Shopsmith Forums

edma194 wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:05 pm Now, over here we have this other Smart Motor that has a dial on it that you turn by hand. Did your grandmother have one of those old tube TVs with a dial to change channels? It works just like that."

Yes, but only the Mark VII is detented.

benmcn wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 12:28 am I like the conventional headstock. I like the old nomenclature for the headstock. I like that I can repair the conventional headstock. I am just smart enough to appreciate the engineering marvel that the conventional headstock is.

The Smart Motor nomenclature doesn’t resonate with me.

You nailed it: captured my thoughts on the subject exactly: I totally agree!

The current common use of "smart' used as an adjective to describe thingies is all too overused recently with minimal justification. i.e. it is a buzz word. For that reason it IS an IN thing to do today from an advertising standpoint.

Do I like it, - no - not for anything that is currently being touted as such.

"Smart" phones are merely a programmed computer device which only responds as the programmers pre determined but with sensors that the programmers can use to make them appear to be 'smart', but alas they are only doing what the programmers anticipated.(i.e. not going off and doing anything not predetermined(or prevented by lack of a free choice of program path)).

Some folks will persist that AI capability is making them smart. Another over ballyhooed buzz word that has gained an undeserved elevated status.

Now I am NOT saying that the recent ability of a self modifying program to learn from experience is not significant, but the logic programmed into the code is where the implied smart results are made possible.



Just a rambling OPINION from one looking from the outside with no knowledge of internal content.

I think "Common Sense" motor would be a better term for Old guys in a world that is changing/adjusting to a different Generation.

Remove the motor from its operating environment, put power to it and see for your self. Is it any smarter than it was "in the beginning"?

Why should the Old guys be doing the 'adjusting'? Why cannot the different generation simply accept things AS they ARE.

I'd like to answer your question by posing another. What name would you have proposed? That is also catchy and interesting to some extent? I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm curious what people would come up with if "smart motor" or "power pro" wasn't available?

Best I've got is 'EDVR headstock". Enhanced digital variable reluctance motor, to try and make it sound exciting. Enhanced because of its pairing with shopsmiths digital controller.

But "power pro" IS available. And "conventional smart motor" is an oxymoron

SShoarder87,

When I started this topic, which to begin with actually had comments in another thread, it was to see how other felt about the new term "Smart Motor" referring to the Conventional Headstock. When Shopsmith changed from the Mark V 520 to the Mark V 520S they reduced the number of parts needed between the Mark 7 and Mark V 520S by using the same bench and table System parts. As I understand it the Mark V 520S comes with the Double Tilt Feature from the Mark 7. This makes the only difference between the two being the Headstock. Now I can accept calling the Power Pro Headstock a "Smart Motor" because it really does work that way having the motor digitally controlled. Calling the Conventional Headstock a "Smart Motor" is confusing if both the Power Pro and Conventional Headstocks use the same term. There is nothing smart about the motor in a Conventional Headstock. The speed the Quill's Spindle turns is controlled outside of the motor by the variable pulley system. One of the best, in my opinion, selling points for the Mark V, which the 520S is the only model of the Mark V's left, is that parts have been available to repair or upgrade the Mark 5/V since its introduction in 1954. What other tool manufacturer can say that. Calling the Conventional Headstock a "Smart Motor" makes it sound like something has changed with it. That could make protentional buyers think twice about investing so much in a single tool that could be outdated in a few years and needing replacement because of a "new" major change being perceived.

To answer your question

I'd like to answer your question by posing another. What name would you have proposed?

Continue to call the original Headstock the Conventional Headstock and use the term Smart Motor for the Power Pro which Shopsmith is now doing. I refer to the Service Parts section of the online catalog.

Shopsmith providing this Forum has made a smart business move in my opinion. New owners of Shopsmith tools be it new or used can come here and ask questions about their tools that Shopsmith Customer Service has trouble, at times, answering or isn't able to go into a much depth in answering questions. There have been many changes made to the Shopsmith line of tools over the years and many personal changes in that time to the Shopsmith staff that make it difficult for them to know all the answers to questions posed to them. Members here have varied experience using and maintaining Shopsmith tools going back to the first Shopsmith tool the Model 10E from 1947. I have 3 of the original 250 Model 10E's made and shipped to the West Coast Montgomery Ward Stores in 1947. Two are restored and one is still waiting its turn.