New to woodworking- possible purchase

[nmazzino]

Hello all,

I am just getting into woodworking and looking to set up a wood shop in my garage. I have built a few small tables and really enjoyed it. For the last few years I have been doing some milling of oak trees.

I have been looking at various table saws to purchase and found out about the Sawsmith.

I am just looking for a good high level review on the system. I am concerned on the quality/power of the table saw for doing ripping cuts on thick hardwood of up to 2".

Can anyone provide some input on the table saw and the system in general?
It looks like the Mark 7 has more power than the 5.

Thanks so much!
Nick

[rjent]

If you are willing to purchase new (and spend the money), a Mark 7 is a must. The SS table saw is known to be one of the weak points, not because of power, but table size and table tilt instead of blade tilt. You need to ask yourself if you will use the table saw for doing tilted blade operations that much. Don't get me wrong, it does a great job, it is just different and is a learning curve. The other functions are outstanding (Lathe, sanding disk, drill press, horizontal boring, and with the M7 the under and over routing).

I also like the machine because of it's size. I have 5 Shopsmith machines in my 20x30 shop which I find handy because I have 5 of every function plus the routing on one of them.

Buy a Mark 5 (even a 500) and use the functions for a while, I think you will get hooked.

There are some amazing woodworkers here (I am not one of them ), so you will get a lot of opinions. This post is just mine ....

Welcome to the family.

JMHO

[videobear]

I'm going to assume you meant "Shopsmith"...the Sawsmith is a completely different and long-discontinued product.

The Shopsmith is a great tool for workshops with limited space. If you're going to share your garage space with your car(s), it's definitely worth looking at.

All the current Shopsmiths (510, 520, and Mark 7) are good tools. The 510 is the basic model. It has a 1 1/8 hp motor, which will run on a 15A 120V circuit, but pretty much max it out. The 520 has a more robust and precise rail and fence system, but shares the same motor with the 510. Both models use a mechanically variable belt system to transfer power from the motor to the tool spindles. This system is proven and very reliable, but does require some simple periodic maintenance.

The Mark 7 adds the more powerful PowerPro motor. This motor can run on 120V or 220V, and produces its maximum power when run on a 220V circuit. The Mark 7 also adds a "dual tilt" feature which enables the capacity for under-the-table routing and shaping, and provides an expanded RPM range. The motor is electronically speed controlled using a touch pad interface.

Shopsmith's main "claim to fame" is its ability to morph into five (or seven) different tools. In one chassis, it gives you a table saw, a disc sander, a drill press, a horizontal boring machine, and a lathe. Plus, the power head has the ability to run a variety of add-on "special purpose tools"...a bandsaw, scroll saw, planer, belt sander, 4" jointer, and others.

Critics point out that by trying to do everything in one tool, the Shopsmith does not excel at any of them. Most of us here on these forums disagree. The very fact that it is several tools in one gives you the ability to transfer setups from one task to another...although this does require some forethought about just how you're going to do your workflow.

Shopsmiths are made in America, and are designed to last a lifetime. There are many, many cases where a Shopsmith has been handed down from father to son to grandson, and most replacement parts are still available. Tools made in China can't say the same.

Used Shopsmiths are available from sources like eBay and Craigslist, and can often be bought for far less than new. Many of these come with several of the special purpose tools thrown in. However, be careful about being caught up in "upgrade fever"...it's easy to spend a lot of money upgrading a used Shopsmith to the latest and greatest!

Doug Reid has a number of Shopsmith videos on YouTube. Check 'em out!

[videobear]

Oh...and they are easy to work on. Almost any problem with a Shopsmith can be fixed by the user (although the factory does offer service as well.)

[videobear]

And one more thought. The older models, the Mark V and Model 500, are ALSO good tools. Any Shopsmith can be restored, or upgraded to a later model with factory-available parts.

There are even a lot of people who prefer the predecessor, the Model ER, and have fun finding and restoring them.

[nmazzino]

Thank you everyone for your input. Yes, I meant Shopsmith not Sawsmith. Sorry for my typo.

Seems like everyone is very happy with the Shopsmith. I would be looking at the Mark 7 for the added power for cutting through hardwood and I thankfully have 220 power in my garage.

Thanks again!

[Hobbyman2]

One thing to keep in mind are the 510 / 520 table add ons , you can take them apart easily and store them easier then a huge stand alone table saw
Have fun

[gcgrant]

I am in the decision period of choosing between the Shopsmith and stationary tools.

The issue of not being able to tilt the blade is something I thought about.

Does dealing with that constraint mean that you just need to limit the width of what you can put a beveled cut on to the distance from the blade to the fence on the main table?

How wide would that be?

[algale]

You are correct that, when tilting the table to make a bevel cut, there is a theoretical maximum work piece length because the work piece eventually hits the floor. The maximum length is a function of the bevel angle. But at a 45 degree bevel, I believe the maximum length is around 4 feet.

[JPG]

You are correct that, when tilting the table to make a bevel cut, there is a theoretical maximum work piece length because the work piece eventually hits the floor. The maximum length is a function of the bevel angle. But at a 45 degree bevel, I believe the maximum length is around 4 feet.

That is true with a 510 or 520. Not so with a Mark 5 or V 500.