Real1shepperd wrote
What kind of differences can I expect between a '47 10E and my '53 10ER? Is there anything I can't update to 10ER form?
You’re a good friend to do that sort of traveling to find and update this machine!
There’s a very nice document that was prepared by another Forums contributor, Everett Davis, that outlines a lot of the changes in the Model 10 series of machines during their run:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xxm342kQB8ExuWk2jyDPi5xAZG3BN_gK/view?usp=drivesdk
…so you may want to refer to that. The most impactful updates you can make are the tailstock, extension table, and table fence. Magna even figured that out fairly early on and offered a kit to Model 10e owners:
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There was an accessory that was made to retrofit the original table fence with a rear hook, but those are very rare and hard to find, so your best bet may be a 10er fence. Here’s an example of the retrofit:
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The PNW is where a lot of the very earliest 10e’s were shipped, so definitely check that serial number - you may even have one of that original lot (Serial Numbers 1001-1250) shipped to Montgomery Ward for Christmas 1947.
And while it has some quirks, don’t dismiss your 10e as not being a lot of fun to use just as is. Here’s mine all fixed up - works great!
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