Whooda thought there were so many Shopsmiths out there? I have one too, an old 10ER, set up semi permanently as a 12" disk sander, used as a lathe on occasion. Recommended. My drill press is a 16", or 32" depending on who wrote the ad, Delta radial. It's not all that heavy duty, but it's gangbusters for versatile. Been overhauled too many times and it's getting to be a pain in the - but it still gets me there. Crapsman bandsaw (modified and finally working quite to my satisfaction, thank you) and matching tablesaw (belt drive, no fancy flashing lights), that is nominally adequate but isn't likely to spoil me any time soon. Ended up with a couple of their belt sanders too, almost by accident, that I've used for a long time and haven't managed to break yet. Go figure. Got an old meat saw I added ball bearing guides to that is now a rip snorting resawing son of a gun that's mostly in the way between too brief occasions of being impressive. It seems that we pay for our follies - er, indulgences, one way or another. Milwaukee drill motors (highly recommended), Hitache power plane (low incidence use, but I'm quite satisfied when I need it). When my old sabre saw dies (any day now), I'll probably replace it with a Bosch, based on numerous recommendations. I also have a very old Parks 12" thickness planer that requires periodic bribes and frequent coaxing, but is still making thin ones out of thick ones in suitable fashion. I have two chain hoists for lifting plates. It's probably overkill, but the feeling of security when lifting a big plate is worth stepping back and forth between them. I also have an overarm router made from an old radial arm saw, with a modified cross feed vise for the plunge ways. What you need depends on what you want to do and how you think. Some folks can do amazing things with a dull hammer and sharp teeth, while others need a fully equipped workshop to make a toothpick. Ron N
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