Mark V 520 vs Mark 7 PowerPro

[DavidMcM]

I am sure this question has been asked before but a quick forum search did not turn up the information I was looking for.

I am looking at purchasing a new Model V 520 instead of a Mark 7 PowePro. My reasoning for picking the 520 is that I am not sure I need the extra Mark 7 features and the Mark V looks like it may be easier to repair over the long haul due to parts availability. I see using the Mark V primarily for the following and in this order:

1) Sanding (disc & belt)
2) Horizontal Boring
3) Table Saw (I have a compound miter saw and track saw – so this would be on occasion)
4) Lathe

I have a dedicated floor standing drill press and router table so I don’t see using the drill press or router modes very often.

My question is, do you experienced folks think this would be a mistake based on my use cases above, i.e. is the Mark 7 PowerPro so much better that I shouldn’t even consider the Mark V 520?

[stew]

I have had the versions, 500, 510, 520 and now 520 with Power Pro over the last 40 years. All used that I have refurbished and sold so I could move up to the next level. I am very comfortable in all aspects of the headstock with the ability to remove every part and replace anything that is needed. Once I got my Power Pro, again used, It has been very good and reliable so far. I am sure I could not fix or attempt to fix anything in this head stock and that worries me big time. I am not a lathe user yet, but the Power-Pro does not do anything that my 520 could not do. I will say that it is a lot quieter and I really like the computerized speed chart that helps you pick the right speed. Again I am a hobbyist and if I had to pay the cost of a new Power Pro today I would not spend that type of cash. I am glad I was able to pick mine up used for $600 maybe 8 years ago and I have no regrets. I will always have a backup headstock because I have no ability or desire at this stage of my life to try to learn anything that is going on in the Power Pro.
Hope this helps- Good luck!

[edma194]

I don't know what the difference in price is right now, or the cost of replacing PowerPro components will be in the future, but it's all price that makes the difference.

If you can afford the extra price, get the PowerPro. If it doesn't last it will not be difficult to replace the entire head with any used Model 5 head that could cost very little. So don't let the long term cost worry you if the initial price is not an issue. The PowerPro head you get may last a very long time and not be an issue at all.

On the other hand, for the limited use you are talking about there's not much advantage to be gained from the PowerPro head. Perhaps running the lathe at low speed. But once you do have a Shopsmith there are a lot of other options available to you and the additional power and flexibility
could be useful in the future.

Having said that, I upgraded my 510 to a PowerPro head. My main reason was that an electronically controlled DVR motor was really cool. Different people have different priorities.

[DLB]

This is a great question so I'm guessing you've put in some research already. I have both versions, and like both. For comparing new ones side by side, I think you've hit on the one thing the 520 has over the PowerPro. I agree. If I was choosing based on which one I felt would still be running 50+ years from now it would be the 520. But I would still choose the Mark 7 over the 520 because it offers several benefits and the prices are relatively close together. In a worst case scenario where at some future point you have a fatal PowerPro issue that there is no support for resolving, you could still buy a good used conventional headstock and you'd have a double tilt 520 that will still be good for 50+ years. A good used headstock goes for three or four hundred dollars. And I think that worst case scenario is unlikely in the near future.

- David

[RFGuy]

Since you want to buy new there isn't much difference in price between the Mark 7 and the Mark V so why not just get the Mark 7? I have a Mark V (520) that I have owned for over 2 decades and my Dad still has his for over 3 decades now. Both purchased new and both have needed nothing besides occasional maintenance. A properly maintained Mark V should last you a long, long time. The PowerPro does have electronics in it and like most modern appliances, vehicles, etc. these can and do breakdown needing repairs more often. Most electronics today are designed with COTS (commerical off the shelf) components instead of mil-spec or automotive grade components. As a result, electronics are often engineered to only last a few years, by design. The PowerPro can be fixed, but it is likely a more expensive repair than if it was a Mark V headstock. Typically you replace an electronic module in the PowerPro so because you are replacing an entire assembly it costs more. Unless long term maintenance cost is a concern for you, I would still recommend getting the PowerPro. I have used someone else's PowerPro a few times and they are nice, though I am not a fan of the membrane switches on it (personal preference).

It might be helpful to know a bit more about why you want to purchase one and what you intend to build with it. $4k is a lot to spend on a new sander. Saying that because that was at the top of your list of tasks planned for it.

[DavidMcM]

Thanks for everyone’s input so far, it has been very helpful. As with many Shopsmith owners, I assume, I am very space constrained. I don’t have room for a separate belt sander, disc sander, table saw, and lathe so the Shopsmith looks like a good option for me. Additionally, I can’t tell you how many times a horizontal drill press would have been handy. I primarily build furniture.

I don’t “think” I need the additional HP the PowerPro provides. The main reason I would consider the Mark 7 PowerPro is the reduced noise. That said, I have never heard either the Mark V or Mark 7 operate in-person so I don’t have a good real world understanding of the noise difference between the two. Is the noise difference significant?

[DLB]

I don’t “think” I need the additional HP the PowerPro provides. The main reason I would consider the Mark 7 PowerPro is the reduced noise. That said, I have never heard either the Mark V or Mark 7 operate in-person so I don’t have a good real world understanding of the noise difference between the two. Is the noise difference significant?

Yes, the difference is amazing. I ran both versions at saw speed simultaneously in my garage once to make some thermal measurements. The machines were about 15 feet apart. Even when I was standing next to the PowerPro I could not hear it over the 520. In order to balance the sound of the two I had to lower my head so it was within a foot or so of the PP headstock. The difference is more pronounced at low speeds. The PowerPro is extremely quiet. It's so quiet spinning a sanding disc that the difference when you start sanding something is very noticeable.

- David

[SkullsquadronX]

I have both and I prefer the power pro.
Two reasons, you don’t have to turn down the speed before shutting off and the because it also has a reverse button. Every time you set the speed you want and press the run button it starts at a slower speed then climb to the speed you selected

[JEvans3]

I strongly prefer the PowerPro, for all the reasons mentioned, but also because the starting current is much lower. I've been using my Shopsmith as a hobbyist since '77, having upgraded along the way to the 510, then 520, and finally the PowerPro in 2014. My small shop is served by a 15 amp breaker, and before the PowerPro, I would trip the breaker when starting the ShopSmith at table saw speeds between cuts, for example. It was a pain to have to crank the speed down each time between cuts so I could restart the machine for the next cut. With the PowerPro, I can even leave my dust collection running when starting up the ShopSmith now. So, for the small difference in price between the conventional headstock and the PowerPro on a new machine, I don't think you would regret the PowerPro one bit.

[RFGuy]

Thanks for everyone’s input so far, it has been very helpful. As with many Shopsmith owners, I assume, I am very space constrained. I don’t have room for a separate belt sander, disc sander, table saw, and lathe so the Shopsmith looks like a good option for me. Additionally, I can’t tell you how many times a horizontal drill press would have been handy. I primarily build furniture.

I don’t “think” I need the additional HP the PowerPro provides. The main reason I would consider the Mark 7 PowerPro is the reduced noise. That said, I have never heard either the Mark V or Mark 7 operate in-person so I don’t have a good real world understanding of the noise difference between the two. Is the noise difference significant?

I definitely get the space constrained aspect and that is where owning a Mark V/7 will excel for you. How much woodturning do you think you might do? One big advantage the Mark 7 has for woodturning is the PowerPro. It goes much lower in speed which you will need with bowlturning or truing up any large turning. Also, the ability to reverse is a huge advantage for sanding your woodturnings. Lastly, a Mark V with a sharp, quality carbide blade should have no problems for you, but everything will cut easier on a PowerPro. I have been working a lot with 8/4 cherry the past year or so and I have to keep my Forrest Woodworker II blade clean and my Mark V belt tight in order to get good cuts with it. It works, but a PowerPro would cut through it like butter.
Just saying...