Confused about year of manufacture: Serial Number does not match paint?

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:40 pm

I recently picked up two Mark V's.

One is a greenie that was included for free ("not working" actually seems to have meant "Needs belt"). It is missing its serial number plate and I'll try and decipher it's year of manufacture later.

The other one is serial number one from '82 best I can figure, yet it has grey paint that I'd certainly call rough.
[ATTACH]24730[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]24731[/ATTACH]
ok, next time I'll shrink the photos more.

I would love to find out that it is newer and the ss was replaced and it has twin bearings, but I probably just think the paint is rough because I haven't anything to compare it to.

Thanks!
Fitzhugh

garys · Post by **garys** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:46 pm

I think all Mark Vs were gray in 1982.

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 8:03 pm

garys wrote:I think all Mark Vs were gray in 1982.

Sorry, I wasn't clear. According to http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/faq/markv.htm
you are right that they were ask gray, but were a smooth gray until 1984 when they went to a rough gray.

I know it is a long shot but how can I tell if I have twin bearings as added in 1984? Since the serial number plate is screwed and not riveted on I figure it just might have been swapped. Mostly I'm just curious about this machine, of course.

garys · Post by **garys** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:35 pm

I have an '82 model and an '81. Both have a rough texture in the paint.

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Sun Apr 13, 2014 11:50 pm

OK, so no surprise some details on that list of changes over the years have errors. I'm cleaning and polishing the base and tables on the greenie. The headstock is our of teach behind stuff at the moment but I'll be curious to figure that one out... No serial number to go by.

I'm just blown away by how these are made. I'm used to plastic crap that is expected to be thrown away.

skou · Post by **skou** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 2:26 am

fitzhugh wrote: I'm just blown away by how these are made. I'm used to plastic crap that is expected to be thrown away.

If that is a surprise to you, check out the ERs. OK, they're simple. Make that REAL simple. Make that stupid simple. But, built like a tank! Not a propane tank, but the old WWII Sherman tank. You can find ERs that have been neglected for over 60 years, that clean right up.

But, let me go into the safety items. There is an upper belt guard, that you need to remove to change belts, and never put back. There is the upper blade guard, which is SUCH A PAIN to get right, that I've never seen one installed. However, you still have one more safety feature, your BRAIN. Unless your name Is Jethro Gibbs, NEVER power up an ER after having an adult beverage. (And, don't use the saw table for a bar, either, Jethro!)

steve

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 2:40 am

That's funny, I was just looking at the gallery of restored machines and recalling reading somewhere that 10er's are better in some people's view, but could not recall why. I've never seen one in the wild so didn't know what it might be. They're good looking machines.

I think a brain is a good idea anytime you use a power tool. I try to keep both the upper and lower guards on mine whenever it's running. I made a nice replacement set out of tin foil. Works better now that I punched air holes and eye holes in them. Duct tape keeps it from falling off but does tend to yank out my hair when I try and remove it.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:31 pm

From the attached chart I got on the Shopsmith site your serial number indicates a mid to late 1983 manufacture date. http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/serialnumber.htm

The texture on the headstock looks just like mine - a 1990 model.

fitzhugh · Post by **fitzhugh** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 5:53 pm

hmm, when I look at that list I get '82 - it is hard to trace eyes across the list. On the page I linked to above it mentions two different textures of grey paint. Maybe one factory used one texture and the other factory used the other, assuming there were two US factories then. Or perhaps it depended on who did the painting (or if it were on a Monday morning).

I've almost finished cleaning up and polishing all the non-headstock parts of the greenie, which means I'm getting close to having to see how much might be wrong with the headstock (how much I'll have to spend, that is). Then I'll do the 1980's machine - not sure if I hope the bearings are great or if I secretly hope I'll have a good excuse to upgrade to a two bearing quill. Ah, no, I hope they're good because I can't afford the upgrade just now.

Thanks for the help.