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PowerPro What's'It

DLB

In a recent Woodshop Nerdery video I noticed that Tom's shiny new M7 headstock appears to have some fasteners that my DIY PowerPro does not. A manufacturing change? Possibly a change to how the motor mounts in the headstock?

David

Tom M7 2.png

edma194

That is very interesting and approximately where the motor mounts are. The motor mount screws are normally hidden by the belt cover so if those are the only motor mounting screws they would needed to change the casting and motor pan. They could be additional support screws for the motor mount blocks but it looks like they need to be removed to get the motor pan off.

edma194

This Woodshop Nerdery video, maybe the same one above, at 8:57 shows a seal over the inspection port on the back side of the headstock. I hadn't heard about that so far, does that mean a new headstock has to be returned to Shopsmith if it has a problem under warranty?

The new fasteners on the sides clearly go through the casting, and could be the motor mounting screws, but I think the mount must have changed for a new position. Not hard to do if it's only the intermediate mounting block. The current service parts diagram for the Mark 7 headstock doesn't show those fasteners.

RFGuy

Is the inspection port completely sealed off now on new PowerPro's??? IF so, that is very disappointing. I would want to install supplemental cooling for positive air displacement in the headstock should I ever purchase a PowerPro. Disappointing if Shopsmith has blocked off this access port now...

DLB

edma194 wrote This Woodshop Nerdery video, maybe the same one above, at 8:57 shows a seal over the inspection port on the back side of the headstock. I hadn't heard about that so far, does that mean a new headstock has to be returned to Shopsmith if it has a problem under warranty?

...

I hadn't watched that one yet. I think the seal is just on the Power Supply, I have the same/similar seal but I'm not sure if it is in the same location.

So, IIUC, he has so far had his entire M7 replaced under warranty and now the Quill on the second M7? That seems like a lot in a short period of time...

I had to replace the outer bearing in my DIY PP Quill at about a year of age due to excessive (IMO) end play. Also in another quill, though not one I bought new, for the same thing. Both had the same brand outer bearing, leaving me with a negative impression. I don't specifically recall whether I measured runout on either one. I'm curious now and may go back and measure runout, but it will be on the new bearings.

Note - the inner bearing on these newer one-piece spindle quills may be a challenge depending on how one's shop is equipped, but the outer is no harder to deal with than on any other quill.

- David

jsburger

edma194 wrote This Woodshop Nerdery video, maybe the same one above, at 8:57 shows a seal over the inspection port on the back side of the headstock. I hadn't heard about that so far, does that mean a new headstock has to be returned to Shopsmith if it has a problem under warranty?

warning.jpg

The new fasteners on the sides clearly go through the casting, and could be the motor mounting screws, but I think the mount must have changed for a new position. Not hard to do if it's only the intermediate mounting block. The current service parts diagram for the Mark 7 headstock doesn't show those fasteners.

Please look at the video again and LISTEN to what he says. It is not a seal on the inspection port. It is a warning label on the computer control box inside the head stock that happens to be visible from the inspection port..

jsburger

DLB wrote
edma194 wrote This Woodshop Nerdery video, maybe the same one above, at 8:57 shows a seal over the inspection port on the back side of the headstock. I hadn't heard about that so far, does that mean a new headstock has to be returned to Shopsmith if it has a problem under warranty?

...
I hadn't watched that one yet. I think the seal is just on the Power Supply, I have the same/similar seal but I'm not sure if it is in the same location.

So, IIUC, he has so far had his entire M7 replaced under warranty and now the Quill on the second M7? That seems like a lot in a short period of time...

I had to replace the outer bearing in my DIY PP Quill at about a year of age due to excessive (IMO) end play. Also in another quill, though not one I bought new, for the same thing. Both had the same brand outer bearing, leaving me with a negative impression. I don't specifically recall whether I measured runout on either one. I'm curious now and may go back and measure runout, but it will be on the new bearings.

Note - the inner bearing on these newer one-piece spindle quills may be a challenge depending on how one's shop is equipped, but the outer is no harder to deal with than on any other quill.

- David

Where did you hear that? He only talks about the quill in the video.

DLB

jsburger wrote Where did you hear that? He only talks about the quill in the video.

It was in this earlier video: Which in turn refers back to his unboxing video. I don't recall the specific problems with the first unit, would need to look at that one again.

- David

edma194

jsburger wrote Please look at the video again and LISTEN to what he says. It is not a seal on the inspection port. It is a warning label on the computer control box inside the head stock that happens to be visible from the inspection port..

Well that was kind of dumb. I was looking for shots of those screws and didn't have the sound on. Should have at least turned on sub-titles.

DLB

I went back and reviewed his unboxing video. I did not learn why SS replaced Tom's Mark 7. But I found it interesting that his initial machine did not appear to have the screws that are the subject of this thread.

- David

RFGuy

DLB wrote I went back and reviewed his unboxing video. I did not learn why SS replaced Tom's Mark 7. But I found it interesting that his initial machine did not appear to have the screws that are the subject of this thread.

- David

In his original video, there were A LOT of manufacturing, assembly, quality type issues that he went over regarding his new Mark 7 purchase. IMHO, it was a a LONG list and Tom was VERY gracious to accept that original Mark 7 in such a state. Apparently Shopsmith agreed to replace it with a new machine, but that meant boxing the old one back up and driving it back to the factory, etc., etc. I am VERY surprised that Shopsmith would sell him a machine with so many issues, knowing that he was coming for a factory tour and has a YouTube channel related to Shopsmith equipment. Kinda feel like Shopsmith shot themselves in the foot on this one. JMO.

DLB

Here is an image I grabbed from a later Woodshop Nerdery video entitled 'Zero Runout...' The motor mounts are much different than mine. The motor itself, or at least the end cap, is much different than mine. It is not the ideal view for highlighting the differences as that was not its intent, but there is enough detail to conclude that changes have taken place.

David

Toms PowerPro 2.jpg

edma194

It does look like larger motor mounts could have mounting screws further up where those external ones are. So are the original screws that get covered by the motor pan still there? Not sure why moving those screws is an improvement unless the original holes were too close to the edge of the casting.

oldnavy

I recently installed a DIY Power Pro. This youtube answers all the questions in detail. 3 new holes/side are drilled in the upper casting for the new motor mounts. The bottom pan is attached to the casting with the original 4 screws. The old motor mount screws on the bottom of the pan are discarded.

dusty

oldnavy wrote I recently installed a DIY Power Pro. This youtube answers all the questions in detail. 3 new holes/side are drilled in the upper casting for the new motor mounts. The bottom pan is attached to the casting with the original 4 screws. The old motor mount screws on the bottom of the pan are discarded.

Excellent tutorial - even if you do not plan to do a DIY,

edma194

oldnavy wrote I recently installed a DIY Power Pro. This youtube answers all the questions in detail. 3 new holes/side are drilled in the upper casting for the new motor mounts. The bottom pan is attached to the casting with the original 4 screws. The old motor mount screws on the bottom of the pan are discarded.

That shows the original motor mount in 3 holes on each side of the headstock that are covered by the motor pan. We're still looking for a possible change in the motor mounts that has mounting screws in a new position.

DLB

Here is a view I borrowed from eBay, this one looks like mine. Note the dovetail grooves in the motor housing that engage the motor mounts, those do not appear to me to be present on the 'new style' motor (keeping in mind that the pic I posted earlier is at a poor angle for evaluating detail). IMO the new motor will not fit in existing PP headstocks without modification to the headstocks, an impact for spares and repairs. For now I'm hoping that only the motor mechanical interfaces have changed.

David

dusty

There is a SS video (Jim McCann) that I believe shows very clearly that the dove tail device is still used and that device is connected to the Shopsmith housing with three countersunk screws on each side, It further shows that the motor cover is connected with the same screws that it uses originally, ie the motor is no longer attached to the motor housing.

I'll try to locate that video and if I do it will be linked to this thread.

JPG

When you locate it it will show the 'original' motor mount etc..

dusty

JPG wrote When you locate it it will show the 'original' motor mount etc..

Here it is:

The entire video was informative (to me) but the point of this thread is highlighted at about 1:25 and on.