Determining Pro Planner Age

[letterk]

I had a pulley that was cross threaded and eventually the pulley gave out. Thankfully, the metal of the pulley is softer than the rod that is part of the cutterhead. So I think I just need to replace the pulley.

I'm trying to determine age of the unit, so I called help at Shopsmith. She seemed to have the same information that we all have available. The last date code on the "help my identify the age of my planer is 006139. It appears that Shopsmith sold between 1800-2200 unit per year. My serial number of 008088 is definitely after the cutoff for a date code, but it still has a serial number.

The planer has the square key in the pulley and not the woodruff key that would date it after September 1992. It has the crank handle (not the round one) and was likely updated to have the metal infeed roller and better dust collection. I'm not sure if the pulley upgrade was in place at this time, but it appears to have a 5" pulley on the motor and 3" on the cutter head.

Did Shopsmith Perhaps put in a big order for serial number stickers and continue to use serial numbers after the cutoff for date codes? Based on the 2000 units per year is it safe to assume this planner was made sometime in 1988-89? Any help you can give me would be appreciated. I'll try to attached pictures of the serial ticket, date code list and key options.

Serial Number

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[JPG]

Eighth day of 1988?

Why does it matter?

[letterk]

Just wanted to double-check the age of the machine and make sure I'm correct so when I buy parts, I'm buying the correct items. Figured that maybe someone has a planner out there that they may have purchased during the date code period, but it still has a serial number like my machine.

[dusty]

If you really want to know, I suggest that you ask someone in Customer Service. Your serial number is almost 2000 units after they supposedly discontinued serial numbers. We, here on the forum, can give you nothing more than conjecture. Now some of it may be provided as though it is factual but I suggest you ask someone who knows.

The serial number on that chart, BTW, is the starting serial number for that time period. Given that, it might have been built in Nov 1987.

[reible]

Don't have a shopsmith planner but I do know that shopsmith sometime does some odd numbering so how about parcing it as /08/88 or perhaps aug 1988??

Anyway you know that it is most likely from pre-1992 due to having the square key and that is the most important thing in ordering replacement parts.

I would be very sceptically of assigning number of units to serial numbers given the way shopsmith operates.

Ed

[jsburger]

Eighth day of 1988?

Why does it matter?

But SS date codes don't look like that unless they changed them in 1988 after they introduced them.

[everettdavis]

Eighth day of 1988?

Why does it matter?

There are at least two, perhaps three types of feed motor assemblies and related speed controllers over the years, but again, Shopsmith will help you navigate what you need.

Most everything else is the same on Pro Planers, and a good bit the is same on the Shopsmith driven Planers, except for drive motor, pulleys and stand, and of course, the bed difference.

I have one of each.

Everett

[dj1960gold]

I just picked up my first Pro Planer yesterday. Thankfully I was the first responder to the ad this time around.

My new tool is a model M5990 with Ser 09094.

The planer has the round table adjustment wheel/crank with the moveable setting dial in the center. It also has been upgraded with new pulley wheels and the steel infeed roller (I received the original parts in the old upgrade box).

I didn't get a manual unfortunately, and the machine had a broken off feed knob and a sheared off lower brush cap for the feed motor (duck tape held on the lower brush). But it all works with no rust visible. Not bad for $150 I'd say.

Now to figure out how old it is. Just like with letterk's unit, it has a serial number past the cutoff date. Unlike letterk's unit, I have the wheel for table height adjustment but with a higher serial number???

Looking at the oldest SS catalog I have, an old 1989 Winter ShopSmith catalog, I see from the photo that the planer had the normal/new crank handle for table adjustment. This catalog mentions the steel infeed roller. So my new planer must be older than 89, and not a 94 as the serial number implies.

Now about that broken brush holder and feed adjustment knob................

[dj1960gold]

Ha,I see nobody jumped in here to correct my last post
I'm tempted to delete my above post in this thread as I no longer believe it belongs here. But I'll make a quick correction instead to prevent anybody else from making my mistake in the future.

I don't have a 'Pro' planer. Instead I'm the new owner of an upgraded early version of the M5990 regular planer.

I think the serial numbers are shared between the M5980s (hand crank feed) and M5990s (DC motor feed), but someone correct me if that assumption is incorrect. If it is correct, then my planer was made in Aug of 1983. I guess that means my planer was built in the first year of production. Link to planer FAQ page with serial numbers:
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/faq/planer.htm

The pulley wheel upgrade installation sheet that I did get with the old pulley wheels has a printed date of 6/85. Which is a few months after the Pro Planer was introduced to the Shop Smith product line according to the numbers lettrek posted at the top of this thread.

Interestingly, all of the problems with my used planer have been discussed here in the forums previously. I will make further posts concerning my planer in those other threads (such as a schematic of the controller with measured component values ).

None of my contributions here helps lettrek with his initial Pro Planer serial number inquiry

Sorry about that!