What to buy next? Shaper vs. Surf grinder vs. Tool Cutter grinder?

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stioc

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So after equipping yourself with the basics as in my signature what do you consider to be the next most useful tool if you could buy just one?

I know many consider shapers too old, in fact, all three of these tools could be called 'special interest' as opposed to 'general interest' tools but at some point I'd want all three...not sure why other than to just have them :D
 
Picked up an Ammco shaper last fall and it has since become my favorite machine.
* doesn't require firing up the 3-phase
* uses HSS toolbits like a lathe
* you set it up and walk away
* it's surprisingly quiet
* the mess is easily contained
Don't have room for a surface grinder and consider tool-cutter grinders too pricey, so have no opinion on those.
 
I'd want (and do have ) all three; I do not consider small shapers to be all that useful, as larger ones are, but they do take up space and if space is limited, they might not be the best choice. That said, I think the next choice would be the surface grinder, but if a T&C grinder came along, it could be outfitted to perform surface grinding. T&C grinders can be had relatively cheap, but the tooling required for all but the simplest work adds up quickly and expensively. all that said, I'd go with the surface grinder, hopefully one with automatic (powered) feeds, especially table travel.
 
I have a surface grinder and a shaper. Of the two the surface grinder gets used far more than the shaper. However the shaper comes in handy when it comes time to make internal keyways and splines.

Personally price would dictate whether to buy either. Both happened to fall into my lap at prices I couldn't refuse. The shaper was part of an auction lot from the Badger Army Ammunitions Plant in Baraboo Wisconsin. It was on a pallet with and indexer and bench centers. A friend who was interested in the indexer bought the lot. He knew I was considering a shaper. He offered it to me for less than $200.00, which was what I thought it was worth at the time. However if the price had been closer to what I've seen on eBay or Craigslist I certainly wouldn't have been interested. I couldn't justify spending nearly $1,000.00 for the amount of use it gets.

Likewise the surface grinder came along at a price I couldn't refuse. It was purchased from a contractor that was repairing lower end units for Mercury Marine. He was near retirement and tried limiting the amount of work he was taking on. The company wasn't listening and kept sending him more and more work. He finally sold half the machines in the shop to limit the amount of work he could take on.

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I love shapers, and I have way too many of them, but for my money it's the T&C grinder for usefulness. You can grind flat things, round things and of course tools. Which means you can sharpen lathe tools, milling cutters, end mills, etc. You can even make form cutters. It can pinch hit for a surface grinder. All this assumes you have the right attachments for it, of course. Those can cost as much as the grinder itself, so try to hold out for a package deal with a bunch of accessories with one.
 
I have all 3 and would start with a surface grinder. I used mine, with a cup wheel, for a lot of tool sharpening. They can do more than just grind things flat. But, if I knew I'd eventually have all 3, if a good deal came along on one of the others I would most likely jump on it. I actually bought both my shaper and T&C grinder in the same week because that's when the good deals came up for me. Got both for under $1K combined. That was a good week.

Ted
 
If you go through a lot of cutting tools, gear cutters, end mills, drill bits etc. I would think a tool and cutter grinder would be awful handy.
I have a surface grinder and a 7" shaper. I have never used the shaper and I am a beginner with the SG.
My opinion, surface grinder, tool and cutter grinder, shaper, in that order.
 
I knew I needed a T&C grinder so it was first and had to buy new as no deals around here. The shaper fell into my lap for a song so I couldn't refuse and it has proven to be very useful. For me the surface grinder would be the hardest to justify. And I'm still waiting on the right one. I should have jumped on one that was local for $500 and it sometimes haunts me but I can't say I've not been able to live without one. It's all about what you do.
 
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