Pro Planer vs. MKV Planer Mount

bigted · Post by **bigted** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:42 pm

I am going to purchase a planer in the near future. I have looked at the Archives discussions re. the benefits of the Shopsmith vs. Delta, Dewalt etc. I have a small shop and believe that the MKV Planer Mount would help alleviate my storage issues. The reviews gave great marks to the Shopsmith save for the price but I noticed that many who started with the MKV Planer Mount have gone to the Pro model. I understand that the Pro Model has a slightly higher RPM, so am I going to be dissatisfied with the MKV Mount version?

Thanks!

Gampa · Post by **Gampa** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:07 pm

The only difference I have seen in the Pro Planner and the Mount Planer is the Pro Planer is set on a stand with an independent motor. I believe most people get the Pro Planer because the planer is rather heavy. Close to 65 pounds. Moving it can be a bit of a problem. However the mount planer has an excellent plan for a cart so you can get the planer up next to the MKV so that the lift is minimized. I purchased the Mount Planer due to the cost difference and have been quite pleased with the performance. Even though the cart takes up as much room as the Pro Planer would it does have a shelf that can be used for storage and I have found the cart to be handy for a place to set the wood being planed.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:23 pm

Isn't the planer and the pro-planer the SAME planer? Just mounted differently.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:31 pm

Hi Bob,

As far as I know, yes they are the same, except, the Pro Planer is powered by a different motor.

edit: Checking the catolog, there are a few other differences: maximum depth of cut (1/8" Pro vs. 3/32" Mark V mounted); Pro planer has a FIXED rpm of 5750 where as the Mark V mounted planer has a variable speed of 3000 to 4100 rpm; Pro Planer has a HP rating of 1 3/4hp where as the Mark V mounted one is 1 1/8hp; feed rate on the Pro Planer is 7-20 where as the Mark V mounted one is 5-12; Max cuts per inch, Pro 72, MV mounted 62. Knot the same at all, if you ask me. I think that I will stick to the Mark V mounted one,just for the variable speed capability.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:35 pm

The one Pro Planer I have viewed seems to have a heavier build table then the aluminum table on the Mark V mounted planer. The Mark V mounted Planer cutter head is limited by the quill speed (5200 RPM) where as the older stand alone planers has a retro-kit that allows 5750 RPM. The newer ones has the 5750 RPM setup. I am sure with a chain fall or block and tackle kit, attaching and removing the Mark V mounted planer can be done without a lot of straining. It just seems to get heavier each time it is used.

beeg wrote:Isn't the planer and the pro-planer the SAME planer? Just mounted differently.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:40 pm

I am not sure that I would agree these are the same planers.

The Pro Planer has two motors. One to drive the cutter head and one to feed the material. The feed motor is variable speed while the cutter head is fixed speed. edited to correct an error in my statement as pointed out by Tim.

How does this compare to the Mark V Mounted Planer. I don't know since I have never even seen one.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:46 pm

dusty wrote:I am not sure that I would agree these are the same planers.

The Pro Planer has two motors. One to drive the cutter head and one to feed the material. Both are variable speed.

How does this compare to the Mark V Mounted Planer. I don't know since I have never even seen one.

Hi dusty,
The Mark V mounted one DOES have a seperate variable speed feed motor. And you are saying that your Pro Planers motor IS variable speed? The catalog specifies a FIXED 5750 rpm.

Plenty of muscle to tackle your toughest jobs. While the MARK V Mount Model will deliver up to 11/8 hp at infinitely variable Cutterhead speeds of 3,000 to 4,100 rpms ... the Pro Planer comes with its own Operating Stand and 13/4 hp Motor that gives you a constant, 5,750 rpm Cutterhead speed.

quote taken from http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/planers.htm

doug45601 · Post by **doug45601** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:17 pm

I had the Shopsmith portable mount planer and built the stand for it.. Worked great with no issues. Not needing a dedicated planer all the time, this worked out great for me. Then, after I built a new 2 car garage/shop behind my house I purchased the planer power stand.... bout $300 additional dollars at the time and added casters... So basically I had the pro-planer with the same motor rpm's.

As time went on and the planer seen less and less usage, I sold the planer and stand.. Big mistake as the planer and stand with casters had me set back on cost nearly as much as if I had bought the pro-planer in the first place!

As an interm, I purchase the Craftsman table top 13" planer at a fraction of the cost of any Shopsmith planer and the replacement blades were about 1/4 the cost. The Craftsman planer filled the bill and still is today however, I am hungry for the Shopsmith planer again! Now watching ebay and/or waiting for Shopsmith to put the planer back on sale... This time it will be the Pro-planer all the way and no looking back. I'm getting too old to try and justify my desires so I just do it!

So, aside from the cost advantage between the 2 different planer setups. In my opnion, there is No significant difference for the home workshop!:rolleyes:

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:43 pm

Hi bigted,

I lucked into a used Mark-V mount planer lately. I have tuned it up and it works great. The planer feed motor is variable-speed and independent of the cutter-head drive.

There is a safety feature to plug the Mark-V headstock cord into the switch-box of the Planer, so in case of a big red emergency "Off" button press, you shut everything off at the same time.

It sure seems like if I ever got the power stand, I would effectively have a Pro Planer. But Bill Mayo has raised an interesting point on the heavier cast table in the Pro version. A comparison view of the 2 parts-lists would be instructive; I will try to do that sometime to satisfy my curiosity.

In general these guys are expensive. With Shopsmith, though, I just love being able to fix decades-old stuff to "new" status. That support is legendary.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:19 pm

dusty wrote:I am not sure that I would agree these are the same planers.

The Pro Planer has two motors. One to drive the cutter head and one to feed the material. The feed motor is variable speed while the cutter head is fixed speed. edited to correct an error in my statement as pointed out by Tim.

How does this compare to the Mark V Mounted Planer. I don't know since I have never even seen one.

Hey dusty, I was not tryng to point out an error on your part, but rather, I was hoping that your Pro Planer has a variable speed cutter head. That wood make a Pro Planer more attractive!

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