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can someone tell me what the issues with the power pro headstock are

WoOdbEmE33

can someone tell me what the issues with the power pro headstock are

I saw a brief mention of sawdust in the electronics. is it a real problem. Can keeping the headstock blown off inside prevent this

any other issues ?

new to shopsmith and trying to get all the info I can

Got a 1985 MARK V that I might be looking to upgrade to a power pro headstock

Thanks

RCZ

I haven't followed the comments about Power Pro issues here on the forum (or elsewhere) because it's unlikely that I will be buying one anytime soon. But you might find good insights from forum member Tom on his Woodshop Nerdery channel on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/c/woodshopnerdery/videos

DLB

WoOdbEmE33 wrote can someone tell me what the issues with the power pro headstock are

I saw a brief mention of sawdust in the electronics. is it a real problem. Can keeping the headstock blown off inside prevent this

any other issues ?

new to shopsmith and trying to get all the info I can

Got a 1985 MARK V that I might be looking to upgrade to a power pro headstock

Thanks

I don't see the sawdust susceptibility as a big problem, since you can resolve it on your own. There are some optical sensors, 3 IIRC, that provide motor position information to the electronics used for RPM feedback and possibly timing. Since they are optical, sawdust blocking the light path is a possible issue. They are also in close proximity to the impeller fan, I would think that the probability of sawdust landing there is unlikely. I have not experienced a problem with them, but imagine that compressed air would quickly resolve any sawdust related issue. The primary electronics module is reasonably well sealed, I recently opened a problem 'Power Supply' for inspection and I didn't see any evidence of sawdust intrusion.

Other Issues -

Parts can take a longer time to get than you may be accustomed to, and unlike the conventional headstock there is effectively no used parts market.

I'm not a fan of the 'new' Idler bearing design, but it is not expensive and I just keep a spare Idler.

The machine can get hot running high RPMs and high workload situations. The design monitors temperature and either slows down or shuts down when too hot. It can be a problem if you are planning to use the machine as a Shaper or Router at high RPM. I had originally planned to use it in lieu of my standalone Shaper and ultimately decided not to do so. Similarly, it is one of several reasons that a mounted Planer is not for me.

All things considered, I am a big fan of the PowerPro. I could be better, and I wish it was. But most issues occur when it is doing things that the conventional headstock is not capable of, such as running at 10K RPM. The pros far outweigh the cons for me.

- David

edma194

I did a self-install of a PowerPro a couple of years ago and had no problems with it. I bought used one, expecting problems and it has a problem. Not huge really, but there's a problem when the 12" sanding disk is mounted. It sounds similar to an issue with loose set screws that's been seen before, but they were not loose here. Luckily I have the other one and I'll swap the major components between them one at a time and narrow down the issue although I'm pretty sure it's a power supply problem. There are only 3 major components to a PowerPro, the motor, the power supply, and the control panel. The first two are very expensive, over $700 for a motor assembly, over $500 for a power supply. If either of those is broken it may be a while before this one is working.

There is also an issue with the idler shaft and bearings as David mentioned. The two drive belts are very tight and if not balanced can ruin the idler bearing, shaft, and eccentric from too much tension on one side or the other. I had to replace the idler shaft and bearings on that second unit I bought right away.

If you do a self-install, it can be a tiny bit tricky. You are disassembling the whole headstock and putting it back together with new parts already mentioned, and a new power switch and quill replacement. You also have to drill some holes in the headstock using a template for positioning. Not that difficult and saves some money, but without some experience in headstock repairs you might need some help, and you can get that here on the forum.

I have to say though, the biggest advantage of the PowerPro is that it's cool. It's got buttons and a display, even beeps when it starts up. The conventional headstocks look old and tired in comparison, like a 1960s B&W TV compared to a modern large screen Hi-Def TV.

Hobbyman2

not sure if this could be a issue but is there much of a weight difference ? just curious would it make any difference on the old type casters wearing out or should a caster upgrade also be planned .

edma194

I believe it weighs 10 lbs. more than a conventional headstock. I think keeping a moving a machine with a joiner or planer mounted puts much more stress on the wheels. OTOH if you have the old style back and legs that extra 10 lbs. might be a problem.

jsburger

FWIW, I have had my Power Pro head stock since Jan 2012. It is a new factory built head stock. I have not had any issues with it at all.

WoOdbEmE33

many thanks for all the responses

mine will mostly be used for spindle turning .. bowls, cups, candle sticks and such. want to move to resin and wood turning

I do use the bandsaw buts mostly to cutoff the stumps from turning

so the decision is stick with a std headstock and a speed reducer or all in for a power pro

jsburger

WoOdbEmE33 wrote many thanks for all the responses

mine will mostly be used for spindle turning .. bowls, cups, candle sticks and such. want to move to resin and wood turning

I do use the bandsaw buts mostly to cutoff the stumps from turning

so the decision is stick with a std headstock and a speed reducer or all in for a power pro

The advantage of the conventional head stock and speed reducer is you can get down to 100RPM. With the Power Pro the minimum is 250RPM. That might be a big consideration for turning.

edma194

I agree with the previous post. A speed reducer and conventional headstock is a better use of your money. You aren't talking about heavy pieces to turn so I don't think you need the extra HP in the PowerPro. The PowerPro is cool, no doubt about it, but the price difference is around $2000. Even taking advantage of sale prices it's going to be very expensive for utility that you won't be using. Cool does have value though, it is way cooler to select the speed you want for turning the piece in front of you by RPM than trying to remember how far you had the speed dial position between after E but short of F. Cool, but expensive, because you could buy a tachometer to check your exact spindle speed for much less money.

Hobbyman2

I like cool ,,,, but when ever I do cool my other hobbies suffer , my machine gets moved around constantly from one part of the garage to another . one reason I bought it was the convenience over a stand alone . one of these days we plan to replace the old wheels with the larger nylon style so weight wouldn't be a issue .

tucsonguy

Having had my Powerpro for over four years now, in daily use, I've had no problems at all. But you should keep in mind the following:

A) 10,000 rpm is a high upper speed and run for more than a few (10 or 15) minutes, it will get warm in there. There are no good reasons for operating the Powerpro at max speed - even at 10k the SS is a poor router, so you are better off using a router plus table for routing work. If you run at normal operating speeds (250-5000) you will not encounter heat problems. I never have.

B) It is 10 pounds heavier, the lift assist is very helpful.

C) The most common killer of Shopsmiths is sawdust in the headstock and the Powerpro is as susceptible, if not more so, than the conventional headstock. I built and installed a HEPA filter system with powered fan which keeps all dust out of the headstock, permanently - it maintains a positive overpressure, so air blows OUT any cracks and joints, so dust cannot get in. Since doing so I have never had any issues with sawdust.

The Powerpro is a considerable improvement to the Shopsmith, not merely an expensive substitute for a speed reducer. It will run in reverse (handy in drilling, sanding and for use with many SPTs); it maintains torque through continuous computer controlled adjustment, meaning it cuts and drills much better than the conventional SS. It has a wider range of speed (250 on the low end, very handy for lathe work and other stuff. As I said earlier I don't use the higher range; SS should really have given it a 50-5000 range not 250-100000)

It's also lower maintenance.

WoOdbEmE33

Well why not both worlds.. The old headstock and speed reducer can be kept for backup if the Power Pro goes on the fritz or even better add the speed reducer to the Power Pro for a whooping 35 RPM -250 RPM . I like my cake but...... I like to eat it too.

and you know the heavier you are the harder you are to kidnap so enjoy the cake :) :)

wurlitzerwilly

I've had a Power Pro ever since they were first introduced. It came as a kit, so I assembled it all into the old headstock and offset some of the cost by selling the old motor, speed reducer and speed increaser. I've only had one issue with it, which a tweak of the firmware has cured. I believe that there was a 2nd issue of firmware for the newer Power Pros and this cures my problem. What happened was that the set screws on the power coupler hub for the bandsaw would come loose, despite heavy tightening and application of Loctite. The cause was over and undershoot of the speed controller at high frequency, which resonated the set screws on the coupler. Wes at Shopsmith called me by phone and walked me through a procedure to make an adjustment and it's been fine ever since.

I have had no problem with sawdust in the headstock, despite there being a small open hole where the old power cord entered the lower casing. In fact I had the covers off 2 days ago to inspect the headstock lock (first time in many years) and there was minimal ingress of dirt or dust. What there was, I removed with compressed air.

There is a procedure for belt tensioning which is easy to follow, but shouldn't be necessary for a factory-built unit. You would know if the belts were out of adjustment, because the headstock would get noisy and if you adjust immediately, no damage should occur. I've not had to do that since my initial setup.

The belts are very tight and run hot. My garage mechanic friend assures me that this is quite normal on modern automobiles, so there is no issue with the Power Pro.

The only maintenance I've found necessary on the headstock is to remove the quill every so often, clean off any crap and wax it. I also removed the headstock locking mechanism, re-dressed the wedges and applied some graphite to the screw threads.

I fitted the upgraded castors quite a few years ago and they're a brilliant improvement for my rough concrete floor. Unless you were wheeling the unit around all day long, day after day, I doubt you would damage the castors, even with the extra weight of the Power Pro.

There are two major advantages to the Power Pro - full torque at all speeds, which you don't get from a conventional motor with adjustable belts. I've not managed to make mine bog down yet and I do push it too hard sometimes!

With the shaper attachments, its possible to reverse the cutters and feed in the opposite direction to 'normal' and you simply reverse the motor with a press of a button.

There is one small and rather obscure disadvantage with the Power Pro, which most folks would never know about. As a Radio Ham, I am very sensitive about man-made RF 'noise'! The Power Pro controller throws out a lot of that, despite being enclosed by metal. It's not the motor because it does this when it's at standby. Fortunately there are no other Radio Hams near me to be affected and I don't go 'on-the-air' when I'm woodworking, so no significant effect on me either. 🤣