Well, Finally Found a Used Shaper, Took the Plunge

[Everett]

So last Friday I took a 3 hour drive to pick up an old shaper, an Alba 1A. Only 3 pictures on the website, so was a bit of a gamble. Unfortunately a nasty flu had started in our house beginning with my son a couple days previous, and I started feeling it coming on during the drive home. So, it sat tarped in the truck in the driveway till today.

Been sitting in a barn for quite a while, so a bit of rust color to the critical surfaces but not bad. Got lots of crusting/peeling paint of various colors and some rust in non-critical areas, and although there are a couple parts that show evidence of crash repairs it looks like it hasn't been abused.

Had to disassemble it to unload it and wanted to go through it anyway, noting which small pieces are missing or needing repair. So, here's my new toy that the other toys will help fix.

Been able to find a scan of the original manual, still working on the serial number trying to figure out when it was made. I did have a question for any seasoned shaper veterans, and that is what was the original Alba color? This thing has multiple layers of paint, and if there was no 'standard' color then I'm thinking of using my favorite 'candy apple gray,' like one of my viewers calls it, lol!

 

[CalgaryPT]

I did have a question for any seasoned shaper veterans, and that is what was the original Alba color? This thing has multiple layers of paint, and if there was no 'standard' color then I'm thinking of using my favorite 'candy apple gray,' like one of my viewers calls it, lol!

Under no circumstance am I a seasoned veteran. But we had an Alba in my junior high school metal shop in the 1970's. It was gray.

 

[YYCHM]

Under no circumstance am I a seasoned veteran. But we had an Alba in my junior high school metal shop in the 1970's. It was gray.

You remember the make of the shaper from your 1970's JHS shop class???? Where was that? I don't recollect the one I used at St Francis YYC being that big. Maybe? As to make, I have no idea.

 

[CalgaryPT]

You remember the make of the shaper from your 1970's JHS shop class???? Where was that? I don't recollect the one I used at St Francis YYC being that big. Maybe? Make....? Who would have latched on to that detail at JHS age.

I definitely remember it—for good reason: we had family friends with the same last name Alba, and I kidded them that I "used their machine" today whenever I got to use it. I had a huge crush on the girl in the family, so that's probably why I still remember her (I mean it).

It was St Greg's Junior High School in SW Calgary. I could be wrong but I think Albas must have been British? because the shop teacher was British and always talked about what great machines the British made...so I think he was biased. But I may have that detail wrong.

I also remember the first thing I made on it. It was a "machinist hammer." Pretty standard shop project. Squared steel head with angled rear face done on the Alba. The handle was done on the lathe and I recall it was the first time I got to knurl anything. I was super proud of it, but this other kid stole it from me and submitted it for his grade. Still mad about that.

It was definitely gray.

I'm still trolling the internet for the kid who stole my hammer.

 

[YYCHM]

Was a tenderizing hammer head on the shaper for me and ya we knurled the handle on a lathe.

Did you suffer the 10min blood and guts safety films before every class?

 

[CalgaryPT]

Was a tenderizing hammer head on the shaper for me and ya we knurled the handle on a lathe.

Did you suffer the 10min blood and guts safety films before every class?

Oh man, did I ever.

In the same shop there was a pulse jet engine (which got me hooked on those). I was so excited I forgot to put on the ear muffs even after watching the safety film. I thought I went deaf.

 

[trlvn]

There is some Alba info--and drool-worthy pictures--on:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/Alba/

The restored machines are either a blue-gray or sea-foam green. We won't tell if you use another colour!

Craig

 

[DPittman]

Not that I know a damn thing about shapers, but your machine appears in pretty good shape. The rust appears only very light surface rust and the machine does not look neglected otherwise. That should be a fun project. Hope the flu leaves your household soon. We had it here too, the kids bring it home and get over it pretty fast and then I get it and it damn near kills me.

 

[PeterT]

Nice machine. It will make a great resto project.

 

[torinwalker]

I'm thinking about getting a shaper, but still on the fence. Love that the table can be rotated to an angle; I imagined the smaller shapers have fixed tables and one must incline the work in the vise, rather than rotate the table. Or... (silly question) do all the small ones do that? The only shaper I'm familiar with is the G&E on Abom79's channel.

 

[Tom Kitta]

I just got a shaper and my parents are getting it now I am not sure which model exactly it is. Shapers are getting back in fashion and are now commanding premium price. There are very few left that one can get & not too many people want to get 36" monster that will take most of the garage.

 

[johnnielsen]

Do you have a picture to post?
Wow 36" is big enough to do some serious resurfacing of machine ways.

 

[Tom Kitta]

Not yet - mine is smaller - I am not sure of the size yet. My parents got it from Richie Bros. The worst auction ever. Never will buy from them again. They are still on their way home.

 

[Tom Kitta]

Here is the shaper on the back of a pickup. Its model 02

Here is more info http://www.lathes.co.uk/prema-shapers/page3.html
and here http://www.lathes.co.uk/prema-shapers/

from what I can tell its a 14" shaper. Its around 1500 lbs from what I can tell from the docs.

 

[CalgaryPT]

Bit of a follow-up question here...for what purpose would you still use a shaper vs a mill? I totally get the cool factor and if I had space I've love the nostalgia of owning one of those beautiful machines.

Is there an application it does that a modern mill can't? Just curious....and jealous a bit too.

 

[Tom Kitta]

Well, the foot print of my new shaper is just a bit larger then that of a mini-mill with a stand for it - so they are not that huge. It appears to be 13" through not 14" with a 2hp motor.

The main "killer" application of a shaper where a mill just cannot do it is internal grooving. I.e. you can cut various sizes splines as well as simple internal keyways. Or maybe exotic internal gearing. I think internal keyways is the thing that would be most common. Not done too often, few times a year for most people.

Other then that you have unusual dovetails. Dovetail cutters are expensive and available in few standard sizes - for some strange reason not everyone follows the 45deg / 60deg scenario and some are 70deg. Custom ordered dovetail must be a fortune. Maybe once a year for average user.

Knurling. Yes it can be done on a manual mill if you enjoy watching paint dry. You can cut on flat stock nice pattern of small groves - just like the ones found on jaws of a shop vice. CNC could do it in a snap - but you need to write a whole program for it and hope you don't snap that tiny endmill.

Other custom stuff. Say you need to repair a gear. You can check module of that gear, go to aliexpress and order the right cutter. A month later or more you can finish your project. You can go order from expensive place in Canada, wait a week and $100 get your cutter - or overnight it for $150. Or you can grab a piece of HSS grind it for 15min to the right shape and get it done today on a shaper.

Shapers are going through a little renaissance now - they became much more rare then 10 - 15 years ago and people realised that for a home shop they have listed above uses. Maybe to super common or needed but still its an expansion of shop abilities.

Of course shaper can just make things flat with a piece of HSS. It can do so while you do other work. Its a conversation starter. Plenty of uses

Yes as shocking as it sounds today small repair workshops can make $ on a shaper - through probably far less $ then on a mill or CNC that occupies same spot.

There are also large shops with multiple large 24"+ shapers doing some very specific operation. Very rare - I was a bit shocked when a picture came up with more then a dozen large shapers in line doing production work. This is very rare and very niche application.

You can still snap large shapers - probably > 24" for next to nothing. The 24" class in not heavy duty application can be under 2t and that is becoming the new "home shop" grade.

 

[CalgaryPT]

They do look cool. Thanks.

 

[PeterT]

Nice score Tom. What year is your Prema?
Will the condition be revealed once you dig into it or is the the auction scenario kind of limited to turning the handles a bit?

 

[Tom Kitta]

Not sure of the year - serial is 1434 - I am thinking 60 or 70s. Condition is still a bit unknown - I have to clean it up and put some grease on it. Then I am hoping it will simply start making chips. Certainly there is some wear on it but I am hoping its not a lot.

 

[kevin.decelles]

Nice write up Tom, I was thinking of how to reply as to the “why a shaper” and here is how I look at it


If I had a 2019 mustang , why would I want a 1967 mustang when I my 2019 will do the same job........

Because it is vintage baby! There’s just something sexy about old classics!

I think a viewing party is in order......




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