Shopsmith Forums

When you get right down to it, a Shopsmith (about any model) and about 4 or 5 SPTs along with a handful of smaller accessories (and some hand tools) does have you pretty well covered...

Gene Howe wrote:"Essential" is probably not synonymous with "most used".

The TS is probably the most essential tool. Then the jointer, band saw, sander(s) and router(s). In which order depends on what day it is.

I only do routing on Tuesdays:D

I thought I saw in a Sawdust Session that routing was only supposed to be done on Thursdays and odd-numbered Saturdays?

paulrussell wrote:I thought I saw in a Sawdust Session that routing was only supposed to be done on Thursdays and odd-numbered Saturdays?

Only if the last number of your license plate is a 7.
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Obviously the Mark V is the most used tool in my shop - as for essentials after that, I would have to say the bandsaw and the belt sander. With those three tools alone the possibilities are limitless!! Alec

I started into Shopsmith after attending a demonstration of a Crafter's Station. The CS was touted to do everything a Mark V could do except turning and vertical drilling. That would have been true, if my CS motor would have kept working. I actually returned that one to Shopsmith and got a replacement CS. After the motor on that one also acted up, I returned it to Shopsmith and bought a Mark V. After buying the 510, I had to send the CS back to SS. They gave me credit for all of the parts returned. I actually kept the table from the CS and it is now on the 510. (Identical table) I also kept the several saw inserts from the CS. I now use one of them as a Zero Clearance insert.

Special Purpose tools I bought with my first CS were a jointer, band saw, and belt sander. The unit worked as advertised until I had to give the shaft a twist in order to start turning a SPT.

Been thrilled with my 510! have added a Strip Sander and an OPR to the arsenal of SS power tools. I've also added a thickness planer, but it's not a SS.

Before switching to SS, I had a RAS. Sold that to a friend when making the move SS. Some times I miss it, but there's not room for it and it would be an extra.

I've had a reasonable supply of hand tools for many years. Hand saws, planes, chisels, squares, good vice(s), bench(s), carving tools, Clamps are part of that supply. The old saying - "you can't have enough clamps" is true!!!

A router or two, or more are also necessary power tools. So is a Dremel tool or equivalent.

One that makes things from wood also must develop an ability to fix mistakes. Here is where hand tools come in very handy.

How does my shop grow? Actually it just accumulates a lot of cutoffs and things to hang on the walls, like jigs, clamps, sanding belts. Oh yeah! There's another thing that keeps on accumulating. Woodworking magazines and catalogs. I'll soon be in the process of re-organizing the walls of my shop. They look full now, but they can get better (fuller)!

Bosch 1/4 sheet sander. In fact I like it so much I have 2. Near as I can tell it's the only 1/4 sheet sander that you do not have to fight with the paper and the sander to do a paper swap. My orbital sander sits idle most of the time now.

I am convinced that I find reasons to use everything I have, because I have it. I have just about all the SS accessories, and the only one I really don't seem to use much is the Strip sander.