# Atlas shaper $300 new craislist



## Diecutter (Jun 8, 2020)

Just saw this as it may be of interest to someone.  Located south of Harrisburg, Pa.


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## Tim9 (Jun 8, 2020)

Wow...the vise is worth 300.00 
Well...maybe not worth 300 but those vises do sell for 300 on EBay.  That’s a steal. I’m not real familiar with Atlas shapers but it looks more durable than what I thought the Atlas looked like.


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## pontiac428 (Jun 8, 2020)

Looks like some deviant Amish fella had himself some power equipment in his barn!


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## benmychree (Jun 8, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> Looks like some deviant Amish fella had himself some power equipment in his barn!


I think those two shiny pickups show that this dude is not Amish, maybe not even a Mennonite.


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## pontiac428 (Jun 8, 2020)

I thought the pickups belonged to buyers lined up to get a look at the legendary 7" shaper!


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## benmychree (Jun 8, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> I thought the pickups belonged to buyers lined up to get a look at the legendary 7" shaper!


Why did I not think of that!


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## Diecutter (Jun 8, 2020)

benmychree said:


> Why did I not think of that!


So, is it a deal or a boat anchor?  There are more photos with the Craigslist posting.  Just curious as I've been following the couple of 7B restoration threads on this site.


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## pontiac428 (Jun 8, 2020)

@Diecutter, that shaper looks like it would clean up nicely and all of the parts are present.   From my armchair, it appears to be a great project.  One in repainted condition has been listed in my area for $2000 until recently.  Usually I see Atlases in the $1300-2400 range with no major differences between them.  If that were near to me, I'd have already beaten you to the door with my $300!


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## Diecutter (Jun 8, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> @Diecutter, that shaper looks like it would clean up nicely and all of the parts are present.   From my armchair, it appears to be a great project.  One in repainted condition has been listed in my area for $2000 until recently.  Usually I see Atlases in the $1300-2400 range with no major differences between them.  If that were near to me, I'd have already beaten you to the door with my $300!


Thanks for the input. Appreciated.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jun 8, 2020)

at least he didn't sling it up by the chain 

i wish i was closer, not that i need a second small shaper


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## benmychree (Jun 8, 2020)

I have always thought of small shapers as one of the least useful things in a shop, I was told that they were made for training purposes more than any production capability.


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## Cooter Brown (Jun 8, 2020)

I love my Atlas 7b Shaper! This one looks to be about the same age as mine.... It has the front table support and the Z axis control screw is very short like mine, later models have an extra long Z axis screw.... Cleaned and painted this machine will sell for $1500-2000....


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## C-Bag (Jun 8, 2020)

Diecutter said:


> So, is it a deal or a boat anchor?  There are more photos with the Craigslist posting.  Just curious as I've been following the couple of 7B restoration threads on this site.


At $300 I don’t think you’d get hurt that bad. Like you said you could put the vise on EBay and get your $$ back. The ratchet box is atleast $100-200, you never see them on eBay. Condition it’s hard to tell. If that’s old crusty oil it’ll clean up nice, if it’s been outside and that straight up rust you might be in trouble.


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## C-Bag (Jun 8, 2020)

I love my 7b but never would have paid $1500-2000 for it. Mine was complete except for the motor pulley cover. So far it’s only cost me a motor started cap and I found the motor belt cover for it on eBay. It was a real cast iron one! The motor pulley cover is essential if you want the clutch to work right.

 I don’t do big stuff so it’s useful for me and doesn’t take up much space.


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## Aaron_W (Jun 8, 2020)

Worst case parting it out would easily recover the $300 and then some. 



C-Bag said:


> I love my 7b but never would have paid $1500-2000 for it. Mine was complete except for the motor pulley cover. So far it’s only cost me a motor started cap and I found the motor belt cover for it on eBay. It was a real cast iron one! The motor pulley cover is essential if you want the clutch to work right.
> 
> I don’t do big stuff so it’s useful for me and doesn’t take up much space.




Agree, they are neat but many are asking prices well beyond their actual utility. I see them asking as much as $2000-3000 but don't know anyone who has actually paid much more than $1000, and many who have gotten them for much less. 
I'm guessing if they actually sell at $2000+ it is to people with a lot more money than patience.


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## C-Bag (Jun 9, 2020)

benmychree said:


> I have always thought of small shapers as one of the least useful things in a shop, I was told that they were made for training purposes more than any production capability.


I can see how that could be true. With all my machines it’s ALL about initial cost verses what it costs to bring it up to spec verses cost to run and maintain. Oh, and how much room it takes up!

That’s why $1500+ doesn’t make sense to me and that has become even more clear after having and using it. It’s almost impossible to do all that factoring with no experience. It just oozes Old Iron cool though. So I can see there is other reasons folks would want one.  

I knew of one way it would be useful to me and so it got put on my long range watch list. Almost all metal I find here for cheap is heavily rusted/corroded and through all my research that was one thing a shaper does well. Is resurface not only cheaply, but as close to a surface grinder finish as I can get. I was insanely lucky to find mine in a huge estate sale soon after at a price I couldn’t walk from so it seemed somehow destined. I have ended up using it as much as my lathe and mill which is not everyday but it fits my work pattern and envelope. And with these insane prices( if they actually do sell as I see them sit for a long time) even if I ask for half as much I’ll come out way ahead.


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## ThinWoodsman (Jun 9, 2020)

I would highly recommend these small shapers for a hobbyist shop. They don't take a lot of space, they are pretty quiet, the mess is easy to contain, the tooling is cheap. They are fantastic for trueing stock, since you can start it going and then turn your attention to a mill or lathe setup while it runs. 

Not at the "going rate", though. $1500 is a bit much. For a turnkey (plop it down and start making chips) machine, maybe $1000. Completely perfect, say with rotary table and vise and dividing head and cabinet, $1200. I paid something like 650 for mine, with vise and cabinet, without a working motor but demonstrably functional (by turning the crank with the belt off). 

Definitely not worth getting if there is no autofeed.


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## ErichKeane (Jun 9, 2020)

benmychree said:


> I have always thought of small shapers as one of the least useful things in a shop, I was told that they were made for training purposes more than any production capability.



I am actually quite impressed with my Atlas 7B.  The cuts it can take, and the quality of finish and accuracy is quite amazing.  I really thought that this was going to be the equivilent of a benchtop-mill or a mini-lathe, but I'm finding its probably closer to about a 10" lathe/small mill in comparison.  It is obviously not a 22" Cincinnati, but it is equally as capable as a 10" Logan lathe. (If this comparison makes sense).



Aaron_W said:


> Worst case parting it out would easily recover the $300 and then some.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I just paid $1200 for mine   Apparently Abom using one a bunch lately has inflated the prices a ton, so ones in good shape are getting expensive.  Fortunately the seller didn't get any bites at $2k, and decided to just counter offer my $1000 offer.


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## Cooter Brown (Jun 9, 2020)

Most of you guys don't seem to understand that YouTube videos make everyone with a tool shed want one....  This and the fact that there aren't very many of them makes the price go up..... I only paid $800 for mine.... but it's good to know I can sell it for $1500+ if I need to..... No other machine I have has a resale value that keeps going up....


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## ErichKeane (Jun 9, 2020)

Cooter Brown said:


> Most of you guys don't seem to understand that YouTube videos make everyone with a tool shed want one....  This and the fact that there aren't very many of them makes the price go up..... I only paid $800 for mine.... but it's good to know I can sell it for $1500+ if I need to..... No other machine I have has a resale value that keeps going up....


Certainly worked on me  I got into "gotta have one" mode, despite convincing myself away from one for years. I likely could have bought an arbor press and a lifetime worth of broaches (justified it internally as an internal keyway cutter) for what I paid for it.

But it's fun!


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## Aaron_W (Jun 9, 2020)

ErichKeane said:


> I am actually quite impressed with my Atlas 7B.  The cuts it can take, and the quality of finish and accuracy is quite amazing.  I really thought that this was going to be the equivilent of a benchtop-mill or a mini-lathe, but I'm finding its probably closer to about a 10" lathe/small mill in comparison.  It is obviously not a 22" Cincinnati, but it is equally as capable as a 10" Logan lathe. (If this comparison makes sense).
> 
> 
> 
> I just paid $1200 for mine   Apparently Abom using one a bunch lately has inflated the prices a ton, so ones in good shape are getting expensive.  Fortunately the seller didn't get any bites at $2k, and decided to just counter offer my $1000 offer.




I was actually thinking of you with that not much more than $1000 comment, I didn't remember what you paid but knew it was in the $1000-ish ballpark. I've seen a few others online who paid similar prices. I've not seen anybody admitting to paying the $2000+ some sellers claim they can get.


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## Cooter Brown (Jun 10, 2020)

I'm using my Atlas shaper right now to repair a gear for the Monarch Lathe I just bought.... I don't own a single involute cutter....

Anyone that says a shaper is useless is just jealous because he doesn't have one....


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## Cooter Brown (Jun 10, 2020)

It's not perfect but I didn't really try that hard just eyeballed it..... but it seems to work without any issues.....


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## ErichKeane (Jun 10, 2020)

Cooter Brown said:


> I'm using my Atlas shaper right now to repair a gear for the Monarch Lathe I just bought.... I don't own a single involute cutter....
> 
> Anyone that says a shaper is useless is just jealous because he doesn't have one....


Are you saying you cut that involute on a shaper?  Are you using the involute jig with the string?  Can you show pictures of your setup?


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## Bi11Hudson (Jun 10, 2020)

That's the whole point to a shaper. You grind whatever shape on a cutter, and a shaper cuts it. It doesn't cut anything in a hurry, granted. But it's as near a universal machine as you could ask, just after a lathe. For a non-machinist, think of it as a pencil VS a fancy ink jet printer.

I bought mine before I bought a mill. Didn't know what I was doing, but glad I did. It's the reason Gingery had a shaper as his second build. And a mill at number 4 or so.

.


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## ErichKeane (Jun 10, 2020)

I was more asking if he did this: http://www.eurospares.com/graphics/Tools/shapers/shaper gear cut.pdf

I realize you can grind your own cutter, but freehand grinding gear cutters are pretty challenging to get right.  The above thing lets you just cut 2 flat edges plus a flat face, and let it go.  I've been wanting to do it, but the design in that book is a little cheapy looking.  I was wondering if he built a better one : )


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## Cooter Brown (Jun 10, 2020)

ErichKeane said:


> Are you saying you cut that involute on a shaper?  Are you using the involute jig with the string?  Can you show pictures of your setup?




Lol I put the part in the vise and eyeballed the cutter into position then plunged it down rotate the part do it again....
No pictures...... I freehanded the tool on the bench grinder and kept fitting it to the part. Took me maybe 10 minutes to grind the tool....


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## ErichKeane (Jun 10, 2020)

Well shucks... That tool seems super cool/useful so I'm tempted to make one, but have been looking for a less janky looking setup


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## C-Bag (Jun 10, 2020)

JBFromOZ did such a setup several years ago but deleted it unfortunately I’ve not had time to read through the one you posted but the major difference is the feed. I’m just going off what I remember, but that toothed setup was not attached to the wire on JB’s. It wrapped around the the base diameter disk and rotated the gear blank through  when the table was moved. There was a separate piece that indexed the work to the next tooth. Done right, it’s not janky at all and made a really nice gear.


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## ErichKeane (Jun 10, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> JBFromOZ did such a setup several years ago but deleted it unfortunately I’ve not had time to read through the one you posted but the major difference is the feed. I’m just going off what I remember, but that toothed setup was not attached to the wire on JB’s. It wrapped around the the base diameter disk and rotated the gear blank through  when the table was moved. There was a separate piece that indexed the work to the next tooth. Done right, it’s not janky at all and made a really nice gear.



Yeah, I saw that video too.  I don't remember, but there was at least 1 setup on youtube that was the wire clamped to the edge of the table.  Seems like too much to go wrong.  

BTW, Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAQog8q6pOF0HLDRZ8Z_f3UEs62ZR8OAz


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## C-Bag (Jun 10, 2020)

Thanks for posting that link, glad it’s still somewhere. Granted it’s not as clean as doing it with just a index head and cutters. But if you’ve ever wrapped a wire a cable around something under tension you know how solid it can be if done right. If I needed to make a gear I’d want to try it.


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## ErichKeane (Jun 10, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> Thanks for posting that link, glad it’s still somewhere. Granted it’s not as clean as doing it with just a index head and cutters. But if you’ve ever wrapped a wire a cable around something under tension you know how solid it can be if done right. If I needed to make a gear I’d want to try it.



Yeah, I don't have a need to make any gears (I have cutters for the only 2 I've ever made), but I kinda wanted to have the tooling ready in case I ever DID need to  It would help avoid the temptation to just buy a cutter for my mill.


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## C-Bag (Jun 10, 2020)

My only reservation about the setup is dealing with a big diameter gear. I guess you could put a spacer under the arbor or whatever you call the main piece. But the one problem you can’t get around with the 7b is work height. And knowing my luck whatever I make when I need to cut a gear it will be .250 too small.


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## Buffalo21 (Jun 10, 2020)

I have an Atlas 7B, I bought from an estate sale of an retired New Holland engineer, in PA, for $500, it had sat in his garage for about 20 yrs under a oil tarp, it looks almost pristine. I’ve had it for roughly 10 yrs and have used it 3 times, is there anything it can do, that. I can’t do with other tools, no, but damn, its fun to watch. Do I feel I need it??, NO, will I sell it, ?? NO.


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## Aaron_W (Jun 10, 2020)

Kind of drifting from the CL ad, but... For me part of my enjoyment is learning how stuff works. I don't expect my machines to make money for me, but they do need to amuse me. 
I could probably get by making stuff with just a lathe, vertical mill and a band saw. The other machines earn their keep by teaching me other ways to do stuff, and in many cases just the act of watching them work, shapers and power hack saws are almost hypnotic.


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