Shopsmith David Folkerth RIP

[Dave Lehnert]

Anyone who has a Shopsmith may know David Folkerth, The youngest son for the late John Folkerth who was the owner of Shopsmith in Dayton Ohio. David was often the person who did demonstrations of the Shopsmith in Lowe's stores. He passed away on Sept 14th.
http://www.routsong.com/obituaries/David-Wood-Folkerth?obId=18371362#/obituaryInfo

This is David in the video.

https://youtu.be/xjnF5WfPaTQ

[Dave Lehnert]

I know a Shopsmith is not for everyone but it is the first tool I purchased and taught myself woodworking on . Built a house full of furniture with it.
Over the years I added bigger tools (Cabinet saw, 6" jointer) But lately been thinking about downsizing back to the Shopsmith.

[Frederick Skelly]

I've never tried a Shopsmith, but they sure seem to have a following. From what I've heard, a lot of peple were like you and built a houseful of furniture with one.

RIP Mr. Folkerth.

[Randall J Cox]

i too started on a new Shopsmith of my own back in about 1988. My dad had one that I used as a teenager (I'm now 73). Randy

[Mike Heidrick]

I went to a Lowes to see a Shopsmith preso and David might have ran it. I think I was the only one there and the guy still put on the show for me. That guy wanted me to buy one bad but I told him no way could I afford that machine new on minimum wage and pay rent and eat and pay for school. Wanted one BAD though lol. I like them. I think it was about $3K when I saw that demo - GULP. I ended up getting a Mark V for free in 2005 with a Delta cabinet saw deal sold to me by a guy that sold his house/shop. I still have that Shopsmith Mark V today and in fact used that drill press a ton when I bookcased my new shed. Even have pictures of my girls at 7 and 4 using it lol. Its also one of the few tools my Dad used when he came up to visit us before he passed - he used the lathe, his first time using a lathe ever. Good memories in that machine.

RIP David. Thanks for getting us interested in the Shopsmith!

[Mike Kelly]

I have had a Shopsmith Mark V since 1982. Sorry to hear David has passed. We will miss his face! Last year I purchased an old Mark V and a basket full of parts that became a backup powerhead. It came with all of the parts to upgrade the table and fence too. It was an old Greeny. All of the parts were there and it works beautifully. I oiled up the old Mark V and it is still running smoothly. I tore down my initial machine that had been rebuilt a year before as it was making a noise and was binding. It turned out to be a bushing on the motor shaft and everything else was just fine. The sheeves were rubbing on the motor support robbing horsepower for sure. I have all of the other major tools for my shop, but the Shopsmith is still used every day for sanding and occasional horizontal drilling and will be the last tool if I have to downsize.