Sheldon toolroom shaper

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Machines like this have been finding their way to the scrap yard at a silly pace, so I thought I post up and argue a shaper is far from worthless. There was a saying “you could make almost anything but money with a shaper”, true enough if that’s all you have. Serious tool shops still use planers and shapers for squaring and quick reduction of flat surfaces.I’ll set mine up and just walk away and do something while it’s running, if a cut takes 15 minutes who cares. There are several benefits; (1) tooling is just dirt cheap (2) since the cut is usually a straight shear with the grain, cupping and bowing is never an issue (3) finishes and tolerances can rival a commercial grind. And probably the best for me is a shaper sings a great lullaby in the shop (it’ll make you sleepy if you stand there and watch it for long).Also for the millmen out there wondering if those funny looking tapered hold downs for small pieces work, YOU BET! You can get a pretty good look at them here. And the copper mallet is NOT used to tighten the vise, I just tap the work clamps with the handle usually.Anyway, I have some straps and clamps to make so I made a video… End rant…[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHwHLO-mgao[/ame]MattLast edited by Matt_Maguire; 03-14-2011 at 12:18 AM.
Reply:Cool machine!!I would have NEVER known what it done if not for the video. I am assuming you can turn off the table feed to make it cut a slot or a groove also?
Reply:making it into the scrapyard!!?!?!?!  Shapers are impossible to find where I am for any kind of reasonable price.  You ever find one in il that I can get shipped to WA for a decent price, let me know...I'll definitely save it from the scrapyard Great video by the way, love seeing shapers at work--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Originally Posted by larpheadCool machine!!I would have NEVER known what it done if not for the video. I am assuming you can turn off the table feed to make it cut a slot or a groove also?