Converting a Pro Planer to a Mark-Mount Planer

[forrestb]

My Mark-Mount Planer is a manual feed model bought many years ago when budgets were very tight. But at my age now the elbows begin to groan when I have a lot of planing to do

I need to get a feed motor fix, but that would run around $1,000 from Shopsmith

I can locally get a Pro Planer for around $500 and could sell the mount and motor for $????? so I am wondering if anyone has done such a conversion before and has advice?

I see from the pix of the Pro that the cutouts for the tubes are there but I am uncertain as to getting it attached to the PP head.

Forrest

PS There no room for the Pro Planer in my shop.

[jsburger]

My Mark-Mount Planer is a manual feed model bought many years ago when budgets were very tight. But at my age now the elbows begin to groan when I have a lot of planing to do

I need to get a feed motor fix, but that would run around $1,000 from Shopsmith

I can locally get a Pro Planer for around $500 and could sell the mount and motor for $????? so I am wondering if anyone has done such a conversion before and has advice?

I see from the pix of the Pro that the cutouts for the tubes are there but I am uncertain as to getting it attached to the PP head.

Forrest

PS There no room for the Pro Planer in my shop.

I just took a look at my Pro Planer. I don't see why it wouldn't work. The cutter head shaft on the Pro Planer is 5/8". The drive pulley on the Pro is keyed with a Woodruff key but it also has a flat spot where the set screw is so a drive hub will fit just fine. My guess is that the cutter heads in the two planers are identical. SS doesn't list a part number since you can't buy the cutter head.

So all you would have to buy is the way tube clamps and wing studs (items 81 and 82) and the drive hub cover and the attaching hardware (items 49, 50 and 51).

If it was me I would sure figure out a way to keep it as a Pro Planer if I were buying one for the reason you state.

[rcplaneguy]

Remember the ProPlaner has a very heavy cast iron table that makes it difficult to pick up and move. The SPT planer has a lighter stainless steel table.

[burnt]

Remember the ProPlaner has a very heavy cast iron table that makes it difficult to pick up and move. The SPT planer has a lighter stainless steel table.

Agreed. I'd gladly switch my aluminum/alloy table in my mountable planer for a cast iron one, but that's at least partially because that, removing the casters, and not buying a lift assist expands the Mark V/7 functions to the point that it eliminates the need for a stand-alone gym membership.

[JPG]

Remember the ProPlaner has a very heavy cast iron table that makes it difficult to pick up and move. The SPT planer has a lighter stainless steel table.

Agreed. I'd gladly switch my aluminum/alloy table in my mountable planer for a cast iron one, but that's at least partially because that, removing the casters, and not buying a lift assist expands the Mark V/7 functions to the point that it eliminates the need for a stand-alone gym membership.

Have you considered a 10E or 10ER?

[forrestb]

Remember the ProPlaner has a very heavy cast iron table that makes it difficult to pick up and move. The SPT planer has a lighter stainless steel table.

Ya just got to love this Forum! I had completely overlooked that fact in considering a conversion.

I have no room for a Pro Planer but find the Mark-Mounted manual feed getting tiring. So I think it is time to re-think my (excuse me, OUR) garage and figure out how to 1) make room for a Pro Planer while 2) allowing SWMBO to park her care in here at night.

Forrest

PS Hmmm. Wonder if I could talk her into a Fiat 500?

[stephen_a._draper]

I bought the Mark V mount planer when it first came out. I paid $995. There was no stand alone version available then. I really liked the fact that I could vary the speed of the motor depending on what kind of stock I was planing. I had the motorized feed. I built the recommended rolling cart to house the planer when it was not in use on the Mark V. That really made life easy when mounting and removing the planer. Eventually I did get tired of moving it back and forth and Shopsmith offered a stand with 1 1/2 HP motor for making the planer a separate stand alone tool. I upgraded along with the castors and have been very glad I did. A 20 amp outlet is recommended.

Besides the cast iron table, there is one other difference in the Pro Planer. The feed rate on the Pro drive motor is 7-20 Ft/min where it is 5-12 Ft/min on the Mark Mounted planer. There are times when I wish I had the faster feed rate.

I made some modifications to the rolling cart so that now it is used for my bandsaw, jointer, and belt sander SPTs to easily move around. I will post some pictures in a few days.

[burnt]

Remember the ProPlaner has a very heavy cast iron table that makes it difficult to pick up and move. The SPT planer has a lighter stainless steel table.

Agreed. I'd gladly switch my aluminum/alloy table in my mountable planer for a cast iron one, but that's at least partially because that, removing the casters, and not buying a lift assist expands the Mark V/7 functions to the point that it eliminates the need for a stand-alone gym membership.

Have you considered a 10E or 10ER?

Definitely gotta get one of those! Fun anecdote: a guy came to take a look at one of my bandsaws the other day, and after looking at it, he decided he wanted to upgrade to the newer type of bearings. I had just taken out a pair of those to replace with some I'd ordered from Bill Mayo a month or so ago, and I'd given them some TLC to make sure they were in great shape, so I offered to swap those into the bandsaw this guy was buying.

Anyway, while I swapped out bearings, he poked around my "storage area" (garage), and he saw all the shopsmiths, radial arm saws, etc., and we got around to discussing what he does, which is lutherie. Apparently a lot of what he does is on his 10ER, which he said he greatly prefers to the Mark V. Thinking he was a hobbyist, I chatted a little more around the topic of lutherie, and he explained that he's an authorized Les Paul custom and repair servicer. Having no idea how many of those are, I just assumed he was pretty darn good, but figured that if there's one in Howard County, MD, there are probably lots of them.

Fast forward to a couple days ago, when I remembered that he'd asked if I'd send him a quote for a 510 and some SPTs for a friend of his to buy. I went back to our emails to get his contact information, found his name, and the internet revealed that he's apparently one of the most in-demand custom guitar luthiers anywhere. Found out that David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Alex Lifeson (Rush), and a number of other big-time players use (or used) guitars that this guy both designed and built in concert performances, as well as lots of recommendations among high-end guitar circles. Talk about under-stating his occupation!

Anyway, your 10ER comment reminded me of it, and I thought I'd share the anecdote. I thought it was spectacular that the guy custom-designs guitars for elite musicians, and then builds them primarily using his ancient Shopsmith 10ER.

[beeg]

Loved that anecdote. Wonder what the naysayers think about that.

[JPG]

Wonder how long it will take for Skou to 'gloat'?