Shaper - DIY?

Marco Bernardini

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I see many of you are enthusiast about shapers.
I don't have spare space/time/money for a "real" shaper, but I see sometimes they can be pretty useful.
I can't use my faithful drill press to make everything: a fly cutter on it would rather become a moth cutter, and milled dovetails would resemble vulturtails
Since I don't machine steel or cast iron, but just some aluminum and plastic, I think this one could be fine for me: http://www.lathes.co.uk/adeptshaper/ but I guess it would be hard to find one for a low price. Anyway, the design of it is pretty straightforward, so I think I can build something similar, soon or later.
Of course, without a shaper, I can't machine the dovetails of the ram: it's a sort of Catch 22 situation.
Do you think to have the ram running on linear bearings like the SBRxxUU mounted over a steel plate would be reasonable, to machine mainly soft materials?
TIA!
Marco
 
Gary Martin has a good machine for your needs but you will need to machine the castings. His castings are very good. You may want to consider an atlas shaper, several usually listed on Ebay. I have an Atlas shaper that is used for making parts when I don't want to make or buy a special cutter for the mill. There is a group on line about the shaper. Have fun!
 
I see many of you are enthusiast about shapers.
I don't have spare space/time/money for a "real" shaper, but I see sometimes they can be pretty useful.
I can't use my faithful drill press to make everything: a fly cutter on it would rather become a moth cutter, and milled dovetails would resemble vulturtails
Since I don't machine steel or cast iron, but just some aluminum and plastic, I think this one could be fine for me: http://www.lathes.co.uk/adeptshaper/ but I guess it would be hard to find one for a low price. Anyway, the design of it is pretty straightforward, so I think I can build something similar, soon or later.
Of course, without a shaper, I can't machine the dovetails of the ram: it's a sort of Catch 22 situation.
Do you think to have the ram running on linear bearings like the SBRxxUU mounted over a steel plate would be reasonable, to machine mainly soft materials?
TIA!
Marco

That's a lovely little machine.
 
This is a good opportunity to post this info for a different set of plans that are available for a DIY shaper, but these one's require more than a drill press to fabricate.

6 Inch Fabricated Shaper - From Pootatuck Design.jpg.

The plans can be D/L from " Home Model Engine Machinist " you'll need to sign up first, theres 3 files.
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/
Shaper, 6 inch part 1
Shaper, 6 inch part 2
Shaper, 6 inch part 3

You can find the original plans at " Projects In Metal " if your setup for doing castings, and again you'll need to sign up first.
6 Inch Stroke Bench Crank Shaper - Pootatuck Design
http://www.projectsinmetal.com/login/

Sorry I don't want to post the files or direct D/L links just in case that's a no no.:))

6 Inch Fabricated Shaper - From Pootatuck Design.jpg
 
Have a look here, there is plans for a shaper " Build a Small Metal Shaper Plans " it's all bolt together if I remember correctly, have a look around this site there's other plans as well.

http://www.vintageprojects.com/

How to Build a Manual Metal Shaper Plans

Thanks for the link, Don. It was that one which actually gave me the idea to build one.
The second one you linked is nice, but far beyond my skills!


Gary Martin has a good machine for your needs but you will need to machine the castings. His castings are very good. You may want to consider an atlas shaper, several usually listed on Ebay. I have an Atlas shaper that is used for making parts when I don't want to make or buy a special cutter for the mill. There is a group on line about the shaper. Have fun!

Do you have an idea of the shipping cost to Italy for an Atlas shaper?
For a Shars 3" toolmaker vise, priced $45 on fleaBay, I'd have to pay $66.85 for the shipping… for a whole shaper it would be cheaper to rent a whole cargo ship :nuts:
 
I see many of you are enthusiast about shapers.
I don't have spare space/time/money for a "real" shaper, but I see sometimes they can be pretty useful.
I can't use my faithful drill press to make everything: a fly cutter on it would rather become a moth cutter, and milled dovetails would resemble vulturtails
Since I don't machine steel or cast iron, but just some aluminum and plastic, I think this one could be fine for me: http://www.lathes.co.uk/adeptshaper/ but I guess it would be hard to find one for a low price. Anyway, the design of it is pretty straightforward, so I think I can build something similar, soon or later.
Of course, without a shaper, I can't machine the dovetails of the ram: it's a sort of Catch 22 situation.
Do you think to have the ram running on linear bearings like the SBRxxUU mounted over a steel plate would be reasonable, to machine mainly soft materials?
TIA!
Marco
Don't use dovetails, use flat ways as Dave Gingery does in his series of projects. His book, "The Metal Shaper" has all the details of flat ways.
 
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