Shopsmith MK 5

[DOUG ANGEL]

Back in 1998, when I came back from 7 years working in Saudia Arabia. I bought a Shopsmith MK 5 with a jointer, shaper, and scroll saw, and all the other expensive bits and pieces that went with it. Paid $1100 for it, and I thought I got a good deal. Think about it, most of the major equipment one would need to produce furniture for only $1100 dollars. I did make a fairly decent plant stand, coffee table, and a work table with it, but what a hassle. Turns out that a router table (Bench Dog), lunch box planer (DeWalt), band saw (Jet), jointer (Sears) is about the same price, more accurate and twice as fast. I built a second work table (same design) in half the time with a lot more smiles on my face! To be fair, Shopsmith has the best variable speed motor I've ever worked with. Now I just use it to polish knife blades and the brass pieces on hand planes that I build. Fact is, I should put it on the end of my driveway with a "Take for Free" sign on it and save garage space. Lesson learned, sorry for the rant.

[Moses Yoder]

I liked mine for the lathe and drill press features, never had the add on machines. If you are nearby, I'll take it. I sold mine for like $500 I think. You could buy a pretty nice grinder (polisher) and have a lot of money left over for tools.

[Jim Koepke]

I have never used a Shopsmith.

My recollection is my father actually sold them for a short time after WW II. He had one packed up for a long time since he didn't really do much in the way of woodworking. Last time I saw it, my brother who is living on the old family property, offered it to me.

For me it makes more sense to have the individual machines. For me that means a bandsaw, lathe and drill press. Less set up time when something just needs to be cut to shape and then a few holes drilled through it.

jtk

[DOUG ANGEL]

I liked mine for the lathe and drill press features, never had the add on machines. If you are nearby, I'll take it. I sold mine for like $500 I think. You could buy a pretty nice grinder (polisher) and have a lot of money left over for tools.

Sorry I live in Bulverde, Tx., and I'm really too cheap to give it away. The part about taking it to the end of the driveway was a bit of sarcasm. I don't like that darn machine, but it does an outstanding job on polishing.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I want one just to use as a drill press and occasional lathe.

[DOUG ANGEL]

I want one just to use as a drill press and occasional lathe.

Takes up too much space and dedicated tools work much better.

[Larry Frank]

I have one and love it for use as a utility type device. I have used for the drill press, lathe for small stuff, horizontal drill press, and have mounted a 6" inflatable drum sander on it. The variable speed makes it good for a lot of stuff. Is it kind of a pain to change from tool to tool...yes...but it does have some uses.

[Jim Davenport]

I have two shopsmiths. One I bought new in 1973. At the time I was in the Navy. The shopsmith allowed me to do woodworking in a limited space in military housing. It made three trips across country during my navy career.
I’ve upgraded it several times. I have the Jointer, band saw, and belt sander for it.
A few years ago I bought a used 1956 “mini”, that’s a shopsmith with the tubes cut short, with no table.
It’s used just to power the special purpose tools, the band saw etc.
My current shop is a spatially challenged one car garage. The shopsmith makes sense to me.
Of course it’s not for everyone, but I retired so I have plenty of time. Changing one mode to another is quick and relatively painless if you plan your processes.
In the over 40 years I’ve had mine I’ve been very happy with it, and done a bunch of projects.

[Bill Space]

Takes up too much space and dedicated tools work much better.

Ha ha, you must have a really small shop if 12 square feet is a lot of space!

I really like my Shopsmiths... Which compliment my single purpose tools, which I have a lot of...

[John Coloccia]

Do you happen to have the standalone pin router for it? Anyhow, for all the stuff it does decently, it has by far the scariest table saw on the planet.

[Keith Hankins]

One of the first major purchases was a shopsmith. I had a 10x10 shop and it was perfect. Made some money with it enought to buy some individual tools. It cut fine for me, but the change over was a bear and time is moeny. I loved the horizontal boring, and the disk sander. The lathe was a bit under powered. I tried selling it numerous times with no luck. Finally got rid of it for 200 bucks. I have to admit, I'd like to have that big disksander back.

[Jim Davenport]

Do you happen to have the standalone pin router for it? Anyhow, for all the stuff it does decently, it has by far the scariest table saw on the planet.

Would you please amplify on your comment?
when I had my original "MK5 500" table, the blade was completely covered with the upper, and lower guards. I upgraded to the 510 table, it has an improved guard, and a riving knife.
It's no saw stop, But I feel perfectly safe using it.

[John Coloccia]

Would you please amplify on your comment?
when I had my original "MK5 500" table, the blade was completely covered with the upper, and lower guards. I upgraded to the 510 table, it has an improved guard, and a riving knife.
It's no saw stop, But I feel perfectly safe using it.

I find the tilting table can get exciting.

[Erik Christensen]

some people like them so who am i to judge - I never liked mine (though I still have it for the drill press & lathe), had more serious close calls with my SS than the rest of my tools put together; but the bottom line was I was so incapable of turning out quality work that I gave up the hobby for 20 years

[Duane Meadows]

Do you happen to have the standalone pin router for it? Anyhow, for all the stuff it does decently, it has by far the scariest table saw on the planet.

+1. That's why I sold the one I was given... really cheap.