The upside of being cheap
While trying to be frugal, I am rediscovering some things I have not done for a long time. One of these is working with wood. With out the right tools, it’s no fun and the end result is less than desirable.
For my birthday my wife bought (let me buy) a Shop Smith. While most have never heard of this tool, the rest of you won’t care what it is….. but it’s something that I have heard about for years from my Dad.
My new antique
It is a wood working tool that combines 5 or 6 tools into a single machine. It is a table saw/drill press/lathe/surface sander, and with a few add ons it can be a jointer/bandsaw/shaper. Pictures don’t do a toy like this justice, though I realize the beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Shopsmith 10ER
And so, for just $75 I got a working antique. It was sold by Montgomery Ward in the late 30’s and early 40’s. It was rusty and dirty and when I plugged it in……………nothing happened, and for that I am glad. The wiring had completely disintegrated. After a couple of hours of rewiring it now purrs like a kitten. Now if I want to do something that requires some cutting drilling or turning, I can just step into the garage and get to work.
I’ll keep you posted on the sawdust pile as it grows.
