Shopsmith at Lowes?

[Mike Cruz]

I was at one of my local Lowes today and there was a demo guy there with a Shopsmith. Really? I didn't have it in me to go start talking to him because, well, as a multiple machine man, I'm not a fan of the all-in-one machine and didn't want to get into a peeing competition with him. But since when has Shopsmith been pushed/sold/whatever at Lowes?

PS, it isn't like it is hard to find a used one around here:

[Bruce Page]

While not for everybody, a lot of woodworkers love their Shopsmith.

[Mel Fulks]

I think of them as metal origami.

[shane lyall]

They have been doing it for a while on and off. My girlfriend bought a new Mark V there several years ago. Its still in her dads garage and never been powered up!

[Mel Fulks]

Shane, that's an interesting point about those things ,there seems to be so many of them in unused condition ,even some real old ones.

[Mike Cruz]

Sorry, maybe I was unclear... Agreed, Bruce, for some, they are the best thing since sliced bread. My understanding is that they are well built and quite efficient at doing a lot of things in one machine. I've just never associated them with BORGs. I associate BORGS with brands like Ridgid and Cobalt. I associate BORGS with construction not woodworking. I associate Shopsmith with woodworking and not construction. Honestly, I don't associate either with fine woodworking, but in the end it is more about the woodworker than his equipment...just like Tiger Woods could shoot a lower round than I could on any given day...even with rocks tied to stick. In the end, skill surpasses equipment any day. I just don't see the correlation between Lowes and Shopsmith. It just seemed so...out of place.

[Mike Cruz]

Mel, I've seen the same. I think, in theory, that the Shopsmith is perfect...especially for the person with little space and big aspirations. But in reality, changing over from one piece to the other is more work than the average Joe is willing to do.

Personally, if I had to switch back and forth for each cut, I'd simply not woodwork. That is why I have all my machines stationary. I know not everyone has that luxury, but if I had to roll out each piece of equipment away from the wall each time I wanted to use it, then clean up, then move it back to the wall, then move out the next piece of equipment, and go through that over and over each time I went to the shop/garage, again, I wouldn't woodwork. Now, I'm not downing on those who have to do that. I'm just saying I would end up not woodworking. Those that do it certainly have more patience than I. I've got a 720 square foot shop that is busting at that seems. I, in my view, NEED an addition on my shop. I'm lusting for it. I NEED it. I can't afford it right now, but I NEED it. I have full size machines in what should be a contractors size shop. At my last job, we had these sized machines (and some were even smaller), though we had 8,000 square feet or so. Back to the discussion though...SS and BORGs...

[johnny means]

Seems like a perfect fit to me. I would bet that the average inexperienced DIYer who shops at Lowes is much like the typical Shopsmith buyer.

[Robert Keeney]

I've owned a Shopsmith since about 1918. It has served me well especially during my time in the military where once it resided in a pantry.

All of us don't have huge shops or even shops for that matter. My woodworking shares space with mechanics, garden, and motorcycle tools. I have some stand alone woodworking tools but lately have been asking myself if the space they require makes them worth the convenience.

A Shopsmith is like a big erector set for woodworking. (Yep, I'm old enough to have had an erector set.) You can configure it to do just about anything you want and some things you can't do with stand alone tools. Shopsmith has the best support you will find anywhere for a woodworking tool.

[lowell holmes]

I thought I was approaching being the World's oldest woodworker. I'm a kid compared to you.

As a matter of curiosity, what projects are you interested in?

I wanted an erector set, but never got one. I did have Tinker Toys.

[Ron Kellison]

"I've owned a Shopsmith since about 1918"


You must have the Shopsmith Mk. 1 model. It's always nice to discover someone who uses vintage machinery instead of that Chiwanese stuff!

[Richard Wagner]

I was at one of my local Lowes today and there was a demo guy there with a Shopsmith. Really? I didn't have it in me to go start talking to him because, well, as a multiple machine man, I'm not a fan of the all-in-one machine and didn't want to get into a peeing competition with him. But since when has Shopsmith been pushed/sold/whatever at Lowes?

PS, it isn't like it is hard to find a used one around here:

I am unsure of what you are trying to say. Maybe that is because I have a bias that is in direct opposition to yours. It seems that you would not own a Shopsmith. I, on the other hand, am quite pleased with mine and very thankful that I have had it for the last thirty years or so.

As for selling them at Lowes - why not. It is a public outlet that caters to DIYers as well as professionals.

[Mike Cruz]

Robert must be our oldest member. Even if he got his Shopsmith for his first birthday, he's 95 now! Apparently, Shopsmiths help you live longer, too.

Sorry, Robert, I know it was a typo...probably 1819, not 1918.

[Al Weber]

I'm not a fan of a lot of brands including the "new" Porter Cable, new Stanley planes, etc. but I don't go to my local woodworkers store to run them down to the sales staff. I own an older SS and use it as a drill press and once in a while as a lathe. They aren't the best pieces of equipment in the world but it served a purpose when I didn't have space for multiple equipments. Who cares whether Lowes sell them? I walk by 95% of the crap sold in the big box stores and it doesn't offend my sensibilities. I think the world needs to lighten up about others choices.

[glenn bradley]

ShopSmith does have a faithful following. I saw a SS demo in my local Lowe's about 8 years ago. For the guy who only has the space between the front bumper and the garage wall to store his shop, they can be quite a blessing. Like a lot of all in one's (and many combos for that matter) they do not play well with what I do and how I do it.