Used Power Pro Headstock

[edma194]

Sorry, had the misimpression that you already had a PowerPro. So get your conventional headstock working and then you can consider the risk of buying a used Power pro. Frankly, I'd be wary of anything but a low enough price that would allow you to replace the power supply if needed. And that assumes you have seen the motor working.

I think Shopsmith should offer service contracts on the PowerPro to make owning one new or used practical. I didn't get to do the self upgrade for my first one until years after I bought it, the warranty had long expired
so I would have been up the creek without a paddle if it didn't work.

[DLB]

As to the PowerPro headstock, I just saw it and thought I would inquire to my risk of buying that old of a headstock. The pictures make it look almost mint condition. I have bought from that seller with quick and acceptable service. He does not accept returns though. He states that it runs like it should with no discernable issues.

The savings apples to apples landed cost for the used headstock is about 30% less than the new. A $750.75 savings.

I can see the attraction. Buying ebay is a different kind of risk than buying a used one directly. You have some protection from the seller, ebay, and your CC company. So if the ad says "...fully operational and functions as intended..." it has to. You get a few days in your own shop doing what you want to check it out. No warranty, but you get a much better opportunity to fully evaluate the machine. If we are talking about the one from ogre68 it does look exceptional. FB may not work the same way. With tax and shipping though this one shows up as $2031, for that I'd much prefer the DIY kit from our sponsor.

- David

[john_001]

... Concerning the Shopsmith warranty, I do not see a stated warranty for the PowerPro headstock.

(parts & labor): Motor - 5 Years; Belts, Bearings & Electronics - 2 Years; Materials & Workmanship Defects - Lifetime.

[gac5ss]

As much as I would like to have the Power Pro headstock, I can't really justify the cost to value benefit right now. I mounted my current headstock with the disk sander plate and manually turned the speed dial to low speed. No rattling sounds or binding occurred. I plunged it in and ran the speed dial from low to high back to low. Then switched it off. It will need the usual cleaning, oiling, and possibly new belts, but it appears to be in good shape.

I have viewed some of the threads on the double tilt upgrade. $400 plus seems a high price to pay. I surmised that Shopsmith will not sell the double grooved main table posts outside of the double tilt kit? Is there any real benefit to have the double tilt with out the Power Pro?

Thanks

[dusty]

As much as I would like to have the Power Pro headstock, I can't really justify the cost to value benefit right now. I mounted my current headstock with the disk sander plate and manually turned the speed dial to low speed. No rattling sounds or binding occurred. I plunged it in and ran the speed dial from low to high back to low. Then switched it off. It will need the usual cleaning, oiling, and possibly new belts, but it appears to be in good shape.

I have viewed some of the threads on the double tilt upgrade. $400 plus seems a high price to pay. I surmised that Shopsmith will not sell the double grooved main table posts outside of the double tilt kit? Is there any real benefit to have the double tilt with out the Power Pro?

Thanks

By all means. The double tilt castings make for a much more stable machine. Much more capable of repeatable precision.. However the benefits of the double tilt can be achieved in another way.

viewtopic.php?t=31631

[DLB]

As much as I would like to have the Power Pro headstock, I can't really justify the cost to value benefit right now. I mounted my current headstock with the disk sander plate and manually turned the speed dial to low speed. No rattling sounds or binding occurred. I plunged it in and ran the speed dial from low to high back to low. Then switched it off. It will need the usual cleaning, oiling, and possibly new belts, but it appears to be in good shape.

I have viewed some of the threads on the double tilt upgrade. $400 plus seems a high price to pay. I surmised that Shopsmith will not sell the double grooved main table posts outside of the double tilt kit? Is there any real benefit to have the double tilt with out the Power Pro?

Congratulations on your 'new to you' headstock. Sounds much better than expected.

The double rack main table tubes are PN 522797. When I search for that I get 514344, Tie Bar and Tube Assembly ($236.49). A call to CS would be the better confirmation whether the tubes are available individually. IMO they should be available because they are sold as part of a DIY kit, confirming that they can be installed by DIYers and an item that SS stocks. The pins should be replaced at the same time. The price makes the DT kit look reasonable though.

I bought a DT and Power Pro together. When I saw the DT portion, I made one, sans table tubes, for my (then) 520 Shorty . I spent $0. There is a current thread on shop made DTs, I'm sure you've seen it. It consists of minor modifications to the Base and Base Arm assemblies, which vary a bit depending on which versions of those you use. It does require an extra Base and Base Arm, mine came from the machine I had just installed factory DT on. I like it, but there is probably not much true benefit to it. Since I have multiple machines one major benefit is that SPT mount alignment is consistent from one machine to the next for the upper aux shaft and plenty close enough for the lower. If you have the DT Bases, the double rack table tubes are not really needed as you can reverse both the table and carriage pretty readily with similar result.

- David

[edma194]

I have viewed some of the threads on the double tilt upgrade. $400 plus seems a high price to pay. I surmised that Shopsmith will not sell the double grooved main table posts outside of the double tilt kit? Is there any real benefit to have the double tilt with out the Power Pro?

Thanks

Haven't heard of any way to get the double grooved posts except with a complete tie bar and tube assembly for $236.49. Not that bad of a price really. I have an extra 510 main table so I'm going to reverse the legs on that one for undertable use if I need it on the 510. I have my sanding shorty set up for under table drum sanding (it's single tilt but everything is turned around and upside down relative to normal machine) and plan to add oscillating soon. It would also be good for shaping or wide bit router use but even with PowerPro routing with smaller bits could be frustrating.

The drawbacks to double tilt are you can't leave SPTs mounted all the time in ways you might with single tilt, and it's expensive for it's limited utility.

[RFGuy]

You're saving a few hundred but you're not getting a warranty. Plus, why is he selling it without the rest of the machine? I think I'd pass.

This is why I asked. Buying a $300 speed increaser has much lower risk than the $1700 used headstock. That is why I asked about potential service from Shopsmith repair service / parts. Also was looking for any known issues with a 2018 date manufactured machine.

The seller appears to be someone who buys complete units and then parts them out. He is on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. There are several who do so on these venues.

Concerning the Shopsmith warranty, I do not see a stated warranty for the PowerPro headstock.

With Shopsmith's current special, the PowerPro upgrade is $2073.59 after shipping and Tax. The PowerPro complete headstock is $2537.46 after shipping and tax. My delivered price for the used 2018 headstock would be $1786.71.

Thanks

Guess you didn't see my response on your other thread. I am repeating it below:

Also, just to be put it into perspective. StriaTech makes the PowerPro guts, i.e. motor, motor controller/power supply, LCD display for Shopsmith. They sell these components to the general market, but they are not the Shopsmith part numbers, so you can't swap them out (Shopsmith version is a custom one sold only to Shopsmith who resells it). My point is these components (motor, motor controller/power supply, LCD display) sell for around $500 TOTAL to the general market. You can buy these and make mounts for them for any woodworking tools or other machinery, but not easy to retrofit them into a Shopsmith headstock. Pointing this out because, if I were to do it I would only buy a brand new one from Shopsmith, but that is just me. Given that the same basic function from the OEM is only $899 (used to be $550 - inflation ), it gives me A LOT of heartburn to pay 3x for it from Shopsmith, which is why I have never upgraded to it. I am also very happy with my 520 headstock and it is very reliable (more reliable than a PowerPro IMHO). The main attraction for me to get the PowerPro for myself would be for lathe use (lower speed without speed reducer and reverse for sanding). My suggestion would be think about the benefits of the PowerPro for the particular type of woodworking or projects that you have and decide if it is worth $2.5k to you. JMO.

https://striatech.com/shop/1-75-hp-motor/

[gac5ss]

[/quote]
Guess you didn't see my response on your other thread. I am repeating it below:

Also, just to be put it into perspective. StriaTech makes the PowerPro guts, i.e. motor, motor controller/power supply, LCD display for Shopsmith. They sell these components to the general market, but they are not the Shopsmith part numbers, so you can't swap them out (Shopsmith version is a custom one sold only to Shopsmith who resells it). My point is these components (motor, motor controller/power supply, LCD display) sell for around $500 TOTAL to the general market. You can buy these and make mounts for them for any woodworking tools or other machinery, but not easy to retrofit them into a Shopsmith headstock. Pointing this out because, if I were to do it I would only buy a brand new one from Shopsmith, but that is just me. Given that the same basic function from the OEM is only $899 (used to be $550 - inflation ), it gives me A LOT of heartburn to pay 3x for it from Shopsmith, which is why I have never upgraded to it. I am also very happy with my 520 headstock and it is very reliable (more reliable than a PowerPro IMHO). The main attraction for me to get the PowerPro for myself would be for lathe use (lower speed without speed reducer and reverse for sanding). My suggestion would be think about the benefits of the PowerPro for the particular type of woodworking or projects that you have and decide if it is worth $2.5k to you. JMO.

https://striatech.com/shop/1-75-hp-motor/
[/quote]

I have also concluded that the value to cost ratio is too low for me right now. For my use, the same money spent on a 3HP cabinet saw would be make more sense. If I were to put $2500 in Power Pro set up, then added the double tilt for another $414 from Lowes, I would be way over leveraged in my Shopsmith. I have always bought them used and resold them later for a small profit. The market will not bear the $4200 I would have in it then. Even if I sold the jointer and bandsaw separate for $300 each. A potential buyer would be having the same internal discussion I am having. Why buy used if new is a few hundred more gets you a warranty, etc.

By the way, I have sent Shopsmith an email asking why they will sell the double grooved main table tubes in a user serviceable assembly (Double Tilt), but won't sell them without the tie Bar. Granted the tubes may be 90% of the cost of the tie bar assembly. I asked them that too. Maybe I will get an answer.

Thanks for all your advice.

[edma194]

By the way, I have sent Shopsmith an email asking why they will sell the double grooved main table tubes in a user serviceable assembly (Double Tilt), but won't sell them without the tie Bar. Granted the tubes may be 90% of the cost of the tie bar assembly. I asked them that too. Maybe I will get an answer.

Thanks for all your advice.

It looks like the tie bar assembly is the same price for 510, 520, and Mark 7 machines, so I'm not clear that would always include the double grooved legs. The part number is the same in the double tilt upgrade manual, but that is supposed to be the part number for the new posts by themselves. Some clarity would be useful here.