Shopsmith Forums

I recently acquired a Shop Smith 10ER 37871. Can anyone help me find the manufacture date/location? I have used a couple of Shop Smiths in the past, but am new to this one and have much greater interest in restoration and the Shop Smith heritage/legacy.

Scoob37 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2024 7:49 pm I recently acquired a Shop Smith 10ER 37871. Can anyone help me find the manufacture date/location?

Congrats on that acquisition! According to this survey:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1p8_y ... 1ZJnPeHUlQ

…the manufacture date was likely early 1951. There was generally a prefix in front of the number (“E” for the eastern plant in Cleveland, or “R” for the western plant in Berkeley, CA) at that time that would denote location of manufacture.

Scoob37 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2024 7:49 pm I… am new to this one and have much greater interest in restoration and the Shop Smith heritage/legacy.

I’d also check out some of the additional 10er resources available here that may provide some guidance:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... F7zf4-O21w

Good luck!

Thank you. It looks like there may have been an "E" in front of the "ER" ,but I cant quite make it out yet. It would make sense that it was made in the eastern plant, seeing that it's last three known locations were here in Maine.

I started checking out some of the resources you provided the link for. Awesome! Thank you very much.

Scoob37,

At serial number 37871 it would have either an ER prefix for the eastern plant or R for the western plant. The prefix E had been replaced with ER by that serial number for the eastern plant. If it has the ER prefix it would have been made in early 1951. If it has the R prefix it would have been made in 1950. The serial number were not running evenly between the eastern and western plants. Serial number ER40908 and R53198 were both made in April 1951 when a change to the Headstock and Carriage occurred.

For more on the Shopsmith Model 10's check out the topic Shopsmith Model 10's What When and Where at the link below.

viewtopic.php?t=23647

Excellent, thank you. I'm enjoying the beginnings of this Shop Smith journey and looking forward to being able to encourage other like minded people by sharing the information and experience I'm gaining.