Shopsmith Forums

I wanted to create a poll to see when your Greenie was born. Since the serial number data found toward the bottom of the page on the ShopSmith websiteis incomplete in places, I pulled the data into Excel and estimated what the serial numbers would be for those missing months. I just took the number of units made between the serial numbers that were available and divided equally between months. That's a good an estimate as any.

Use the attached pdf file and your units serial number to determine the year the Greenie was born. If you have more than one, select the year for each unit. The serial number indicated for each month is assumed to be the LAST SN MADE FOR THAT MONTH. Also, I made a typo in the years. 1957 shows up twice. Obviously you'll have to watch closely if your entering 1957 or 1958.

My Greenie serial number: 261612 (Shopsmith site says this is a 1953)

Based on your chart that would make it an April 1954 build. I was under the impressions that the Mark 5 started shipping in 1953.

263051 - Shopsmith 1954 starting SN.

253922 - Mikes 1954 starting SN.

Who's right?

========================

bucksaw wrote:My Greenie serial number: 261612 (Shopsmith site says this is a 1953)

Based on your chart that would make it an April 1954 build. I was under the impressions that the Mark 5 started shipping in 1953.

263051 - Shopsmith 1954 starting SN.

253922 - Mikes 1954 starting SN.

Who's right?

The SN in red in Mikes chart are his Guess based on average production calculations. It is possible that the months in SS chart indicate periods of NO production. We just do not know.

Any one who purchased a Greenie NEW can provide insight into this if they know for sure when they purchased it.

An excellent follow-up to this info is what version/variation Greenie coincides with what SN. Ah but we long for so much more than can realistically be accomplished.

True, the original greenie headstock has a summer of '54 serial number, but when considered altogether, my shopsmith reminds me of the old forester who claimed he'd had the same ax for 50 years...only had to change the handle 3 times and the head twice

I put on new casters about 20 years ago,swapped out the headstock for a 50th anniv gray unit a few years back, recently upgraded the main table to one that appears to be 60's vintage, upgraded the auxiliary table to the current 505 table, ditto the rip fence, and a few years back got the new heavy duty tool rest for the lathe. The main carriage, the tubes and legs, the tail stock and the spirit of the machine are still '54 all the way!

mickyd in the quote in red

bucksaw wrote:My Greenie serial number: 261612 (Shopsmith site says this is a 1953)

Based on your chart that would make it an April 1954 build. I was under the impressions that the Mark 5 started shipping in 1953. Yes you are correct. My guess is the serial number would have to be SMALLER than 251133 to have been made in 1953.

263051 - Shopsmith 1954 starting SN.

253922 - Mikes 1954 starting SN.

Who's right? mickyd, of course

mickyd is out of the quote now.....

bucksaw - Did juduspre1982 and jpg answer your question OK? The assumption I made when I created the RED numbers on the table was that ShopSmith was actually producing units but there was no record available what the serial numbers were. I COULD BE COMPLETELY WRONG HERE .

The reason I made my assumption was because if a blank in the serial number table meant no production, it would mean that there was no production between March 1956 and July 1957 (1 yr and 4 mo.) if you look at this table on the bottom of the page. And if that were true and they used sequential serial numbers, they would have had to produce 30,000 units in the month of July 1957. Don't think so. That's way over a typical YEARS build.

It will be interesting to see who has the lowest serial number.

I wonder what Magna's first serial number was. It obviously wasn't "1" since the first one recorded in this table at the bottom of this page is 263051. They surely didn't produce 263,051 units in 1953.

Greenie owners - bucksaw and I have added our SN and date of production to our signatures. If your interested in doing the same, have at it.

It will be interesting to see how many Greenie owners are out there and respond to this poll.

Mine is ser no.302191 Sept 1955. I got it in 2006 in VERY rough shape. I rebuilt it into mini to run SPTs. It runs about as nicely as my 1990 510 now. I added the caster units to it and I adapted it so I could still leave the carriage with the table on it, so it will still function as a saw/disksander, and it will handle short turnings. The vertical/drill press mode is almost useless due to lack of height to accomodate most bits or accessaries plus the work piece.

mckenziedt wrote:Mine is ser no.302191 Sept 1955. I got it in 2006 in VERY rough shape. I rebuilt it into mini to run SPTs. It runs about as nicely as my 1990 510 now. I added the caster units to it and I adapted it so I could still leave the carriage with the table on it, so it will still function as a saw/disksander, and it will handle short turnings. The vertical/drill press mode is almost useless due to lack of height to accomodate most bits or accessaries plus the work piece.

You have a great selection of SS equipment in your signature. Your fortunate. I hope to be there someday also. Post a pic of your Greenie if you have one. I'd like to see it. I see you also have an ER10 and an E10. Lucky guy!!