New Mark 7 vs New Mark V 520

[backhertz]

I watched Doug Reid's video today. He is good! It was too cold to do anything today so I compared a new Mark V 520 and a new Mark 7 prices.

A new Mark 7 goes for $3979. A new Mark V 520 goes for $3679.

So what's the difference? The Mark 7 has the PowerPro, the double tilt upgrade, and all that comes with a 520. A Power Pro headstock goes for $1979 and a double tilt upgrade goes for $389 or $2368 together.

A new Mark V 520 headstock is $1604.24. So if one is ordering from the Shopsmith catalog or customer service, for only an extra $300, a buyer gets the Power Pro headstock & double tilt upgrade if ordering a Mark 7.

If you take the headstock off a Mark V 520, you're left with a $2074.76 Mark V 520 without a headstock assy and only a single tilt base. So it would cost over $4,442.76 (total price) to add a DIY Power Pro headstock and double tilt upgrade to have a Mark 7. Postage costs not included. Ouch! If someone was rationalizing this would really be stretching it if trying to get a spousal nod. But then what about the SPTs?

The DIY Power Pro headstock comes ready to be used. A user gets a new double-bearing quill, a new idler shaft, belts, power cord, the PowerPro (display, motor, control electronics) and save the time of having to complete the upgrade oneself.

I think Shopsmith's marketing strategy makes the Mark 7 the only way to go if one wants to buy new. Shopsmith offers a significant discount to buyers at the Lowe's Demos or Webinars. At the Demos, Shopsmith throws in a free bone- a free SPT or the accessory kit which includes the new wheels, I believe. Buying from a Lowe's demo can result in 18 interest-free financing if a Lowe's credit card is used.

A new Shopsmith is an expensive proposition. I think my father bought his 510 new after he saw a mall demo and back when Shopsmith offered financing and prices were much lower. I inherited it and upgraded it to a 520. The price he paid was about half for the 510 goes for now. I believe I took advantage of a Father's Day sale. when it first came out with the steel rules.

I've seen used 520's going for really high prices on the auction web site as I think they don't come up often. These are usually local-pick-up only as many people either don't know how to break a Shopsmith down or want to be bothered with shipping & packing. Many people run a good side business on used Shopsmiths & know what the market will bear.

I see some sellers want to make huge profits but I don't believe they have a clue of the price of the Shopsmith when it was purchased in 1991 or earlier or expect getting $2500 for a Greenie and they are never sold. My preference is CL as I usually get far more than us advertised for sale. I saw a brand-new unused 520 the other day for $1795, I believe. A candidate for a PowerPro? I if it were $600-700, I might bite, but I have too many& have no room or wish a divorce- I'll miss her…

Is it worth it to upgrade? I think unless one gets an early 1990's version of the 520 for a good price, it's probably not worth upgrading as a Mark V 520 has many years of usable life left if one does their maintenance and uses sharp blades. But the PowerPro is really nice and no more tripped circuit breakers and 2 HP with constant torque at 220 VAC. Many wood clubs have Shopsmiths and all a person must do is to safely use one.

The Shopsmith website they state over 500 of the PowerPros have been ordered to date. It's said that for the last year. I wonder how many? I also wonder what the cost of the DVR motor system actually costs. But it is what it is. If left to me I would use higher spec bearings wherever bearings are used.

I'm surprised I have seen the DVR motor used on no other manufacturer tools other than Nova lathes. The only other reluctance motor I've heard of is on a Dyson vacuum cleaner which uses a switched reluctance 100,000 rpm motor.

I am simply making an observation and trying to understand the actual costs involved by playing with numbers of a 520 vs a Mark 7. I'm not trying to make any points or suggestions. The DIY upgrade was well designed and the latest kit eliminated minor issues discovered in the first 10 Power Pros which were shipped. Jim McCann could of used a unibit drill to enlarge the power cord hole was my only suggestion.

I like the idea one of members wrote about how he modified this PowerPro to take advantage of the heat build up. I have measured some reading when measuring heat on the upper part of the motor cover & drive assy. I'm think if using thermocouples on throughout the headstock interior and take measurements before and after. As several people last February reported over temp problems. Both the motor & control electronics box has huge heat sinks, but it seems there is not enough air flow and heat is a not good for anything electronic or mechanical.

In 1989 I went to a junk yard for window handle for a 1966 Plymouth Valiant. It was after 12 Noon, so the two guys working the junk yard counter were into their second case of beer. It was very laid back pull your own part junkyard in the Pinelands of NJ. I asked the guy how much for the handle, he looked at it for a second and told me, "Five dollars." "Five dollars!" I said. He looks back at me and says, "Did you ever try to make one?" So I paid him…

So in this case, if one wants a PowerPro, they will have to pay & I believe they will be impressed as it is hard to make one!

[paulmcohen]

I watched Doug Reid's video today. He is good! It was too cold to do anything today so I compared a new Mark V 520 and a new Mark 7 prices.

A new Mark 7 goes for $3979. A new Mark V 520 goes for $3679.

So what's the difference? The Mark 7 has the PowerPro, the double tilt upgrade, and all that comes with a 520. A Power Pro headstock goes for $1979 and a double tilt upgrade goes for $389 or $2368 together.

A new Mark V 520 headstock is $1604.24. So if one is ordering from the Shopsmith catalog or customer service, for only an extra $300, a buyer gets the Power Pro headstock & double tilt upgrade if ordering a Mark 7.

If you take the headstock off a Mark V 520, you're left with a $2074.76 Mark V 520 without a headstock assy and only a single tilt base. So it would cost over $4,442.76 (total price) to add a DIY Power Pro headstock and double tilt upgrade to have a Mark 7. Postage costs not included. Ouch! If someone was rationalizing this would really be stretching it if trying to get a spousal nod. But then what about the SPTs?

The DIY Power Pro headstock comes ready to be used. A user gets a new double-bearing quill, a new idler shaft, belts, power cord, the PowerPro (display, motor, control electronics) and save the time of having to complete the upgrade oneself.

I think Shopsmith's marketing strategy makes the Mark 7 the only way to go if one wants to buy new. Shopsmith offers a significant discount to buyers at the Lowe's Demos or Webinars. At the Demos, Shopsmith throws in a free bone- a free SPT or the accessory kit which includes the new wheels, I believe. Buying from a Lowe's demo can result in 18 interest-free financing if a Lowe's credit card is used.

A new Shopsmith is an expensive proposition. I think my father bought his 510 new after he saw a mall demo and back when Shopsmith offered financing and prices were much lower. I inherited it and upgraded it to a 520. The price he paid was about half for the 510 goes for now. I believe I took advantage of a Father's Day sale. when it first came out with the steel rules.

I've seen used 520's going for really high prices on the auction web site as I think they don't come up often. These are usually local-pick-up only as many people either don't know how to break a Shopsmith down or want to be bothered with shipping & packing. Many people run a good side business on used Shopsmiths & know what the market will bear.

I see some sellers want to make huge profits but I don't believe they have a clue of the price of the Shopsmith when it was purchased in 1991 or earlier or expect getting $2500 for a Greenie and they are never sold. My preference is CL as I usually get far more than us advertised for sale. I saw a brand-new unused 520 the other day for $1795, I believe. A candidate for a PowerPro? I if it were $600-700, I might bite, but I have too many& have no room or wish a divorce- I'll miss her…

Is it worth it to upgrade? I think unless one gets an early 1990's version of the 520 for a good price, it's probably not worth upgrading as a Mark V 520 has many years of usable life left if one does their maintenance and uses sharp blades. But the PowerPro is really nice and no more tripped circuit breakers and 2 HP with constant torque at 220 VAC. Many wood clubs have Shopsmiths and all a person must do is to safely use one.

The Shopsmith website they state over 500 of the PowerPros have been ordered to date. It's said that for the last year. I wonder how many? I also wonder what the cost of the DVR motor system actually costs. But it is what it is. If left to me I would use higher spec bearings wherever bearings are used.

I'm surprised I have seen the DVR motor used on no other manufacturer tools other than Nova lathes. The only other reluctance motor I've heard of is on a Dyson vacuum cleaner which uses a switched reluctance 100,000 rpm motor.

I am simply making an observation and trying to understand the actual costs involved by playing with numbers of a 520 vs a Mark 7. I'm not trying to make any points or suggestions. The DIY upgrade was well designed and the latest kit eliminated minor issues discovered in the first 10 Power Pros which were shipped. Jim McCann could of used a unibit drill to enlarge the power cord hole was my only suggestion.

I like the idea one of members wrote about how he modified this PowerPro to take advantage of the heat build up. I have measured some reading when measuring heat on the upper part of the motor cover & drive assy. I'm think if using thermocouples on throughout the headstock interior and take measurements before and after. As several people last February reported over temp problems. Both the motor & control electronics box has huge heat sinks, but it seems there is not enough air flow and heat is a not good for anything electronic or mechanical.

In 1989 I went to a junk yard for window handle for a 1966 Plymouth Valiant. It was after 12 Noon, so the two guys working the junk yard counter were into their second case of beer. It was very laid back pull your own part junkyard in the Pinelands of NJ. I asked the guy how much for the handle, he looked at it for a second and told me, "Five dollars." "Five dollars!" I said. He looks back at me and says, "Did you ever try to make one?" So I paid him…

So in this case, if one wants a PowerPro, they will have to pay & I believe they will be impressed as it is hard to make one!

Lost track of how many times I have said this here but to me the only way to go is the DIY upgrade. after selling all the old still the cost comes to a few (several)$100 depending on what you get for the used stuff sold in many pieces.

[mgbbob]

Nice breakout of the issues. I have always wanted to sit down and do the same thing. I appreciate the effort. I have a 500 and a 510. I am not sold on the fence system for the 510 and would like to move up to the 520 but keep thinking the same thing about the continued investment in the machine. I watch the Lowe's demo ont he Power Pro this year and was really tempted to bite, especially with the discounted pricing but it is not just one upgrade but several before one is done.

Bob

[algale]

Lost track of how many times I have said this here but to me the only way to go is the DIY upgrade. after selling all the old still the cost comes to a few (several)$100 depending on what you get for the used stuff sold in many pieces.

Curious, to the folks who did the DIY upgrade and sold off the stuff they no longer needed, what was your net cost of doing the upgrade?

[paulmcohen]

Curious, to the folks who did the DIY upgrade and sold off the stuff they no longer needed, what was your net cost of doing the upgrade?

I don't remember exactly but it I am sure it was less than $700 maybe less then $400 but it was a few years ago. It also depends on what you have, I had the speed reducer which was very popular and went for a lot and a 520 dual-bearing quill. I did the double tilt upgrade and that was also almost free as well (just the cost of shipping). At the time I sold the extra stuff it went to almost the cost of the upgrade but at other times I see people trying to sell the end casings and they don't sell or go for minimum bids.

Remember you also need to upgrade the lift assist.

I was also able to sell my standalone router table for almost $300 with accessories so that even brought my cost down even more but I spent that on new Shopsmith Shaper and Router accessories. One positive is I freed up extra space in my shop.