What Donalexander has said about the Power Pro is what I have been trying to say only when I said it I usually ended up with some of you sore at me.donalexander wrote:My thoughts exactly. I went to a demonstration at Lowe's and left without being tempted to spend the bucks on the unit. I really hope this doesn't come across as sour grapes because it isn't. I just simple don't see that there's nearly enough value in the upgrade to warrant the price of the upgrade. The key points I heard at the Lowe's demo were:
-It easier to set the speed on the PP. My thought was okay but the Mark V isn't hard enough to set that I've ever once considered it in 30 years of owning a Mark V.
-The PP starts with fewer amps. To which I though, I've got my Mark V on separate circuit and never worry about starting amps. A non-issue for me.
- The PP can go faster and slower than a Mark V. Well slower may have some advantages with the lathe but it hasn't been an issue with me yet. Higher speeds make the router and shaper possible. I bought a dedicated router with three different router bodies and a nice table for < 25% of the cost of the PP upgrade. I don't need a Mark V/VII router. To use the router effectively you really need the double tilt option and that's $389 more.
- The motor won't bog down doing heavy cuts. This hasn't been a problem for me yet. I'm not sure I've ever cut more than 8/4 lumber and that's rare. Usually 4/4 and 5/4. I'd be inclined to get a cabinet saw (3 HP or more) if I was doing lots of heavy cuts.
I realize a lot of wood tool snobs look down on the Mark V with disdain. That's a mixed blessing. It keeps the Craigslist prices low but frankly the Mark V is one heck of a good machine. It is capable of far greater accuracy that I am and they are certainly both durable and fixable. For the average person wanting to do wood working, it's a great tool that will let you build everything from bird houses to fine furniture without a hitch - as long as you have the skills.
What does the Power Pro add to the capabilities of the Mark V? Well, some power, ease of use, reversible motor, and greater speed range. Its worth $300 more than the Model 520 - which is what the difference is between a new PP and a new 520. I just don't see where the value is that justifies a $1,500 to $2,000 upgrade.
So, when I see a PP on Craigslist for $500 or less, I may go shopping. Until then I plan to make sawdust with my 520...or my 500...or maybe there's an ER-10 in my future.
The only real advantage I see to the Power Pro is a having a rebuilt headstock, one that has fewer moving parts. However after hearing some of the problems with loose couplers which I think will manifest in other ways I'm not sure it is more reliable.
Over the life of my SS I have caused it to suffer lockups and some real off balance poundings. While I can not detect any damage I still wonder what may be on the verge of breaking. So a headstock rebuilt is very appealing to me. If I could get the PowerPro upgrade for a few hundred more than a normal Headstock upgrade I would jump on it in a minute. I have also considered buying a new PowerPro headstock and parting my old headstock out to see how close I come price wise.
However I will probably do as Donalexander wait until I see a $500 Power Pro on Craigslist.
