I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

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edma194
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Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by edma194 »

Left an email for SS yesterday, couldn't get through on the phone. No idea how the virus is affecting their operation. My repairs to the plastic shroud seem fine so I reattached it to the motor and brought it over to the headstock mounted in vertical mode with the backward table to see what was what. What I have is a very tight fit for the motor in the headstock. It will take some pushing to get this in place, and that might make the belt tensioning a problem. I'll see if I can loosen the adjustment blocks from the side to loosen them up enough to let the motor slip in, then see where I'm at. They talk about the casting flexing in when the motor screws are tightened, hopefully it's not a problem for them to flex out.

Anybody know how parts ordering has been lately?
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
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Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by edma194 »

The loosening the side screws on the adjustment block did the trick. The motor slid right end, it's tight, but when tightening the motor mount screws there's no perceptible flexing of the casting.

So the moment of truth arrived, I put the Poly-V belt on, aligned the motor as best I could, plugged it in, tightened everything up, turned the switch on, and... nothing. Not a sound, not a beep, nothing on the display. So the motor is back out of the headstock and tomorrow I'll remove the power supply and double check the switch connections, and then I don't know where to go from there. I can look for voltages on the large connector for the motor and that's about it. What fun.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
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nuhobby
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Location: Indianapolis

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by nuhobby »

Wow, what a saga!
In 2010 I found out about the whole PowerPro & "kick the GFI circuit" tendency which has been discussed much since then. I'm assuming your AC power is actually OK from the wall?

Chris
edma194
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Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by edma194 »

I checked the power right away. Found some old threads about this and someone mentioned checking the control panel ribbon cable in case it's come loose. I also checked the switch for continuity without power when I put it in. Hard to believe that simple toggle switch could be the problem but I can check it with power applied after I take out the power supply. Most of the problems where nothing happens at all after turning it on seem to be related to bad power supplies. Of course this will not be covered by warranty, hope it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg if that's it, but for now I'll hold out hope for a bad connection somewhere.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
Platinum Member
Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by edma194 »

Finally got back to this today. A coupe of little mini-adventures along the way but basically I had to remove the motor and power supply and start looking for problems. Once I got the power supply out I could see a problem right away, the black wire had slipped off the power switch. But did I just do that pulling out the power supply or was it that way before?

Only one way to find out. Reinstalled the power supply, began reinstalling the motor but it's not fitting in as easily as a couple of days ago, have to back it out and try fitting it in again. But it's together enough to plug it in and see what happens and ... the control panel lights up and plays it's little tune!

This is a major victory. I have to back out the motor and line it up again correctly, but I see the end in sight.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
Platinum Member
Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade - Victory!

Post by edma194 »

Yippee! I now have a Shopsmith Power Pro. It wasn't easy, lining up the motor is tricky. I use a piece of the packing foam as the top layer of the stage to hold up the motor so I could push down on it and get a little bit of adjustment to get the holes lined up. It's a good adjustment system, completely separate adjustment blocks sit between the casting and the motor so there's plenty of room for alignment and the adjustment screws will line up the motor in the end after it is in. They also tension the belt, and just through those adjustments I have the machine running smooth along the speed range. I may not have to try to adjust the idler shaft, which is a good thing in this old casting.

If stuff happens after this I'll come back with details but this looks like the wrap-up.

Overall I'm impressed with the package, nothing missing from the kit except the safety labels, and they're not all that critical. I haven't had a response to my email to Shopsmith though, as soon as I can find the time and patience I'll sit on the phone until I get through.

If I could do this upgrade then it's just not that hard. I think if you can use a Shopsmith then you have the skills to do this upgrade. You do need the video though, the written instructions are insufficient, the pictures aren't clear and the written instructions lack clarity. You do need to take you time and work carefully to avoid the mistakes I made, but it will be difficult to get through this without backing up and redoing at least one step, maybe more.

The future problems I see are if maintenance on the head is needed, to get at anything the motor has to come out, and then the power supply. To take the power supply out you have to remove the headstock locking screw and wedges, and to do that you have to take the headstock off the ways. So there's no easy maintenance, but it wasn't all that easy with sheaves either.

Thanks to everyone here with help and advice, it feels much better doing something like this knowing there's someone else out there to turn to.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
c2h6o
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Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by c2h6o »

I am making some tweaks on my PP that I upgraded a number of years ago. Am having trouble adjusting the eccentric to eliminate that little rattle noise. The eccentric does not move when following the directions in the PP DVD. It almost feels stuck. Would appreciate any insights for this.

Also does anyone know the proper size of the Tinnerman clips for attaching the housing, are they #6?
edma194
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Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by edma194 »

Sorry, didn't notice this question before. I'm not sure of the size of the clips, I assume the numbers would correspond to screw sizes and it looks like the clips I got at the hardware store would handle #6 or #8 screws.

The other thread has been addressing the belt tension, I think you have enough over there, you'll just have to keep adjusting until you get things in place.
Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
edma194
Platinum Member
Posts: 1874
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:08 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by edma194 »

Pic of the Power Pro headstock.
Attachments
powerpro.jpg
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Ed from Rhode Island

510 PowerPro Double Tilt:Greenie PowerPro Drill Press:500 Sanding Shorty w/Belt&Strip Sanders
Super Sawsmith 2000:Scroll Saw w/Stand:Joint-Matic:Power Station:Power Stand:Bandsaw:Joiner:Jigsaw
1961 Goldie:1960 Sawsmith RAS:10ER
SamV
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Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2023 7:10 pm

Re: I'm doing a Power Pro Self Upgrade

Post by SamV »

Hello all: I am new to this forum so hope I am not high jacking a thread. I am on my third Shopsmith. The first being a 1957 model. I lost it in a fire so I found a 1982. I rebuilt the head stock on this one and its a very good unit. Recently I purchased a 1984 model that was ungraded to 520. I bought it mostly for the upgrade. I decided to upgrade the 520 to the Power Pro and have spent the last 2 days on that project. I have it all completed but am having issues with the lower belt tracking properly. The tension bolts are all properly distanced and the straight edge test is right on. As soon as the machine is turned on the drive belt on the motor sprocket moves down and rubs on the motor casing. I am thinking it may be a faulty belt. Also when the belt is properly tensioned the motor cover will not fit. Another reason I am thinking the belt is the issue. I would appreciate any responses. Thanks
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