My “new” Atlas 7b Shaper

[wa5cab]

Shapers today tend to suffer suffer from "bad press". Statements like "a shaper can make almost anything in the shop except money". However,
I suspect that the advent of cheap Chinese mills had more ti do with the decrease in popularity than anything else. And the fact that a vertical can double as a drill press thus possibly saving time. But it isn't fair or correct to say that given a job that either a shaper could do that the mill will always be faster. Because it could depend upon the relative horsepower available. And maybe whether or not there was any drilling or tapping to be performed. However, if you expect to mostly be doing barrel work, I can't think of any operations that could be done on a shaper unless you include receivers.

 

[Defender92]

I got her running! I’m guessing it just got gummed up from sitting. I oiled it and operated it by hand until it was really smooth.

See my new video I just uploaded

Now I’m starting to think the current motor is a replacement and doesn’t have enough horsepower? It’s running just fine in the video but if I adjust the pulley onto pretty much any other position it stalls the motor. And also I have hardly any room to adjust the pulley. It’s a B word getting it around the power feed shaft. Is that normal??




As you can see in the video the shaper and table bounce quite a bit. I repainted the ram guard and right side pulley guard. I’m waiting on them to dry before I reinstall. They weigh maybe 20-30 pounds all together. I’m hoping this might balance it out?? Any other ideas?? Is this common???

So I’m planning on getting her up and running. Then learn how to use it and mess around with it. If I can find ANY use for it I’m keeping it. I just love this thing. But if not I’m sadly going to have to part with it. Space is critical. My home shop (aka “hopefully soon weekend business and eventually retirement job”) will mostly focus on barrel work (if I find it to be a profitable business) but I also have a CNC plasma cutter and plan on making artsy and unique stuff. Maybe the shaper will prove useful

 

[ErichKeane]

I LOVE to use a shaper for the castings, stuff that would destroy a carbide endmill (or even HSS) get slowly/deliberately removed on the shaper. Additionally, it can do some things that require a REALLY expensive tool to do (such as splines, oddball sized broaching, dovetails, etc), so i like mine (though mine is 28"!). Another thing it can be useful for is a convex angle less than 90 degrees. Those tend to require oddball sizes, which gets to be a pain.

The ability to just let it 'run' and be done with it is SUPER handy. I can often let it just run for a while while working on other things, cleaning up a casting I'm going to use 'later'.

I WILL say, the little ones do a fantastic job on a lot of the little oddball features, so I might suggest that IT might be more useful for you due to the size.

As far as the motor: The 1/3 motor was one of the ones spec'ed for that machine originally (1/3 or 1/2). I suspect you might have some gummed up shafts or surfaces in desperate need of a clean/oiling (particularly the ram?) that might be making this not work. My 7B with a 1/3 HP motor was able to make some significant cuts at any belt position.

The bouncing might just need to to be put on feet of some sort, it looks like where it is sitting is a little wobbly? Either way, it wouldn't be a problem, I might suggest just getting it on rubber feet.

 

[Defender92]

I LOVE to use a shaper for the castings, stuff that would destroy a carbide endmill (or even HSS) get slowly/deliberately removed on the shaper. Additionally, it can do some things that require a REALLY expensive tool to do (such as splines, oddball sized broaching, dovetails, etc), so i like mine (though mine is 28"!). Another thing it can be useful for is a convex angle less than 90 degrees. Those tend to require oddball sizes, which gets to be a pain.

The ability to just let it 'run' and be done with it is SUPER handy. I can often let it just run for a while while working on other things, cleaning up a casting I'm going to use 'later'.

I WILL say, the little ones do a fantastic job on a lot of the little oddball features, so I might suggest that IT might be more useful for you due to the size.

As far as the motor: The 1/3 motor was one of the ones spec'ed for that machine originally (1/3 or 1/2). I suspect you might have some gummed up shafts or surfaces in desperate need of a clean/oiling (particularly the ram?) that might be making this not work. My 7B with a 1/3 HP motor was able to make some significant cuts at any belt position.

The bouncing might just need to to be put on feet of some sort, it looks like where it is sitting is a little wobbly? Either way, it wouldn't be a problem, I might suggest just getting it on rubber feet.

Thanks for helping me try to decide to keep it!

If I do keep it I’m going to make a caster base with adjustable feet like this one I made for my Clausing 8520.



Hopefully that might add some weight and slightly widen it’s footprint.

 

[ErichKeane]

The widened footprint, especially if bolted to that, is likely a great idea.

 

[C-Bag]

My 7b shaper has come in very handy and I’ve not even gotten around to doing what I thought I wanted it for, cutting dovetail’s. The shaper is definitely not the fastest machine in the arsenal but it is one of the cheapest to run if you grind you’re own HSS bits like I do. it also puts out the nicest finish only beaten by a surface grinder. I’ve done setups on it that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my mill/drill. Really the only limit is the creativity of the operator. I also love I can set it up to do a cut and go do something else. Many a time I’ve had my shaper, vertical bandsaw and horizontal bandsaw all going at the same time. Basically feeding parts to each other. FYI I run mine at the slowest speed as it produces the best finish.

 

[Defender92]

My 7b shaper has come in very handy and I’ve not even gotten around to doing what I thought I wanted it for, cutting dovetail’s. The shaper is definitely not the fastest machine in the arsenal but it is one of the cheapest to run if you grind you’re own HSS bits like I do. it also puts out the nicest finish only beaten by a surface grinder. I’ve done setups on it that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my mill/drill. Really the only limit is the creativity of the operator. I also love I can set it up to do a cut and go do something else. Many a time I’ve had my shaper, vertical bandsaw and horizontal bandsaw all going at the same time. Basically feeding parts to each other. FYI I run mine at the slowest speed as it produces the best finish.

Well you guys are doing a good job helping me decide to keep it

I’m going to sell off the other tools I have no use for in the package deal. Then start getting the 7b in tip top shape and replacing the missing pieces.

The only other machine that I had on my list that I haven’t got yet is a small horizontal mill like an atlas one.

 

[Technical Ted]

It looks like the belt between the motor and the jackshaft is way too loose... it might be slipping and moving the motor back to tighten the belt might give you more room to change belt positions on the jackshaft. Also, the speed you are running in the video is WAY fast! I've never run my Rhodes anywhere near that speed... You most likely don't have all four corners of the base hitting the floor solidly. If you make the base more sturdy and slow it down I think you'll have better results.

I always run mine slow enough that I can keep my hand on the head vertical feed and manually feed it down while cutting a slot, dovetail, vertical or angled slope. They are not meant to be fast!!! And keep that ram well lubed!

What I found works GREAT for me is I replaced the motor that someone had mounted on my Rhodes (originally a line shaft drive system) with an oversized (3/4HP) 3 phase motor with a VFD. I can run it anywhere from super slow to way to fast! It's really nice being able to tweak the pot and get the Goldilocks speed! The oversized motor helps when running slow so not to stress the motor much at slower RPMs.

On shapers this size I usually see 1/2HP motors from my experience. A 1/3 HP split phase motor may not be the best choice, but it shouldn't stall just by running the machine with no cut...

Ted

 

[Technical Ted]

Do a search on this site for shapers... you'll find several posts by me and others. Here are a couple of mine:

More shaper fun! Making internal splines.

The longer I have it, the more I love my little Rhodes shaper! What a handy machine to have in the shop. I needed to make two internal spline hubs for a fellow machinist I know that's an odd size. Both he and I searched, but couldn't find generic hubs for a 1-3/8" OD x 10 involute spline shaft...

www.hobby-machinist.com

Rhodes shaper - Impossible dovetail puzzles

My little 7" Rhodes has been busy. This makes 5 of these puzzles I have made. They are very popular with family and friends! Ted

www.hobby-machinist.com

Cutting tapered keyways with my Rhodes shaper

Man I love my little Rhodes shaper! It's a very handy item to have in a shop and the size is perfect for the bulk of the work I do. I only got one right hand grinding wheel adaptor with my Cincinnati #1 tool and cutter grinder so I decided to make 6 of them; 3 right handed and 3 left. They are...

www.hobby-machinist.com

Have fun with it!
Ted

 

[wachuko]

...The only other machine that I had on my list that I haven’t got yet is a small horizontal mill like an atlas one.

I have no need for one... but I want one just for how cool they look... Too bad the amount folks want for those is ridiculous... or I should say, outside of what I am willing to pay...