Odd South Bend shaper?

[Armourer]

Just wondering if my 7" shaper is rare or not. I bought it over the internet and it looked in great shape in pics, I picked it up and then got looking closer at it and I don't know if its a rare, or less common one. Its serial number doesnt follow any pattern like other ones I have read about, also when I got it, it never even dawned on me to look but all the dials are in metric. Not imperial. Its not a deal breaker, but unfortunate as all my other machines are imperial. I was just wondering if there was any South Bend shaper gurus out there that could help me date it? Also being metric, can I just replace the crank handles over to imperial? Or are the thread pitches different on the lead screws? (good luck finding them too)The light that came with mine appears to be made by South Bend, but it doesnt look like any of the other lights I have seen on other shapers. I am thinking the one I got was one made in the last few years they made them?

 

[vtcnc]

Share some pictures, people will be able to help out with some examples.

 

[CluelessNewB]

Probably rare but according to this 1966 Catalog SB did make a metric version: http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=17111

 

[Armourer]

Thanks for the replies, I looked in the catalog you attached Clueless and the shaper in that catalog looks like my shaper. The light is the same as mine, but I looked at a older catalog from 1963 and they offered a swivelling machine handles as a option and my machine has them as well. In your catalog I see they took them off as a option and were standard equipment in 1966. So I am assuming mine was made on or after 1966. Also the junction box for all the connectors is mounted in a different spot on mine then the ones in the two catalogs. I will try and post pictures, not too sure how to but can give it a go later today if anyone is interested in seeing them

 

[CluelessNewB]

Yes we like pictures!

 

[Voltar1]

Just acquired an identical shaper. My shop teacher from 1973 to 1977 had it as they downsized the shop in 1985. He told me I was the first and last one to use it. I made a set of 22 dovetail bases on it in 1980. So now it is in my shop!!