All Diehl Rip Saws can be repaired and/or brought up to current mechanical and safety standards. However, the age of the machine you intend to purchase can have a significant impact on the expense involved in bringing the machine up to current and necessary operating standards. All Diehl machines were inscribed with a serial number that was stamped into the machine’s back work table at the location noted in Figure No. 1.
Figure No. 1 – Location of Diehl Serial Number Placement
Beginning in 1927, the first two digits of the serial number are always the year in which the machine was manufactured. Any machines that have been remanufactured by Diehl will have the year of remanufacture as the last two digits, preceded by the letter R. In addition, all machines built since 1963 will have a separate identification tag that was mechanically riveted to the back wall of the machine with four nail screws. If you cannot find the serial number on the machine, then someone has taken the specific effort to remove it for a particular reason. In general, machine age can be determined by the chart depicted in Figure No. 2.