Shopsmith Forums

Hello PowerPro owners

Well I was excited today as I came home and found my PowerPro had been delivered a day early. The excitement quickly abated as I looked over my new purchase. I noticed the case did not have a good fit. I could almost insert a penny through the gap in the motor pan on both the front and back. Do any of you PowerPro owners have a motor pan that fits this badly? It looks like the pan holes where drilled to close together and it was forced on using the screws & causing the top edges of the motor pan to bow out. Actually, look at the other case lines, the whole thing does not have a nice fit.

My 50th Anniversary Unit covers fit perfectly, so why wouldn't I expect that with a new PowerPro.

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Please let me know what you think.

jctorok;
Hi and welcoome to the forum. I just got the Power Pro headstock and I noticed the same situation. I seriously doubt that it is or will become a matter of concern. As you may know the old motor pan actually held the motor and the new bottom pan is only a covering for the new motor. I think that I will wait a year and inspect the inside of the pan for debris and clean it if necessary. On the old headstock the fan sheave on the motor actually pulled air through the headstock and the motor for cooling purposes and the PP does not seem to have a cooling fan. Also the new motor is well sealed and is wrapped by large heat sinks. I don't think this will prove to be a problem.
Bill V

Hi Jerry! I have no such issue with my PowerPro motor cover. Did notice that the clips (tinneman clips?) had to be moved a little, but both covers fit nicely on the headstock.

Did you get the complete headstock or the do-it yourself update? Mine was the DIY. In the procedure to complete the install, the motor pan (cover) is not attached until the headstock is on the way tubes and the motor is installed. Could it be that a wire is cocked to the side and interfering with the cover?

charlese
I got mine assembled from the factory and it has the same condition. Minor cosmetic thing.
Bill V

wa2crk wrote:charlese
I got mine assembled from the factory and it has the same condition. Minor cosmetic thing.
Bill V

Those cosmetic issues bug the daylights out of me. That would have to be fixed. I wouldn't send it back for repair. I'd do it myself. That's just the way I'm wired.

I agree with Mike! Should be able to do a DIY fix! The motor cover has no function other than to secure the power cord and cover the motor. Also the motor cover serves as a control? of air flow. On the older Mark V there is a flow of air out of the bottom of the cover. With the PowerPro motor cooling air is brought in through this bottom vent and out at the opening/screen at the lower auxiliary shaft. There is a lot less airflow with the PowerPro.

The change in airflow is explainable because the standard MarkV motor always runs at the same speed, while the PowerPro motor changes speed.

Cosmetic by butt! They look like crap! IMHO I agree with both Mike and Chuck. I would be squeezing the motor pan to the correct dimension.

Whether it affects air flow or debris buildup is irrelevant. It simply should not be!

Methinks somebody decided to make them 'easier' to install rather than having a good fit.

I have been somewhat undecided as to whether I should do a DIY or buy a new PowerPro. At the moment, I believe my dilemma has been solved. If Shopsmith is cutting corners (cost) on the motor pan, I am going for an upgrade kit and I'll do my own. I hope this is the only corner they are cutting.

I fear that we might be witnessing an insight into the future. Is Quality becoming a thing of the past, even within Shopsmith, Inc?:(:(:(

charlese wrote:I agree with Mike! Should be able to do a DIY fix! The motor cover has no function other than to secure the power cord and cover the motor. Also the motor cover serves as a control? of air flow. On the older Mark V there is a flow of air out of the bottom of the cover. With the PowerPro motor cooling air is brought in through this bottom vent and out at the opening/screen at the lower auxiliary shaft. There is a lot less airflow with the PowerPro.

The change in airflow is explainable because the standard MarkV motor always runs at the same speed, while the PowerPro motor changes speed.

That seems contradictory to what I think I have heard. If there is less air movement required by the new headstock, why is the opening in the bottom of the motor pan enlarged. Maybe I don't understand what was done to the motor pan and/or why!

dusty wrote:That seems contradictory to what I think I have heard. If there is less air movement required by the new headstock, why is the opening in the bottom of the motor pan enlarged. Maybe I don't understand what was done to the motor pan and/or why!

Here's what is done on the motor pan for a Power Pro retrofit:
- No change to airflow slot
- Original power-cord hole becomes "not used"
- 3 of the 4 original motor-mount holes become "not used"
- 1 of the 4 original motor-mount screws is opened to a wider diameter, to accept the power-cord.
- Motor itelf is now mounted to headstock casting, not to "motor pan"