Atlas 7b Shaper Question

Sandia

Sandia

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I came across an Atlas7B shaper on Craigs list. The owner rebuilds old iron in his spare time, he is a machinist for one of the local refineries. He is asking $1000.oo obo for the shaper and comes with tooling, he has ground the vise and other repairs. He will run the machine for me if I come look at it. Has all the original guards and original crank handle.

Really don't have a need for it, but it does interest me. What say you guys, what would you offer ?
 
For a totally rebuilt Shaper, yes I would pay that it I had it lying around.
 
I'm not really sure what having a need for a small shaper has to do with your decision. :) I've seen those sell higher than that. I don't think $1000 is really out of line for a fairly complete good running little machine. If you want to play the game offer 10% less. If it were me, I'd give him his price, then try to make a friend (sounds like he would be a good guy to know and may be able to find other items you'd be interested and might be open to giving you a hand from time to time).
 
For a rebuilt/restored machine, tooling and a demo... Less than the asking price may border an insult. He may decide to show you the door and not talk to you.
 
Atlas equipment nearly always sells at higher prices than heavier machines,even though they are not as good. This is because many amateur machinists and old people are afraid of trying to deal with weight. I recall when I got my Jet 10"X24",it was a big deal in my mind to move it into place. But,that place meant going through the living room over the carpet.

That's another reason Atlas stuff sells better: Limited shop space. 2 houses ago I had a shop space about 10'x6'. I had a lathe in there,drill press,Burke #4 milling machine,a work bench,a die filer and a bench grinder. I had a space a little over 2' wide down the middle. I did some of my very best work in that little shop. Well,I was a LOT younger!! My first mill was an Atlas horizontal. It would cut brass o.k.,but except for slitting saws you could forget it! I did not have the outboard support from the arbor to the end of the knee. That would have helped. But less than a year later I had the Burke #4,which was a real machine,if small.

Those Atlas shapers are cute little beasts! I actually had one for a time in the toolmaker's shop,given to the shop. But,I traded it off without ever using it. Is it worth the money? Probably is if you compare what imports you can get for the money. And,shapers,though outmoded by modern industry,will do certain things that a mill won't do: like cutting keyways inside of holes in gears and pulleys. If you have no other means of milling metal,I'm sure you will use it.

CHECK ALL THE GEARS and make sure none of them are stripped out as they may well be Zamak. I recall another feature that is very fuzzy in my head: The gear box that controls the sideways feed of the table. It is attached to the side of the main casting;I think earlier models had a stronger casting enclosing the gears. Later ones had a Zamak casting prone to break. Look out for that. On the shapers I have seen,the mechanism for feeding the table sideways is a WEAK point.



I would say,just from looking at the Atlas shaper I had,their shaper is a stouter machine than the horizontal mill.

Too bad you are so far away. I have a much heavier shaper I'd sell for $500.00. I have 3 mills and just don't need it. I also have the shaper attachment for a Bridgeport.
 
I would say it depends on what shape it is in, what tooling comes with it and how much you want it. For that price, a vise is a must. Tool holders at that price should be included. Rotary table or indexing attachment or both would make it well worth the price. I don't know what prices are like in Texas, here in CA, that machine in good running, clean condition with a vise and toolholder might bring that much. That being said, I purchased mine here for 500, but it was not running and needed some disasembly and cleanup, but no parts, to be a fine running machine. As for the Zamac parts, the internal gears on the shaper are steel, as far as I know the only Zamac part on that machine (besides the handles) is the cross feed ratchet housing. That part can get broken in moving the machine or if the table is allowed to go all the way against a stop with the feed on, and it is expensive to replace. I don't use mine a lot, but I have done some small jobs on it. Just put a flat "knurl" on some feet for a larger shaper with it and it did a fine job. In it's size class I would say it's one of the heavier built machines. I have seen an AMMCO shaper, it it looked like a toy compared to the Atlas 7B. I have heard that the Southbend is simmilar in size to the AMMCO. Of course, the Southbends target audience at the time was vocational schools, so it didn't have to be incredibly capable from a heaviness standpoint for success. Good luck, whatever you decide.
 
If Sandia passes on it...:drool::drool::drool: Only problem, I'm short on money...:bawling:
 
Thanks all for the feed back, informative as usual. As I said I really don't need it as I have a nice knee mill but that kind of doesn't matter I understand, if you want it. Anyway, the machine comes with a nice vice, recently reground and squared up, lots of hss tooling some new blanks, several tool holders. It has not been repainted, which really doesn't bother me. His add states "OBO", so he is looking for an offer. I told him I would contact him Monday and meet him for a demo, then we will see.

Thanks again fellows, you are always a help.
 
Make an offer, the worst he could say is "NO". Just don't make it too low if you ever hope to do a deal with this man in the future...
 
Or OBO I'll take the 1200 offer over your 900(biding invite) Make a friend sounds like he has resources.
 
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