Does anyone have a Shape-Rite model B 8" shaper?

brownac1983

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I just became the proud owner (or at least high bidder) of a Shape-Rite model B, 8" shaper which appears to be in pretty good shape. I have to make a 6 hour round trip on Thursday to pick it up. It's on the shape-rite cabinet base. Has anyone moved one of these before? Is the cabinet base a part of the shaper in any functional way, or is it just a base that can easily be unbolted and laid down in the truck? The only reference I can find online is an 8-page manual which doesn't describe the base or how the actual shaper attaches to it (I would assume 4 bolts from inside). The manual says the entire unit less motor and starter weighs 650lb. Can these easily be broken down into 2-man lifts that could fit into an SUV, or is it better to load them whole?

The two possible methods I have are to pull it apart into 2-man liftable pieces and haul it in the SUV, or take the ruck and engine crane and haul it whole. They're calling for heavy rain all day, so I'd prefer the SUV option if it's easy to take apart. Otherwise I'll just have to try to tarp it really well.

Thanks.
-Drew
 

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Firstly, congratulations on getting a fine example of a shaper. I had a shape-rite, but had to sell it when I moved. Mine did not have the base, but was on a shop-made wooden table, with wheels. It liked to walk around the shop when I ran it.

To your question, I wouldn't move it without an engine hoist. Even without the base, mine was heavy, and I had to use an engine hoist to put it in the pickup and to unload. It's kind of an awkward piece(s). You could take the ram off, and the motor, and whatever else comes off easily, then separate the base from the machine, and two guys MIGHT be able get it moved. Even separated, based on the weight you mentioned, it's probably 250 pounds each for the top and for the bottom. Bring a dolly if you have one so you don't have to carry it from the shop to the pickup and vice versa.

The other way is to rent a low trailer with a ramp or a drop trailer. Then rig up two 4x4's under the base so it won't tip over. Sticking out the sides, as if it tips over, side to side is most likely. Better is four 4x4's and put two of them front/back to cover all possibilities. Then pipe/roll it onto the trailer. A come-a-long can be handy on this kind of job. Strap it down like crazy. Take turns easy.
 
Thanks Eeler1. I've got the engine hoist and 4x4 wood on the truck. Headed to get it in the morning.
 
Have a similar machine, but not with that base. Machine was filthy and had been exposed to weather when we brought it home, so I completely disassembled and carried the individual parts down to the basement by hand in preparation for a good scrub up and a lick of paint. I might have used a hand truck for the main casting and bullgear assembly, but that was 25 years ago and I honestly don't remember (my back was a bit more tolerant then). But I'm thinking it shouldn't be too hard to reduce to a few easily huggable sub-100 pound chunks.
 
Thanks guys. I got it home in one piece. It feels a lot heavier than the 755lb that I found online. I wonder if that's not counting the base?

It's in really nice shape and came with left, right and straight toolholders (which seem to have too much built in rake, so they'll go in the lathe toolbox) and a Jacobs chuck (because it was sitting on the shaper). I got it home, filled all the oil cups with spindle oil to displace any old dried up oil, and put way oil on anything I could get to. It was a little tight at first but loosened up as the oil worked its way in. It appears to have seen very little use, and all of the bare surfaces were coated with some type of Cosmoline type coating so there's no real rust either. It should be a good machine if I can learn to use it properly. It's mesmerizing to watch.

Here are some bad cell phone pictures. Excuse the mess, I had to rearrange the hop a bit to make a spot for it.

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