serial #

[godavid2]

Did not know how to do a search on this subject. When did SS last print the ser # on the vent plate and start using stickers? I could not find this info in the history of the MK V.

thanks

[garys]

I don't know the answer to your question, but you can take a look at the serial number list to see where yours fits in. At least you know your year of manufacture that way and it gives you some estimate of when the change might have occurred.
https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/serialnumber.htm

[chapmanruss]

Hi David,

It changed at the time Shopsmith Inc. changed from Serial Numbers to Date Codes in December 1987. Serial Numbers with SS as a prefix were made by Shopsmith Inc. starting with SS1001 in 1973 to about SS222600 in November 1989. Serial Numbers without the SS prefix are from the earlier manufacturers of the Shopsmith Mark 5 and will have the Manufacturer's name on the plate.

If you are asking about serial number 121090 it is actually a date code even though the sticker says serial number. So it was made December 10, 1990. It would have been less confusing if the sticker said DATE CODE instead of SER. NO.

In the Serial Number chart by years that garys provided the link to you will notice that there are two sets for 1985, 1986 and 1987. This is for the Mark V 500 and the lower number sets are for the Mark V 510. The 510 serial numbers will start with 51- followed by its S/N.

[godavid2]

Thanks for the feedback, Russ. I had an inquiry about the hs you mentioned. Ser# 121090. I did a search on the Ser#s in the SS website. The inquirer did not believe that this hs was a 90' because it had the toggle switch and thought the ser# looked to be a 1982. When I did the search on the serial numbers I found there was no detail as to when SS went from stamping ser# on the vent plate to printer the hs id on the sticker. The inquirer also stated that the belt guard could be switch out too which I said was possible that was something that I would not do.

[chapmanruss]

David,

A toggle switch is still correct for a 1990 Headstock and is a "B" Headstock. The "C" Headstock with the red safety key switch came out in 1991. The Serial Number or Date Code is only on the Belt Cover for the date code sticker and only on the belt cover vent plate for serial numbers for earlier Mark 5/V's. It is possible for the belt cover or vent plate from one headstock to be put on a different headstock. I doubt that happened in this case.

The date code on your headstock is a match for a serial number from April 1982. The difference in this case is the serial number would be on the vent plate and start with the prefix SS (SS-121090). Only date codes are on the sticker. It is important to note that difference since some date codes match previous serial numbers.

When I upgraded to the Power Pro Headstock for my Mark V I did the do-it-yourself but bought the needed headstock parts to make a "new" headstock for it keeping my original headstock as it was. My Power Pro Headstock is date code 09-11-01 on the belt cover sticker but the main "C" headstock casting, motor pan and other parts used to complete upgrade are from different sellers and headstocks. I actually bought the belt cover before I bought the Power Pro and other headstock parts because of it's date code. I knew I would use it later. By the way I am a retired Firefighter from here in Oregon and was working on that day. It would be hard to put an actual date on my now Mark 7 but the Power Pro upgrade itself might be the best or do I used the age of the oldest part. Its on a 2006 Mark V. The Double Tilt and other Mark 7 upgrades were bought a year after the Power Pro upgrade. The Power Pro and Mark 7 didn't come out until 2010. This is why you can't always tell just how old a Shopsmith truly is. Any of them can be upgraded with the different changes going back to even the original Greenie Mark 5's.