Building My Shopsmith System . . .

The core of my Shopsmith system is the basic Mark V platform with it's compliment of 5 basic stationary wood working tools. This includes a 10" table saw, 12" disk sander, drill press, horizontal boring machine and wood lathe. The adjustable and tilt-able table really ads to the versatility of the machine. I cannot say enough about the table and fence system and they're usefulness in many operations with 3 of the five machines.

get free demo DVD

The Shopsmith Mark V is by no means a heavy duty or production grade piece of equipment. On the other hand it ain't no sissy little inaccurate, under powered "want to be" tool either. It is perfect for the handyman and hobbyist and wood turner. I have used mine to build boat seats, armoire, cedar chests, cutting boards, incense burners, trellis's and more. If you plan on cutting a 4x8 sheet of plywood you had better plan on either pre-cutting to smaller size with a circular saw or get real creative with another persons assistance. The table size is actually fairly large for the sander and drill press however it is tiny for the table saw.

I elected to compliment my basic Shopsmith Mark V, Model 520 with what I thought would be the minimum equivalents to the stationary tools needed to have an efficient and complete wood shop. (Just in case you don't know the difference between the model 500 and 520- the 520 has the deluxe table and extensions as well as a better fence system and accessories) 

I purchased the band saw, jointer and shaper head when I made my initial purchase. With these eight tools (these three and the 5 in the Shopsmith) I can build furniture, cabinets, toys,and  jewelry boxes. These are just a few of the things I am able to do with my system. I wanted to be able to do all of the above right out of the box.

My system cost me around $4800 delivered. I had the option to finance the entire amount or part of it. I decided to finance only part of it just to get my monthly payment to something that I knew was a reasonable amount that I could earn per month with the Shopsmith. The only reason I did this was because I knew I was going to keep it. The 90 day trial never entered into my mind. Keep in mind that I got a discount because I bought a reconditioned machine. I bought one that had gone out on a 90 day trial and was returned. I was quite happy with the condition of the unit when it arrived. There were no scratches or dings. the table looked brand new. In fact because I purchased the reconditioned unit they GAVE me the jointer!

 The Base And Headstock:

The actual base or stand for the Shopsmith is very well built. The ends are made of stamped heavy gauge sheet metal with stainless steel tubes on which the headstock and accessories mount. The unit stays put and is quite robust. The caster system that is available as an accessory is a worthwhile investment if you require tucking it out of the way when not in use. The motor (headstock) runs on 120VAC, 30A circuit. The headstock is belt driven and is infinitely variable.

The unit is delivered with minimal assembly required. I was using the table saw within 1 hour of delivery!

So, sit back and click on the links on the left side of the webpage and read my review. Please sign up for your free Demo DVD.