Which Upgrade? 520 or Power Pro?

[8iowa]

Chan:

Charlese summed up very well the advantages of a SS.

Keep one other very important fact in mind, on another thread regarding shop size, over 40% of SS users responding work in spaces of 200 sq ft or less. Over 13% only have up to 100 sq ft. Even though these respondents are Shopsmith users, I strongly suspect that these numbers are typical of a broad range of home based woodworking shops.

Now, however many of our respondents might wish that they had a cabinet saw, it just isn't possible in the small and very small shop. At over 500 lbs, cabinet saws are going to occupy center stage permanently. If you have 1000 sq ft or more you can do it, although other machines such as the jointer and drill press will usually have to be mobile. Even these tools are heavy. I've often wondered how "stand alone tool" guys can criticize the Shopsmith's "change over" time, and think nothing of the time and effort they spend shoving several hundred pound machines around - go figure!

As a saw, the 510 or 520 is far ahead of the contractor's type saw, and the 520 easily compares with the hybrids. Now with the Power Pro, the SS will cut anything that a 10" cabinet saw can, just as fast, and just as accurate.

Think about it. Shopsmith users in very small shops can compete with cabinet saws in power and capacity. Yes. It might take 5 to 10 minutes to set-up the extension tables and sometimes an outfeed roller stand, but this is a small inconvenience to the alternative of investing a lot of money in a large shop building.

[robinson46176]

I miss the cowl vent! Direct, not through a bunch of hot ducts. Only thing between indoors and outdoors is a bug screen.

Oh and when it is raised, it becomes an air scoop! Disappeared just after WWII.

And if a female passenger happened to be sitting in the middle with a full skirt on, opening the cowl vent suddenly at 60 MPH was a lot more fun than AC.
Now that is nostalgia...

[polycarp]

This thread has generated some really good discussion and I appreciate the responses.

I've got to tell you that I have been extremely impressed by the SS. I replaced an 1100 pound table saw based combo machine that was really a very capable sliding table cabinet saw (much better tan a Unisaw IMO) with a 12inch jointer/planer and shaper. Three 3 horse power motors and all cast iron tables able to pass the dime test (much less the nickle test). It was a great machine and I was able to do excellent work with it. Bottom line is that it became totally useless to me when I lost my dedicated shop space and the SS is filling in very nicely and has replaced the stand alone tools I had to boot.

The only problem is now I need to get the other SPTs to replace my bandsaw, jointer, planer, and while I'm at it that lathe duplicator sure looks handy, and then with the power pro mod I think shaping will be very doable, and then there's the conical sander..... does anyone know if there is a support group for SS addicts???? Looks like I might need one soon!:eek:

Polycarp

[SDSSmith]

This thread has generated some really good discussion and I appreciate the responses.

I've got to tell you that I have been extremely impressed by the SS. I replaced an 1100 pound table saw based combo machine that was really a very capable sliding table cabinet saw (much better tan a Unisaw IMO) with a 12inch jointer/planer and shaper. Three 3 horse power motors and all cast iron tables able to pass the dime test (much less the nickle test). It was a great machine and I was able to do excellent work with it. Bottom line is that it became totally useless to me when I lost my dedicated shop space and the SS is filling in very nicely and has replaced the stand alone tools I had to boot.

The only problem is now I need to get the other SPTs to replace my bandsaw, jointer, planer, and while I'm at it that lathe duplicator sure looks handy, and then with the power pro mod I think shaping will be very doable, and then there's the conical sander..... does anyone know if there is a support group for SS addicts???? Looks like I might need one soon!:eek:

Polycarp

Talk to Paul.

[shipwright]

This thread has generated some really good discussion and I appreciate the responses.

I've got to tell you that I have been extremely impressed by the SS. I replaced an 1100 pound table saw based combo machine that was really a very capable sliding table cabinet saw (much better tan a Unisaw IMO) with a 12inch jointer/planer and shaper. Three 3 horse power motors and all cast iron tables able to pass the dime test (much less the nickle test). It was a great machine and I was able to do excellent work with it. Bottom line is that it became totally useless to me when I lost my dedicated shop space and the SS is filling in very nicely and has replaced the stand alone tools I had to boot.

The only problem is now I need to get the other SPTs to replace my bandsaw, jointer, planer, and while I'm at it that lathe duplicator sure looks handy, and then with the power pro mod I think shaping will be very doable, and then there's the conical sander..... does anyone know if there is a support group for SS addicts???? Looks like I might need one soon!:eek:

Polycarp

Welcome to the forum Polycarp. This is the support group.

Paul M

[polycarp]

If THIS is the support group then I'm done for LOL!!!

[fjimp]

If THIS is the support group then I'm done for LOL!!!

Ah yes but could one ever seek or find such fine company?! fjimp

[Ed in Tampa]

Hello everyone! I've been lurking here on the forum for the past little while trying to learn as much as I can about my new to me Shopsmith Mark V model 500.
I live in the mountains of New Hampshire right now but am planning to move closer to home in Georgia soon to take care of an aging parent. So I've sold off most of my stationary wood working machines and recently bought the used SS to replace what I had. I know where I will be moving won't have the dedicated shop space I now have so the SS is a must. Now I'm trying to decide on an upgrade path for the machine but since funds are limited I need to invest where the best return will be. I do a lot of turning (mostly smaller bowls and boxes), use the TS extensively, use the jig saw SPT a good amount, followed by the sander and the drill press less. I haven't needed to use the horizontal boring function as yet and never had that capability in my previous tools. I've been leaning towards the 520 upgrade as being the way to go until learning about the Power Pro recently. I must admit to liking what I've seen so far and believe the PP upgrade would likely make the core functions work better (more torque especially but the speed range increase would be helpful as I don't have any of the speed adjustment add ons).
I was hoping to tap the wisdom of you seasoned users to help me decide which upgrade to select if you could only pick one. Thanks in advance for your help.
Mike
1984 Mark V model 500 w jigsaw SPT, Dewalt 12 inch mitre saw

Polycarp
I think you have to answer that question yourself. You have obviously used your Shopsmith some, what do you wish was different? Do you need more speed range? More power? Or more table space and easier fence?

I never ran into the speed or power issue but I did need more table so I vote for the 520. I also believe the 520 was far easier to align and keep aligned. In addition it included excellent dust collection and a riving knife and better Upper/lower blade guard. The 520 fence is more versatile and accurate. The pluses with the 520 include extension legs that I use for many operations for extra support, the t track mitre guage slot that hold the mitre gauge onto your table, the ability to lock things down on table since it does have a t track, better blade inserts.

I know for myself I can live without the Power Pro but I couldn't live without the everything the 520 added to my machine.

[polycarp]

Thanks for your thoughts Ed. That had been my thinking too (a 520 upgrade) until I heard the PP was finally a reality and it got me to wondering where the best bang for buck might be, for me, overall given my use of the machine. I agree this is not something anyone can answer for me but I've found the responses from folks with more experience on the machine illuminating (and I've just plain enjoyed the "conversation").

I'm now thinking the PP would be the best overall upgrade that would enhance virtually every function by virtue of the increased speed range and torque. That being said, there is no doubt that I will still want to do the 520 upgrade for the reasons you have pointed out.

Hmmm, those folks at Shopsmith seem to have a winner on their hands with ALL the latest upgrades. This makes for an interesting study in values!

[charlese]

Beware, polycarp!!!!:eek: Ed is absolutely correct when extolling the virtues of the 520, however is the rumor is true, you may be in for another blast of technology.

Years ago Shopsmith made a Mark VII. This machine is a bit beefer and has additional attributes. The rumor is they will be putting a PowerPro into that machine. The original Mark VII's had some internal plastic parts that were the weak point(s). I assume the PowerPro version will not have those parts. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/toolhistory.htm