Old Shopsmith

[Branson]

The stubby chisels are probably Stanley Everlast chisels.  A little collector value there, if they clean up nice.
 The gouges are --really-- interesting. Shipwright size roughing gouges, just slipped in there.  If you want to trade something for whichever one you end up not using, let me know? 
   You won't like the folding handle drawknife much.  A good idea for portability, I never met one I liked using much.
 
Tell how you like using the lathe, when you get to it?? I need a heavy duty lathe, mine is a flyweight. I have considered Shopsmith in the past, but never knew anyone who used one much.
    yours Scott

Yeah!  Everlasts.  I couldn't recall the name.  I think they will clean up enough to be useful -- they've had a hard life.  The Swedish chisel has had some hard times, too, but the handle is quite good, and it will definitely clean up for use -- I've found these chisels will take and keep a 15 degree edge very well.  The little gouge has already been put to use nicely.

The big gouges... I'm keeping the Marples!   But the other we can work out a trade for -- send me a pm.

Draw knives are one of my favorite tools.  They are just so satisfying to use.  This one makes the third folder in my accumulation.  One works pretty good.  I think their real advantage is that you can toss them in the tool box without worrying about the edge, that, and they don't take up as much room.   But they don't work like my Bartons or Bucks, sure enough.

I've used the lathe function already.  Necessity commanded.  I didn't have time to fuss with niceties like putting a good edge on the chisels or reading the manual.  It did the work, and the motor never faltered.  The one complaint I have is with the tool rest -- I ended up turning two chisel handles at a time because the rest doesn't have an in and out adjustment that will let you work on short pieces very well.   Still, the lathe function seems to be one of the primary uses of ShopSmiths from what I see.  A couple that have gone up for sale had nothing other than the lathe function, and eBay pulls up lathes when you do a SS search.  On a ShopSmith list I joined, there are a lot of threads on lathe work, both between centers and on lathe plates.  Some people are turning out some good looking pieces.  Maybe I can ask about this on the SS list.  (and there were/are metal lathe accessories for the ShopSmith -- special rests and plates).
 
 

[Branson]

I forgot to mention on the lathe question...  Nominally, the lathe can run 33".   With a little modification to the bench, however, you can gain a bit more room by attaching the headstock all the way to the ends of the ways.  Like I said, a lot of people use the SS primarily for the lathe function.   So much so, that there are commercially made 20" extensions for the E and ER to increase the length.

What lathe do you have, Scott, that you find too wimpy?  I could put the question directly to folks who have a lot more experience than I do.

[Branson]

The gouges are --really-- interesting. Shipwright size roughing gouges, just slipped in there.  If you want to trade something for whichever one you end up not using, let me know? 
 Tell how you like using the lathe, when you get to it?? I need a heavy duty lathe, mine is a flyweight. I have considered Shopsmith in the past, but never knew anyone who used one much.
    yours Scott

Scott,  I just sent an email to a fellow who could better answer your questions about the lathe function.  He does commercial furniture work with his, and seems really knowledgeable.  I'll let you know what he has to say.

On the gouge, the one I'm willing to part with is marked SARGENT V-B-M.  It's 1 1/2 inches wide, and has 6" of usable blade (to the shoulder where it tapers to the socket.  I have a handle that fits it.

[scottg]

Cool, thanks! I will welcome any shopsmith experience report. 
I see them for sale sometimes, but seldom for free.  So if I actually have to buy something for money (not accustomed to this)
  I would really like any council I can get.
 
  If the shopsmith falls through, I see sears roebuck lathes a lot.   You know the ones with a single large column for ways?
 I knew these aren't really heavy, but does anyone have anything good to say about them?
  I do know they at last have Morse taper head and tailstock for swapping in attachments easy.
  yours, still needing a better lathe
 Scott

[Branson]

I got a little more info, now, and hope to get some more.  The fellow I spoke about has three ShopSmiths and he uses them exclusively for turning.  (They have a nominal 14 inch swing, by the way.)  He does serious (and commercial) work with them, so I think we can say they do heavy work.
I don't know about the motors he uses, and the early ShopSmiths had the option of a 1/2 horse or a 3/4 horse motor (part of the reason, Aunt Phil, for why a motor wasn't part of the package.)

He has, and I think I would recommend, the early models -- the ER 10 -- made by Magna.  The ways on these have a full quarter inch wall, about twice the thickness of the new ShopSmiths. 

I've attached a photo of one where the headstock has been attached outside the head rest to get greater distance.

The tail stock is also set up to receive a Morse taper.

[Aunt Phil]

It has for some time baffled me why someone doesn't just buy 2 pieces of mechanical tubing to replace the rails of a ShopSmith and grow the length. 
Then again thinking and problem solving seem to have been left behind somewhere around 1970.

Last guy I saw exhibiting intelligence with a ShopSmith had built his own lathe duplicator with 4 ball casters and a hunk of angle iron.

[Branson]

It has for some time baffled me why someone doesn't just buy 2 pieces of mechanical tubing to replace the rails of a ShopSmith and grow the length. 
Then again thinking and problem solving seem to have been left behind somewhere around 1970.

Last guy I saw exhibiting intelligence with a ShopSmith had built his own lathe duplicator with 4 ball casters and a hunk of angle iron.

The closest I've run across is a connector with a pair of 20" tubes, but it seems like you'd have to have two carriages for the tool rest.  Dunno.  Well, you would have to take things apart to make a new set up.  Oh, wait, you have to take things apart to make a new set up anyway.

[Aunt Phil]

In my experience turning a couple walking sticks it was easier to leave the saw table in place and use a 1"  carbide toolbit set up in a ballcaster base made from a 4" long piece of 3 x 5 angle iron.   If I was going to turn walking sticks or something similar in the machine often I'd definitely make up a toolrest that was the length of the machine, or a long enough table to run the castered cutter the length of the machine.

I suppose there was somebody who once made enough ballisters for a staircase on a ShopSmith but it sure wasn't me.

[Branson]

In my experience turning a couple walking sticks it was easier to leave the saw table in place and use a 1"  carbide toolbit set up in a ballcaster base made from a 4" long piece of 3 x 5 angle iron.   If I was going to turn walking sticks or something similar in the machine often I'd definitely make up a toolrest that was the length of the machine, or a long enough table to run the castered cutter the length of the machine.

The length problem arises when making table legs for some people, but ballisters would sure be a challenge.  I'm having difficulty picturing a ball caster base -- how would that work?

[Aunt Phil]

I don't have one handy to take a pic right now, but if you envision a single bearing ball entrapped in a housing with slightly less than half the ball exposed you have a ball caster.  The ball is free to operate in 360° of motion against a flat plane.
The good news is our China friends are selling them at Horrible Fright for a couple bucks a shot, and they last reasonably well until they get wet and rust.

[oldtoolman]

if you need a motor i have a nice one

[Branson]

if you need a motor i have a nice one

Thanks for letting me know.  The A.O. Smith is running fine at the moment.  Shoot, at 62 years old, it's younger than me!  It's got a couple of honey-dos out of the way, cut stock for some replacement pieces for an old spinning wheel, and will soon turn another piece for the spinning wheel.  One of the maidens is missing, for those who know spinning wheel terminology.