Guidance on buying a G&E shaper

[Riverlandrobo]

personally, i would hitch up and go get it, but i am NOT a sane person

unfortunately for most folks, a shaper is too antiquated of a technology to be sexy enough to put in their shops.
i do not subscribe to those thoughts personally.
i find the technology enchanting, if not mesmerizing and hypnotic.

regardless, i would be inclined to offer $300 as you had initially thought and see what they say.
i would expect a retort of $350, if you were to be haggling with an initiated seller.

the machine was made to excellent standards.
the machine is robust and capable of moving large quantities of material, at will.

in other words, i would be proud to have a beast like her in my shop.
the machine appears to be in good shape, less the paint.
you should clean/inspect/lube very well before putting any power to her.
but on the surface, you have a very viable candidate in my opinion.

i wish you good luck, whichever direction you go.

I have 3 shapers, 16 in gold and Eberhardt universal toolroom....24 in Ohio Dreadnaught....24 in Rockford Hy-Draulic.....if that has been sitting out in the rain and the surfaces have deep pitting....Walk Away!! Especially down in the bowels where the bull gear resides....keep your eyes open for one out of a high school machine shop or something on that order....that rust gets suspended in the oil and takes all the bearings out....scrap in upper mi. Is 175..180 ton for motor cast iron......that person who left that sit out in the weather should be ashamed of himself......before you move anything oil the heck out of it......I paid 350.00 for my 16 in. universal toolroom and it was inside of a school

 

[cjtoombs]

I have 3 shapers, 16 in gold and Eberhardt universal toolroom....24 in Ohio Dreadnaught....24 in Rockford Hy-Draulic.....if that has been sitting out in the rain and the surfaces have deep pitting....Walk Away!! Especially down in the bowels where the bull gear resides....keep your eyes open for one out of a high school machine shop or something on that order....that rust gets suspended in the oil and takes all the bearings out....scrap in upper mi. Is 175..180 ton for motor cast iron......that person who left that sit out in the weather should be ashamed of himself......before you move anything oil the heck out of it......I paid 350.00 for my 16 in. universal toolroom and it was inside of a school

Depending on where you live and how much work you want to do you can get a good shaper that’s been left outside. Dryer climates tend not to pit nearly as rapidly, but the machine will need to be completely disassembled and stripped. My 16” G&E sat out in my yard for three years before I got around to it. All surface rust, no pitting. Of course I live in the desert and tore it down completely. Probably couldn’t get away with that in Florida or on the coast.

 

[cjtoombs]

Any update on this shaper? Making some chips now?

 

[Cooped_Up]

Any update on this shaper? Making some chips now?

Yes I do have an update for you, I ended up buying it and it was around for a while before I got it to a useable place. I ran it for fun a few times made some nice big chips but due to space constraints I ended up selling it to another kid who planned on using it much more than I ever could. put the old girl in the back of an old ford and drove off into the sunset haha. I replaced it with a Kearney Trecker 2CH