Shopsmith Forums

I thought Mark VII's were called that because of the addition of over table routing, and pivoting on both ends which adds undertable shaping. So to me it seems that you can not call a Mark V a Mark VII until you add the Power Pro headstock, router arbor and set up, and the new double tilt base upgrade.

A Mark VII is NOT a Mark 5 nor a Mark V anything, nor has it any relationship with the current Mark 7.

The Mark VII was manufactured by Magna American Inc. during the sixties.

It is significantly different from the previous Mark 5, but does share many common parts.

Major differences are the dual shafted motor with a vacuum(7 th function), the dual tilt function(under table routing 6 th function), an entirely different base design and not the least is the speed control redesign(still a reeves drive, but different control sheave moving mechanism), a larger main table that could be made wider by inserting the extension table into mounting holes in the side(the extension table had two 'top' surfaces at 90 degrees from each other), a headstock/carriage lock(allows moving the headstock and table simultaneously), a crank that moved the headstock(and carriage if interlocked) by means of a gear rack on the back(inside) of the 'front' way tube, a shaper fence that bolts directly to holes in the main table.


I am sure I have probably left out something, but ya git the idear(tis a different animal).

That said, there were many design details that have been incorporated into the Mark V and the Mark 7.

It has been said that it was 'ahead of it's time'. IMHO more accurately, later ss designs have caught up.

It had two major design flaws - Both were plastic! The speed control cam and the gear rack.

The built in vacuum has been criticized as well, but Shopvac was not around when the Mark VII was being made. FWIW, the impeller design is almost a duplicate of the DC3300.

And the Mark VII is a wonderful machine for all the reasons mentioned. Most people don't know what gems these machines are. If you can pick one up (it probably will be cheap) do so.

Well Shopsmith considers the upgrade a MK VII
It just don't seem that way to me.
Even with the double tilt.
[ATTACH]19415[/ATTACH]

lightnin wrote:Well Shopsmith considers the upgrade a MK VII
It just don't seem that way to me.
Even with the double tilt.
[ATTACH]19415[/ATTACH]

They are not saying that!

They are saying Powerpro Mark 7.


P.S. A Mark 7 has the 520 goodies.

lightnin wrote:Well Shopsmith considers the upgrade a MK VII
It just don't seem that way to me.
Even with the double tilt.
[ATTACH]19415[/ATTACH]

No, they consider it a Mark "7" not a Mark "VII"
I can hardly wait for the Mark 8...
Maybe without the double tilt feature they should call the Power-Pro a Mark 6-7/8ths".


.

OK... whats the difference?
Mark 7 - Mark VII


PowerPro Mark 7 500 greenies?

One was made in the 60's by Magna American. One is made today by Shopsmith, Inc.

Mark VII


Mark 7:



This whole discussion reminds me of this clip from Star Trek The Next Generation : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqwx2XFb1fQ