Subject: Shoptask Multipurpose Machine

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 01:37:55 GMT

Need information regarding the Shoptask Lathe,Mill,Drill machine. I.E.
What is the quality of the machine? How does it compare with the
SMITHY multipurpose machine? What hobbies/business are you performing
with this machine? Appreciate your help.

Regards,

Borris

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 14 Dec 1996 07:49:53 GMT

>with this machine? Appreciate your help.

  I havn't had a first hand look at a Smithy so I can't compare the
quality between them. I would call the quality of the Shop Task fair. The
ways seem to be accurite. The dials and lead screws also seem to pretty
close ie I don't have much problems getting within .001 or so accuracy out
of the lathe part. However I think that the milling head is a joke.
There's to many places for flex and with no way of dropping the head down
closer to the table I can't figure out any way of gettin rid of  some of
it. Personally if I was to do it again and I really wanted a combo machine
I would take a real good look at the big Smithy 1239 (I think thats the
number). It seems to solve about 80% of my complaints with the Shop Task.
If you've got the space you would probably be better off with dedicated
machines. They work a lot better than these combo units and if you can
find some decent used one they end up costing about the same.

   Wayne Cook

Quality is like buying oats,
        if you want nice, clean, fresh oats you must pay a fair price.

However, 
        if you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through
the horse...
                          
That comes a little cheaper...