Shopsmith Forums

Hello all and thanks for adding me to the group. I am seriously considering purchasing the Mark 7.
I have read some negative posts regarding the power pro headstock. Things like, "it just stopped working, the screen went blank, I wish I had my old headstock back, called shopsmith, and (received poor customer service)"..

The shopsmith youtube video demo featuring Dave and Doug Reed convinced me to go with the Mark 7/power pro vs the 520, but It seems some owners are unhappy with it.

What is the overall opinion of the group of the mark 7? are you glad you bought it?
Thanks..Jim

After a little more research regarding the power pro ...it seems like the only way to go. I wonder if the guys that have overheating problems are using a weak (16) gauge extension cord or have insufficient wiring in their shop

I have a powerpro purchased new in 2014 and love it, no problems. I also have two older (1982) units, upgraded to 520’s. The power pro is my go to unit. Smooth, quiet, and speeds easily set. It is also reversable, which is quite handy, especially for sanding when using it as a lathe. The powerpro needs little if any maintainence on the headsock. That said, if you don’t need the extra horsepower and higher rpms, you can save a few dollars with the older style headstock which has done very well with the test of time.

I have had the DIY PowerPro since they came out and it is the bee's knees.

Jack

Thank you for the replies

I do not think the Power Pro is as susceptible to low power availability(long extension cord etc.) as the induction motor.

However I do not know the peak demand of the Power Pro.

Don't forget that when looking up reviews on the web or especially on forums, you are more likely to see issues than positives. Most who live the unit will be using it, not trying to fix it via a forum. So take everything with a grain of salt.

I would say the vast majority will not regret the mark 7. If I was buying new I would go for the power pro without question. It just makes sense when new.

Yes, I agree about negative posts usually more prevalent. Now that you say that, there are more positive posts regarding the power pro than negative. I was ready to buy the mark 7 last week, noticed this forum and started searching for owners opinions- saw the negative feedback.. and got cold feet..lol

the biggest down side of the ss is the customer service never get the same answer twice and what they say never seems to happen

No problems with the Powerpro...it is great!
Also no problems with SS service... but don’t bother them much!