What is a hand shaper worth?

B

Ben

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So I am fascinated by shapers at the moment. The problem is I have a lathe rebuild and a mill ahead of it in my tiny one car garage shop. I am looking at this hand shaper on ebay for $300.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330921362083?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648

Somebody please tell me it is way too much, that I should spend the money on tooling I need for my mill. Or that I should just spend a little extra and get one of those 7" powered shapers that I cruise youtube looking for videos of.

Thanks!
Ben
 
You're asking THIS group to talk you out of buying a machine? "jawdrop:

You must be new around here...

If you have a lathe and a mill, a shaper probably isn't going to add much, but they sure are fun to watch, and that one looks real pretty. Just sayin :whistle:
 
Hand powered shapers are more of a novelty, seems to me. I'd hold out for a powered shaper if I wanted one at all. If you aren't already running your lathe and mill, and have support equipment for them, you're getting ahead of yourself a little bit.

But hey, it's your money.
 
I have one of them in original condition, its awsome, but yeah get a powered one.

i keep seeing them for sale and going , humm i should sell mine :jester:

its always the tool that loses bench space if i have to re-arrange my very compact work space.

you will see one for very cheep one day and as a curiosity its worth it.

Stuart

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Just to answer you original question,

"its way too much don't buy it!!"

:*****slap2:

Hope that helps

stu
 
Man o man I love all these- I thought someone on this forum scored one really cheap on CL a few weeks ago- pretty! I've been searching ever since!

Looks easy to adapt it to power? Even non-destructively?

Bernie
 
I don't know, what does shoulder and wrist surgery cost, there was a reason they put the motors on those. It does look like a nice conversation piece.:tiphat:
 
Ben,

Being a machine tool junkie I lust after such things, but I would wait for a power driven model such as a little 7" South Bend or similar to happen along Should you in the fullness of time get one of these powered machines you will find it far handier & with the proper tooling you will get a better finish on your work-pieces
The little machine shown in the Ebay auction has no auto feed , This in many ways is a hindrance, I am not knocking it , it is a nice thing from an earlier age, and folks did wonders with them, but it is hard work

I have a powered Adept No2 shaper, the Ebay ones more up to date sister It is good but light duty, I also have a hand powered planer, good but hard work, fortunately it has a auto feed system I tend to think further back in time & I think the era when shapers were more common, it must have been more interesting , There is a peaceful fascination about a power driven shaper at work, & in the case of my shapers & planer, I frequently can easily get a superior surface finish better than milling.
 
Is it too sinful to buy one of these machines and adapt it to power? I am usually one to preserve perfect condition machines if rare or particularly beautiful- but I can't help think that for $300 or $400, or whatever they are up to now, that it is only a quarter of a nice powered shaper. At least the ones I see- usually go for $1500?


Bernie
 
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I recall an article in a back number of The Model Engineer from memory it may have been about 1950? In this article the contributor gave an account of how he converted the hand powered machine we are referring to into a powered machine, This was the precursor of the Adept power driven machine as developed from this article & redesigned using a very well designed set of castings to hold all the gearing, plus its brackets for the feed system & drive shaft
My machine ( of this pattern) dates from 1959, although a light machine it is handy, It is 6" stroke, but I feel work up to 4"" length is enough for it I use it fairly often for planing small items of work For which it is ideal, On cast iron & bronze work excellent.
 
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