Shopsmith Forums

Can anyone explain why it is necessary to install a new quill and upper drive pulley with the PowerPro. I have new bearings with little time on them and they are in great shape. I work in the machinery maintenance field and also did headstock rebuilds for SS many years ago. I will admit I don't know everything. Do they use different bearings or something. I talked with SS and did not get a suitable answer and no way to buy PowerPro without the added expense of those parts. I understand the need as far as making sure worn out parts are replaced. Thanks for your input.

Paul

I think you know as much as anyone. I've heard from rebuilders that the upper drive-sleeve bearings on an old machine are the first to wear out, I think. They (SS) may also want to ensure all PowerPros have a solid-aluminum piece rather than the 2-piece (steel shaft) upper sleeve structures used for earlier models. Furthermore they (SS) may wish to get rid of any odd-size pulleys such as have been used on 50Hertz induction models.

I don't know and I have done no specific research but I believe that the higher RPM capability of the PowerPro necessitates that those bearings all be validated. Said another way, I believe that Shopsmith may just be verifying that the bearings are capable of those new performance levels.

Somewhere in the Powerpro upgrade pages it states these items must be installed for warranty and to keep yours as spare. Forgive the lack of a link, me and my IPhone don't work well searching and pasting.

The Power Pro headstock can operate at almost twice the RPMs of the regular Mark V headstock. The old bearings would most likely fail at the higher Power Pro RPMs. I find I have to replace the drive sleeve bearings on almost all headstocks when rebuilding them. I use higher quality bearings than the original for a longer life span.

You may want to save the removed parts and assemble another Mark V headstock. I find the MINI Shopsmith setup does not take up that much room and is excellent for powering the SPTs. This helps reduce setup time for projects. I have any extra headstock available with all the parts needed to complete another headstock using the removed parts.

Thanks for the input. That is pretty much what I was thinking. I was hoping to find out if the bearings were better grade. I am trying to do upgrade with less cost, but does not appear to be an option.

Thanks, Paul

I found the web page http://www.shopsmith.com/shopsmithpower ... rchase.htm
In the DIY option.

I think Dusty nailed it!

It makes no sense to me re keeping the old parts as spares for the PP. Now if you rarely run above 5200, then it would.