Anyone ever use or own a Shopsmith multi-workshop?

[MadPlumbarian]

Well as the subject says, anyone ever use or own a Shopsmith? I’ve always been interested in one since it’s an all in one shop tool, instead of having multiple machines around the workshop it’s all in one, table saw, drill press, sander, lathe, can even add on others like band saw, jointer, scroll saw, and so on, I’d just love to get one but have no clue about them? So any info would be great..
JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

I don't know anything about these units specifically, but I have learned a few things in my time.

The biggest concern?

All in One tools are a great compromise for space, and sometimes even budget, bit if any one of those tools breaks, then you are well and truly screwed because your whole shop is dead.

Neat units though, and for your own work (vs professional use) it could be very handy.

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Yeah I’m kinda limited on room even though it’s a two car garage, most is used for storage, but there’s still some room to make a little something, and like you said yeah getting each piece of machinery would be expensive and take up room, but then again, it would be like a multitool, if one of the tools breaks then your out that tool, yet if the main tool breaks then your out the whole system..
JR

[DIAMOND]

I'm sure you've thought about this, but I'd take a look at what kind of things I'd like to do or build or fix. You might not need "all" the tools.

It's a cool multi tool, but are there things you'll never use.

[MadPlumbarian]

I'm sure you've thought about this, but I'd take a look at what kind of things I'd like to do or build or fix. You might not need "all" the tools.

It's a cool multi tool, but are there things you'll never use.

I want a,
Table saw,
Drill press,
And Lathe,
The bonus tools would be a,
Band saw,
Belt sander,
And maybe a jointer..
And that tool basically does all of the above, but only starts off with just the drill press, table saw, disk sander, and lathe, but it has so many more add on which I could build the shop up,,
JR

[DIAMOND]

Ah, I see your point lol

[Poncho65]

A little off topic  but I have a Shop Smith Zippo I need to get it out and take a pic 

[Vidar]

Some technicians/ carpenters at a former workplace used a carpentry multimachine. It was bigger and only did horizontal stuff though so not the Shopsmith. (Table saw, router, thickness planer, long holes and sanding). That worked fine although they said that except for the table saw seperate machines would work better. But space and budget had been driving, and it was a working solution.

Multimachines are compromises. The mix of functionality mix clash reducing the functionality of one or more machine modes. To be fair the mix can also increase certain mixes - a drill press or router located straight about the axis of the lathe mix be useful for instance. I think the degreee of such compromises would depend on the size of your workpieces so that might be worth a think? A table saw and a router table for instance want a fair bit of horizontal plane area around them to handle big pieces. Other functions in the vertical direction, like drill press and bandsaw, might interrupt that horizontal space.