Shopsmith lathe info

Despite having some bad things to say about it as a lathe, buy it. It's the first lathe I used, and at a real reasonable (presumably well under $600) price, it's worth it. Parts availability is excellent if it's a Mark V (not if it's a 10ER). You can sell a Mark V off very easily if you don't get unreasonable at pricing it on the selling end. Lasts a looooong time - mine is 53 years old and going strong, with only a few parts replaced.

If you get blanks well balanced, it will swing 16-17 inches.

You need to check the tailstock alignment, since the tailstock is removable - but this is easy to do when setting it up for lathe work.

It should have a very basic set of 5 tools with it (they came from the factory).

Downsides (for my purposes) - Low speed is high - but this also applies to most other low-end lathes, such as the ones you mention. Spindle is small and oddball - not a big deal, especially if the present owner has not lost the faceplates and drive centers that come with it. Lightweight

- with the high low speed, things which are not well balanced are very hard to turn. I used to put 100 lb. bags of chicken feed across the lower tubes to calm it down while turning from firewood. Not an issue if turning from square stock. None of these items are really much better on the $600 12x36's you are considering as an alternative.

How tall are you? I'm 5'6" and it can be a back breaker for me, if I spend too much time on it. Think hunched over. Ideally the spindle should be mounted at about elbow height. The spindle height on the SS is about

38 inches plus or minus a bit. My elbow height is roughly 42 inches and just 4" is back breaking. If the inseam on your pants is 38", the spindle height will be level with your crotch. A bad catch could ruin your day.

That said, if All you want it for is a lathe, you could put it on a platform (others have suggested digging a hole in the floor to stand in, but I see that as somewhat impractical). I bought mine (used) because - well, because I'd wanted one since about 1955 and I'm a sucker for multi- purpose gadgets, jigs to make routers do the work of planers, and so on. I would not buy one again.

This is my first post - been reading for a few weeks and am very impressed with the knowledge and experience of this group. That said, I have a Shopsmith (that I also bought very reasonably) and agree with the other two replies. The lathe function is, IMO, more compromising than any of the other SS configurations. Too light (can be taken care of as already mentioned). Too low (I'm 5'10" and the back takes a beating everytime I use it as a lathe). Tailstock is quirky, but useable, and uses standard #2MT centers. As mentioned, you'll need the

5/8" spur centers, faceplates, etc. I've never gotten used to the tool rest - it always seems to be slightly too far this way or that way; and the fact that it cantilevers out over the ways detracts from any strength it might have had. At times I've had to build temporary "supports" to bridge between the ways and the end of the cantilever arm to gain additional strength. Maybe all this is just me, but I don't like it as a lathe. But, until I got my little Jet mini, it was all I had so that's what I used when necessary. That phrase, "when necessary", says it all. The lathe used to be soothing and calming for me back when I taught woodworking, and the SS was simply too much hassle to be anything but nerve racking and tiring. Now I'm smiling again with my little Jet (but I'm also looking for something additional that'll let me turn larger bowls). That all said, if your "reasonable" price is low enough... sic'em.

You can buy a 5/8" to 1" by 8tpi adaptor.

I've had a shopsmith for over 20 years and and use it as a lathe extensively. As mentioned earlier it does have its shortcomings but it is still well worth it especially if you get it for a good price.

how much do they want for the shopsmith and what comes with it?

I'm on my 2nd one, and though I don't use it as a lathe any more, it's a great way to start... If it includes at least the standard kit of lathe chisels, saw blades, drill press chuck, 12" sanding disk and all, you'll love it.. mine is set up semi-permanateky as a horizonal drill press with the 12" disk sander on the other end.. Mac

That 12" disc sander is whipping right along!

Shopsmith now has a speed reducer that you can use to slow it down a lot. I don't use a speed reducer but have friends that do. I also own a Shopsmith. George Warner Robins, GA .

Penn State Industries sells an adapter so that their chucks (any chuck for that matter) will work with the Shopsmith. That said, I have used that adapter to use standard lathe items from my midi lathe on the Shopsmith. Only one that is questionable is the technique I used to put a #21 MT on the spindle. Questionable but it works. Also Shopsmith now sells a new tool rest system for the Shopsmith, called the Universal Tool Rest. Works almost like a regular banjo but not quite. It is much better than the old tool rest. I still use my SS as a lathe. It works fine once it is understood like all lathes. Will not get rid of my Shopsmith, well maybe trade for a new house, about 2000 sq feet will do.. Hee Hee

George Warner Robins, GA

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I am about 5'- 10" and I put an 8" high concrete block under each end while using it as a lathe. It really helps the back! :-) I have a 10ER model. Good luck Lyndell

I got my first shopsmith in 1972 and loved it, I have a newer one now with the bigger table and all I can say is wow. I have turned hundreds of things over the years on the lathe, and I am 5' 9", it does hurt your back if you use it alot, so the thing to do is to measure how much higher it has to be for you to be 90=B0 with your back comfortable and make 2 boxes for your shopsmith to sit on and you will have many hours of woodturning fun...it is so easy to sit your speeds for sanding. If you have a small space to work in its a great tool to have.

"mac davis" wrote: (clip)mine is set up semi-permanently as a horizonal drill press with the 12" disk sander on the other end.. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's a very useful point. I have never used a Shopsmith, but I am told that the above setup is very useful, and very rare. Because of the multipurpose nature of the Shopsmith, you can set it up as a disc sander with a quill feed. This allows you to sand end grain in one stroke, making them square, true to length and smooth.

Mac has the sanding plate on the Back End. That is the power takeoff end for things like the joiner, planer, and bandsaw - which is why I commented on it ripping along, as the PTO runs at about 10K. You are correct that you can use the sanding plate on the front end and advance the quill.

sort of.. Most of the drilling is on big stock, so it's pretty much at disk sander speed... It would be kind of scary in the upright position though.. *g*

Mac

I do that sometimes, Leo, but usually it's set up like it is now, with the sanding disk and small table on the rear spindle... When used on the main spindle with the quill as you mentioned, one of the things it's really good for is squaring up a bunch of pen blanks...

I just got into pens, but when you cut and drill a bunch of blanks (both on the SS) it's a real pain to use a pen mill on each one...

Using the rip fence and the miter fence, you have an instant "jig" for squaring them, and the quill stop lets you sand them to a uniform length..

Mac

I am confused as my Shopsmith has two PTOs on the rear end, one (in-line with the spindle) runs at the same speed as the spindle, the other (lower) runs a bit faster. The motor runs at 1700 and the speed control is between the motor and the lower PTO so I don't see how either could run at 10K..

I use the lower PTO as an input shaft for my DC motor setup for extremely slow speeds.

BrianC

I may be the one confused. IIRC, the lower runs at top speed, or thereabouts. The upper, as you point out, should run at the same speed as the spindle.

No, the lower one (which only mates with the jointer and planer) runs from 1400-10000 rpm. The sanding disc would not fit on that one - it's too close to the ways. The upper one runs the same speed as the spindle. Simple belt arrangement.

I have a speed reducer, but use it only to rough out the block. Once the wood is relatively balanced I remove the Speed reducer. It turns to slow to try finishing the bowl (IMO).