of the poll area, you'll find a "view poll response" button or some such verbiage.

Going there, you'll find that more bought new than used.

I bought my Shopsmith used, but I had purchased my clone new. Had more money back then and just could not find the $$ for the asking price. No ebay to find used SS machines then, either, or I'd have been doing SS a lot sooner. :)

Clone was a good machine, but the SS is even better, especially with the 520 fence on it!

[8iowa]

I bought my MK V 500 new in '83. My daughter came to get me to watch a Shopsmith info-commercial on TV. "Dad! You've just got to come and see this". In those days Shopsmith would come to town and put on a demonstration at a local hotel. My son and I went and we were sold.

This machine, now upgraded to 520 is with me here in Gainesville. I finally had to send the headstock back to Dayton as some of the bearings were getting worn out. Now the machine will certainly outlive me.

When we built our vacation home in the U.P. I decided to treat myself to a new machine for my garage up there. On one of our trips up I75 I stopped at Shopsmith's retail store. They had reconditioned demo 505's for sale at a good discount. I purchased one along with the 520 upgrade kit.

[ssuel]

I ordered my Shopsmith in 1985 when the Model 510 was fairly new. I have since upgraded it to the 520 fence rail system. Back in 1985, my wife and I had two young children, and I did not feel that I could afford the SS-510 at the time, but my wife insisted that I get one, because she wanted me to make furniture for the kid’s room and perform other do-it-yourself projects. Since 1985 to date, gifts for birthdays, Christmas, father's day, etc. have all been woodworking tools (mostly Shopsmith accessories). As a young man, I spent lots of time on the lake fishing and in the winter in the woods hunting. I still do some of that, but I think my wife wanted me around the house more, so she encouraged my hobby woodworking. Now I have lots of nice woodworking tools and a great hobby for those retirement years in the not so distant future.

About 1-1/2 years ago, I bought my second Shopsmith (magna tool). It was made in 1956, same year I was born. Kids are now grown and I wanted to refurbish an older model. I had no problems getting parts to fix it up. $600 later and lots of time on the project and it works great. Only paid $300 for the 1956 model. (no other attachments were available from the seller at the time I purchased the SS-500):)

[nellie]

I have just made my down payment on my SS. total price $200. I am hoping to bring it home in a few weeks. It was sold at auction when a local high school discontinued its shop program :(, (sad face that they are dicontinuing so many shp programs.) and has changed hands a couple of times since. I don't know what model it is. I couldn't get the pictures of the different models to show up on this site to identify it. It has the jointer, lathe, bandsaw, and a few other things, plus the wood tools and an extra table that goes on it. I haven't done a lot of woodworking, just one semester in high school, and a retired guy whose shop I used to use helped me.

I would sure like to learn more about how to use all the features!

[john]

I purchased mine new. I can't remember the year but it was in the low to mid 90's and there is a story behind it.

As with most men of that era, I had seen the Shopsmith demonstrations and thought it was the greatest machine ever, and of course I wanted one.

One of my dear and elderly aunts passed away and I inherited a small amount of money. I didn't want to waste it on some vacation or other soon forgoten item so I decided to get myself the Shopsmith knowing it would be around and keeping me happy for a long time.

One of the considerations was that SS had a retail store in Montreal at the time where I was able to take my introductory course and stop in for advice and to admire all the accessories whenever I wanted. Of course SS expanded too rapidly and had to close their retail stores. Unfortunately, they are almost non-existant in Canada now. Even the local demonstrations are no longer to be seen, at least in this area.

I still enjoy my SS 510 and bandsaw and wish I had more of their equipment to continue making the toys, rocking horses and small furniture that I have over the last umpteen years, and hopefully for many more.

That is why the latest financial news is particularily upsetting. I would hate to see them disappear.

John

[jaggy]

I have 2, one bought used for $650 w/bandsaw and most standard accessories. The second was free after I bought a new radial arm saw for $350 (still in the box). The free one included a jointer and most of the standard accessories along with a 6" dado set and one of those fancy adjustable data heads, extra bandsaw blades, extra rubber tires and a box of yet to be identifed parts. The Mk5 was pretty rusty and required a lot of cleaning.

[beisecker]

Hi! I inherited mine from family friend, it's a 10E and works just great. I have had it for several years now.

[jasonlester]

I just got mine yesterday. A 1954 model. Works great. I got it for $150. Couldn't pass it up. It hasn't been used in years. I'm going to go through it and oil it and do any mantenence before using it much. I think I need to set the speed controll up right (calibrate it?) But I'm very happy for the price. It has the jigsaw attacment. A coat of paint and it will be alot better.


BTW anyone know what green paint to use?