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Mini 7" Horizontal Shaper Advice Needed

opensourcefan

opensourcefan

OSF
I want to get a small shaper just for fun. Needs to be small, was thinking around the 7" mark as that's what seems to be typical.

Any suggestions on which brand is worth chasing, and where I may be able to find one?Was thinking if all else fails I'll get a set of plans and make one but would rather make replacement parts for an existing machine.
 
The shaper that you find is the one that you want. Atlas machines have mixed reviews , but their shaper was the best machine they made. It was quite good in fact. At least that's what others have said.

A shaper can do internal splines, key ways, and gears, so they are handy.There are attachments for milling machines that turn them into shapers, they are called slotters. Shapers are frequently used to clean rust off of steel before an expensive carbide end mill gets dulled on it. At 10" they are a honest machine shop tool.
 
Look at Atlas, South Bend, and Aamco/Delta, and you won't go much wrong. In no particular order.

All 7 inch machines (about as small as you usually find without going hand operated) and while each has different strong and weak points, I would suggest that they are on pretty even terms!

I have owned a South Bend (gave to a friend I actually like!) and kept an Aamco, not because I thought it was better, but because I had found some of the original accessories for it. And, I had that first! :)
Anyways, the South Bend, had Acme threaded screws while the Aamco/Delta unit uses a standard thread. You can decide if you think one is decidedly better than the other. Other than that, some, but not all, South Bend shapers, had an oil pump to keep them lubed up.

Compared to the Atlas Lathes, the Atlas Shapers were from an earlier era, where cast iron was cheap and available! The Atlas shaper and Mill, were both designed before the penny pinching really started, compared to the later lathes. They still used to much Zamack in the small bits, but were pretty solid little shop toys!

Really, buy the one that appears to be in the best, original condition (as opposed to a pint of paint rebuild)

If you want smaller, look at Martin Model's casting set for the hand shaper! Can be powered with a little jiggery-pokery, but intended to be operated by hand.

Shapers are mesmerising to watch work, and I have whiled away my share of time, just watching it surface off a block of whatever i had available!
 
opensourcefan said:
I want to get a small shaper just for fun. Needs to be small, was thinking around the 7" mark as that's what seems to be typical.

Any suggestions on which brand is worth chasing, and where I may be able to find one?
Click to expand...
Whereabouts in this grand vast land of ours are you located ? If you are in SW Ontario then just bide your time and one will swim along soon. Even better if you are capable of heading over the border at Buffalo or Detroit to poach one and bring it home.

The small shapers cost more pound-for-pound as they appeal to the home hobbyists.

Logan made a small shaper back in the day that was pretty decent also and belongs in the discussion here too IMO. As with most machines, the associated tooling that comes with it needs to be factored into the pricing. Looking for a specific vise for a shaper, which is an essential component for eg., can cost a lot of time and money.
 
LeakyCanoe said:
Whereabouts in this grand vast land of ours are you located ? If you are in SW Ontario then just bide your time and one will swim along soon. Even better if you are capable of heading over the border at Buffalo or Detroit to poach one and bring it home.

The small shapers cost more pound-for-pound as they appeal to the home hobbyists.

Logan made a small shaper back in the day that was pretty decent also and belongs in the discussion here too IMO. As with most machines, the associated tooling that comes with it needs to be factored into the pricing. Looking for a specific vise for a shaper, which is an essential component for eg., can cost a lot of time and money.
Click to expand...

Too true on the cost of accessories. I bought my Aamco shaper from Joe Bergamo, at Plaza amchinery, back when I was close enough to visit in person. IIRC, I paid about $650US for it. I was quoted quite higher than that, for a Rotary Table he had that was still sealed in the New Old Stock packaging... I passed.
 
Shaper vises are different than milling machine ones, they are more squat and the forces on them are different than with a milling machine. Others are better at describing them than me. I use a 4" BusyBee milling machine vise. When I took it apart to true it up I discouvered it had been made on a shaper, rather poorly in fact.
 
I traded a (circa 1918)manual Drummond shaper for a 7inch South Bend about 3 years ago. It came with the factory vice. It can move a lot of metal. And I can re-use steel and aluminum oddball cutoffs or junk rusty plate. I can prepare a flat side or two then use in my mill or lathe. A shaper is perfect for a home shop. It’s also fun to watch run.

I have $300 in on the Drummond so I feel I did pretty well with the trade for the South Bend

I do miss the hand crank Drummond. It was quiet and I could sneak up on cuts a lot easier. I was limited on the size I could work on. I wish I still had the Drummond. But I won’t sell my South Bend
 
Downwindtracker2 said:
Shaper vises are different than milling machine ones, they are more squat and the forces on them are different than with a milling machine. Others are better at describing them than me. I use a 4" BusyBee milling machine vise. When I took it apart to true it up I discouvered it had been made on a shaper, rather poorly in fact.
Click to expand...
Funny, I have two inexpensive cast iron drill press vices that I bought from Princess Auto that have never been really flat. They are pretty rough but I could bring myself to scrap them. I keep meaning to use shaper to flatten the important surfaces. It might be a good winter project. If I mess them up I’m not out much.
 
Goldxxx said:
I traded a (circa 1918)manual Drummond shaper for a 7inch South Bend about 3 years ago. It came with the factory vice. It can move a lot of metal. And I can re-use steel and aluminum oddball cutoffs or junk rusty plate. I can prepare a flat side or two then use in my mill or lathe. A shaper is perfect for a home shop. It’s also fun to watch run.

I have $300 in on the Drummond so I feel I did pretty well with the trade for the South Bend

I do miss the hand crank Drummond. It was quiet and I could sneak up on cuts a lot easier. I was limited on the size I could work on. I wish I still had the Drummond. But I won’t sell my South Bend
Click to expand...
I was given a pile of machine tools, by a school principal, who was worried about having to pay someone to haul them away. Two lathes, a 48 inch step shear, and a South Bend Shaper.
I gave one of the lathes to a young fella at work, and the South Bend to a friend of mine, who still has it. I'd still have it but I already had an Aamco/Delta one.
Watch ebay, and the other usual sales locations, the indexing centers come up once in a while, and folks don't know what they are, and they sell cheaper than the ones sold by guys who DO know.
 
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