Replies

1. 
   Napie | Oct 18, 2004 08:23pm | #1

   I had one and the only reason I sold it was the move to a larger shop that had room for separate machines.  They work fine, you just have to plan your work around the change overs.

2. 
   bones | Oct 19, 2004 04:20pm | #2

   I started out with a little benchtop saw in an apartment.  After I bought my first house and had a small area in my basement dedicated to a shop, I moved up to the RAS and did cross cutting and ripping.  When I had the chance I bought a shopsmith multitool. Used it until recently. I liked it because I could not afford all the tools separately and it did not take up much space. I came to hate the change over.  I now have a two car garage, and can afford the different tools and prefer having a separate table saw & band saw. I still have the shopsmith and use it as a drill press and lathe. Probable will try to sell it.  If I had to do it over I would probably do it the same way. If cost and space are issues then multi tools can do the job.  Good Luck.

3. 
   DouglasM | Oct 19, 2004 04:37pm | #3

   I have a Robland from about 1984 and I have to say that it is the most versatile tool imaginable. Don't compare a European combination machine with a tool like the shopsmith. Last weekend I knocked up some sliding interior doors and used the table saw, the planer, thicknesser and mortiser... only missed the spindle moulder. First time I used almost all the tools on one project. In any case, changeover takes as little as 30 seconds on these machines and maximum 60 seconds when you move from teh planer to the thickneser because you have to wind the bed up. In any case it never felt like a chore. Additionaly the Robland is a great quality tool and the customer support is excellent. I would go for a new Robland in a second and probably will as the newer machines have far better fences and more precise adjusters.

   Having said all this if I had the money and space for profesional quality individual machines That would undoubtably be the route I would go... there are always compromises.

   - Douglas

1. 
   bones | Oct 19, 2004 05:00pm | #4

   Did you purchase one new or used. Curious about cost for the combo .vs. the individual pieces?

1. 
   DouglasM | Oct 19, 2004 06:03pm | #5

   Used, I only bought it a few years ago. Every time I went to use one of the tools it took me quite a while to tune it liek any old machine would but since it's been trouble free. Are you looking at a used one or a new one?

   - Douglas

1. 
   bones | Oct 19, 2004 09:31pm | #6

   I have a cabinet table saw, so a combo that has that would not interest me. I have a delta 6" jointer & makita 12 planer that I would like to upgrade.  I had never heard of the brand you mentioned so I was curious?

4. 
   Jeffnv | Oct 31, 2004 04:30pm | #7

   I have seperate machines.  The convenience of working on a project and not having to change set ups is worth the seperate machines.