My “new” Atlas 7b Shaper

[Defender92]

I just picked up 4 machines on Facebook for a deal I could not pass up. Included was a Atlas 7b shaper. I have been wanting one of these for a long while!

However after getting it home and doing more reading I’m not sure if it’s more of a cool machine than a practical machine???

I’m limited on space in my garage. My shop is currently a hobby shop but I plan on making my shop a gunsmith machine shop. Mostly focused on barrel work (contouring, cutting and precision threading). Will this shaper serve any practical use in my shop??

It appears mostly complete. It’s missing a vise, ram clamp, door and left side belt cover.

I also can’t get it to move. The motor works just fine but the ram won’t move. Am I missing something??

See my YouTube video

 

[bukwirm]

A mill can do pretty much anything a shaper can do faster, so it's probably more cool than practical (assuming you have a mill, of course). Probably the biggest advantage for a shaper in a hobby shop is that you can grind custom tooling relatively cheaply and easily, since you just need HSS tool blanks.

The ram stroke is adjustable - make sure it is not adjusted to 0.

Unfortunately shaper vises are a little hard to find, but you could make do with a normal milling vise. You'll probably have to stalk Ebay for the other missing parts, or make your own.

 

[Defender92]

A mill can do pretty much anything a shaper can do faster, so it's probably more cool than practical (assuming you have a mill, of course). Probably the biggest advantage for a shaper in a hobby shop is that you can grind custom tooling relatively cheaply and easily, since you just need HSS tool blanks.

The ram stroke is adjustable - make sure it is not adjusted to 0.

Unfortunately shaper vises are a little hard to find, but you could make do with a normal milling vise. You'll probably have to stalk Ebay for the other missing parts, or make your own.

Thanks! I will check the ram stroke.

 

[wrat]

There are several big advantages of a shaper.
But first, we must assume the ram is ACCURATE. A good, straight, ram with no runout (or nearly none) is the heart and soul of a shaper.
Once you get that figured out, it's great.
In addition to the good points above:
With single point tooling, the shaper can cut that groove, face, shelf, or whatever as accurate, or more, than the average mill.
But you can just let it run. It might take an hour to traverse across a big flat piece. Okay, you can find something more productive to do while the thing claps in the background. Often, a shaper operation can be preparation to a light skim mill cut later.
Generally, you don't run coolant. So less mess there. Though some guys will mist a bit and that's fine.
Your lathe tooling can do double duty.
And for my money, the best part is that the workpiece doesn't get near as hot. Properly setup, the heat literally leaves with the chip, at least mostly.
I don't have one any longer, but I miss the more phlegmatic approach to metal working that a shaper provides.

 

[benmychree]

As others have observed, "you can make anything but money with a shaper". And the smaller it is the more true it is.

 

[Technical Ted]

I love my shaper, but pretty much only use it for internal keyways (I've done tapered bore and straight), an odd ball internal spline coupling, odd angle dovetails, etc.. I would use one of my mills for straight, flat mill work, etc.. If you have the room it might proof to be useful for you, but if you are limited just get it running and sell it, especially if you don't already have a mill. The shaper does have some unique uses in a hobby shop and they are fun to run!

Ted

 

[pacifica]

For how often you use a shaper and the room it takes up seems like there are a number of alternatives: Keyway broaches, rotary broaches, square push broaches and various setups on lathes using a cutting tool in a boring bar and moving the carriage in and out.

 

[tweinke]

It is excellent for cleaning up metal, removing mill scale and rust. Squaring up stock. It can run in the background with very little attention to it. But my favorite thing is it is calming to hear and watch. With decent tool grinds leaves a nice surface finish too. Is a mill faster? Probably but tooling cost is almost nil.

 

[Janderso]

As others have observed, "you can make anything but money with a shaper". And the smaller it is the more true it is.

How big is your shaper John? 24”?

 

[pontiac428]

However after getting it home and doing more reading I’m not sure if it’s more of a cool machine than a practical machine???

I’m limited on space in my garage. My shop is currently a hobby shop but I plan on making my shop a gunsmith machine shop. Mostly focused on barrel work (contouring, cutting and precision threading). Will this shaper serve any practical use in my shop??

I would think a shaper would open up some possibilities for a gunsmith, particularly when it comes to making parts for pre-CNC guns. It could be useful for shaped bores with sharp internal corners that can't be milled, slots, bolt raceways, stuff like that.