# Bed & Bore Mill gets a machine addition!



## wildo (Mar 23, 2017)

I've been watching for one of these to pop up for ages now. Really pumped to have found a South Bend 7" Shaper to add to my machine collection and shop. Everything seems to slide nicely, though it needs a good cleanup. I plan a full restoration anyway, as I have no immediate need to use it. It currently has a 3 Ph motor installed, which I'll remove in favor of a single phase unit I have laying around. This thing won't see enough action to warrant purchasing a VFD, and I think they came with a 1/2 HP 120V motor from the factory anyway. No vice was included, and I think the clapper box is missing a part or two. Otherwise, as far as I can tell, it's all intact. Woohoo! New project!



























Unloading sure was easier than my mill!!










You might be wondering where in the world this will fit in my small shop. For one thing, does it matter? Like everyone of you would- I'll find a spot. Ha! But in fact I do have an idea. This whole cabinet is going away. That cabinet group never panned out quite how I thought it would. Instead, I want to build out a four post table to match the height of the rest of my benches. I will store the shaper on a HF scissor cart, which I'm hoping is rigid enough to use the shaper on as a stand. This will be nice because it can be lowered to the floor and stowed when not needed, and then brought out and lifted up to operational height when desired. The SB stand will be sold, as I have no room or need for it.


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## mikey (Mar 23, 2017)

Why don't you keep the stand - it belongs with that shaper - and send me the Millrite. The shaper would fit right in that corner really well, don't you think?


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## bss1 (Mar 23, 2017)

Wow what a nice looking machine. It looks to be in great shape.  I would try to keep that nice original stand. Looking at your pics, it would appear that by removing the cabinet with the red x you would have more than enough room for it. It looks like the stand has 3 drawers that you will loose for potential storage if you switch it out for a scissor lift.   And on the other hand, I'm not sure what room you would gain with the high/low arrangement, especially considering there is a window partially behind it. Lastly, the stand just looks good with the shaper on top! 

Anyway, just my thoughts on a really cool looking machine. Nice find and score.


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## wildo (Mar 23, 2017)

mikey said:


> Why don't you keep the stand - it belongs with that shaper - and send me the Millrite. The shaper would fit right in that corner really well, don't you think?


LMAO!! You guys are too funny!

I don't know. I'm totally indifferent about the stand. It's really a BIG stand given the small size of the machine. I definitely can't fit the stand in my shop.


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## wildo (Mar 23, 2017)

bss1 said:


> And on the other hand, I'm not sure what room you would gain with the high/low arrangement, especially considering there is a window partially behind it.



I envision a bench under that window to essentially be a working/assembly area for whatever project I'm working on. The toolboxes on the left side of the picture will eventually get built into a bench just like the box on the right side of the picture. I want to basically keep the stuff on the left side there as a "clean" area for measuring/layout kind of stuff. So a bench under that far window gives me an area to work at a bench without the need to keep it super clean.

I really can envision myself making small engine models- steam stuff and whatnot. I can imagine the need to layout some material in one area while working on assembling the model elsewhere. Thus that extra bench.


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## mikey (Mar 23, 2017)

Beautiful find, Wildo. You're assembling quite the little machine shop in that spare room. This takes voyeurism to another level, you know?


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## wildo (Mar 23, 2017)

Doing my best!! It's been a life-long dream; I just decided recently that I don't want to be old, sore, and cranky when I start building a shop. Why not do it now?

Funny story- here's as good a place as any to share. It's no joke when I say life-long dream. I moved to a new town in fourth grade and the school had this killer wood and metal shop. Really top notch stuff. However, they had no teacher with the knowledge to use it all. They could run the wood shop, but not the metal shop. This would be like 1992 or so. I lobbied that small farm-town school to get a metals class my entire time there. Finally my SENIOR year, they decided to offer the class. Guess what- for me being an AP student, the class conflicted with my Government/Economics class. Are you freakin' kidding me!? So yes, I missed out on my only real opportunity to learn about machining in a class environment. I went to college for software engineering, and there was no machine shop there.

This has been a life goal for as long as I can remember. My shop is modest, and I have almost no tooling, but I have the machines and I'm working on it. Not to mention- my shop makes me smile. I think some people thought that the ceiling trim, paint, and wallpaper were silly and over the top for a machine shop- and perhaps they were right- but I learned long ago that your environment can play a HUGE impact on your desire to BE in that environment. My shop makes me smile. And it makes me want to be in there. And it definitely makes me want to make stuff! Huge win in my book.


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## Reeltor (Mar 23, 2017)

I second, or is it 5th or 6th the recommendation to keep the cabinet.  Would it be more inclined to keep it  if you put castors on the cabinet and roll it out of the way when not in use?  If you do sell the cabinet, they (like everything SB) are collectable and command a good price.  

Nice find,


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## woodtickgreg (Mar 23, 2017)

First, congratulations on the shaper score! And a south bend too! I love those machines, they just have such a cool rythem when they are running.
Second, I am with the other guys, you really need to rethink the stand and figure out a way to keep it, or at least store it somewhere. It's a part of that machine. 
I have a Burke no. 4 and don't use the power feed, but I keep it because either myself or someone else that might get the machine from me in the future may want it, again it's part of the machine as it was designed.
Third, awesome shop you have! I like it very much.
It will be fun to watch you fix up that shaper and put her to use. 
Congrats on the find.


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## silverhawk (Mar 23, 2017)

wildo said:


> I envision a bench under that window to essentially be a working/assembly area for whatever project I'm working on. The toolboxes on the left side of the picture will eventually get built into a bench just like the box on the right side of the picture. I want to basically keep the stuff on the left side there as a "clean" area for measuring/layout kind of stuff. So a bench under that far window gives me an area to work at a bench without the need to keep it super clean.
> 
> I really can envision myself making small engine models- steam stuff and whatnot. I can imagine the need to layout some material in one area while working on assembling the model elsewhere. Thus that extra bench.



I would consider a rolling chassis under a few of the stands, then you can slide them out of the way when not in use.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## buggsy (Mar 24, 2017)

Hi, nice grab, I just saw that come up for sale, you jumped right on it. Good job. I just picked one up myself. Been looking for a long time. When you start your rehab pay close attention to the inside mechanism, it will drive you nuts, out and in! By the way, don't listen to them guys, that cabinet dos not fit in your layout. I'll take it off your hands, and save you some room!
Buggsy


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## f350ca (Mar 24, 2017)

Great score on the shaper. I'd keep the stand around till you try it on the scissor lift. The reciprocating mass of the ram needs to be restrained. I had to anchor the Logan stand to the floor to hold it in place when you brought the strokes per minute up.

Greg


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## scwhite (Mar 24, 2017)

wildo said:


> I've been watching for one of these to pop up for ages now. Really pumped to have found a South Bend 7" Shaper to add to my machine collection and shop. Everything seems to slide nicely, though it needs a good cleanup. I plan a full restoration anyway, as I have no immediate need to use it. It currently has a 3 Ph motor installed, which I'll remove in favor of a single phase unit I have laying around. This thing won't see enough action to warrant purchasing a VFD, and I think they came with a 1/2 HP 120V motor from the factory anyway. No vice was included, and I think the clapper box is missing a part or two. Otherwise, as far as I can tell, it's all intact. Woohoo! New project!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like your shop . I have a 7" Southbend Shaper 
Just like yours .
     I just got mine bolted to the floor good and leveled 
I  recommend you bolt it and sucure it good to the floor . I don't see any thing missing on your clapper 
Box but the tool holders . And you can get them 
Easy enough .
     I have been tying to figure out how to post pictures . But have not figured it out yet


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## payner47 (Mar 25, 2017)

I agree with everyone else, nice score.
Keep us posted on your rebuild.


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## wildo (Mar 25, 2017)

Thanks everyone! I really am pumped about this thing. I saw MrPete222 is going to be releasing a video series on making a height gage. The shaper sure would be a nice way to make that base!


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## Downunder Bob (Mar 26, 2017)

wildo said:


> I've been watching for one of these to pop up for ages now. Really pumped to have found a South Bend 7" Shaper to add to my machine collection and shop. Everything seems to slide nicely, though it needs a good cleanup. I plan a full restoration anyway, as I have no immediate need to use it. It currently has a 3 Ph motor installed, which I'll remove in favor of a single phase unit I have laying around. This thing won't see enough action to warrant purchasing a VFD, and I think they came with a 1/2 HP 120V motor from the factory anyway. No vice was included, and I think the clapper box is missing a part or two. Otherwise, as far as I can tell, it's all intact. Woohoo! New project!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What a great and lucky find a beautiful little shaper. If only, ah, but I don't have the room, and a mill would be higher on the I wish list and I don't have room for that either. But if I did have it, I would keep the stand, it would look naked without that lovely stand.

It also occurs to me that there ar quite a lot of reciprocating forces going on when a shaper is running, so I would be wary of putting it on wheels.


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## wildo (Mar 26, 2017)

You guys... you guys....  sure, I'll put the stand in the already crowded garage somewhere, but seriously? I posted a picture of my shop.  Where, pray tell, do you suggest I put that giant stand in my tiny shop?? There's a big difference between desire versus reality! Here in the real world, if I want that shaper in my shop, it won't be able to be on that stand.

Now granted I don't have any actual experience of running the machine in real life, but I have watched a boatload of YouTube videos, and I don't think the 7" shaper is going to give me any problems on the harbor freight scissor cart. Unless operating at top speed, it doesn't appear to really rock around at all.  If I find that movement is a problem, I can always brace  it against my mill or benches.

 Maybe I'm just being naïve, but I don't think it's going to be a problem.


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## wildo (Apr 4, 2017)

Ok, I admit it; you guys might have won this battle. Due to a space issue, I recently needed to move the shop press out into the garage in order to work on some 11' long pieces of steel flat stock. Today I was getting ready to move the shop press back into the machine shop and I started to wonder... Never a good thing.

As much work as I knew it would be, I muscled the shaper into the house, through the living space, and into the bedroom shop. It is admittedly not as cramped feeling as I expected and I suspect it will feel even a small bit less cramped when the machine is sitting 7" lower when on the floor. I really REALLY hate to lose the shop press, as it has proved such a handy item to have, but the shaper does look pretty good here, doesn't it!






















I'm still undecided. If I put the shaper on a HF scissor cart, then I can have both the shop press and the shaper at the same time. But leaving it on the stand- I get a far more substantial base, and it becomes a more integral machine in the shop...


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 4, 2017)

Yup, I like it, looks great. I agree with the more substantial base, and keeping it complete, and drawers for storage too!
Your dog looks just like one that was my companion for 14 years, I mean almost identical, black face, narrow waist with muscular back legs too. Mine was deep chested and could run all day. Her name was Dingo, I sure miss her.


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## wildo (Apr 4, 2017)

Thanks! He's a Belgian Malinois that I rescued four years ago. I also have a Border Collie mix rescue as well.


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 4, 2017)

He looks just like her, the vet said she was just a shepherd mix, lol. Great looking companions!


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## Silverbullet (Apr 4, 2017)

I thought you were going to move the cabinet by the mill. If you do the shaper will fit there easily with room besides . Then you press can come back to its spot , you said you didn't like that set up. I vote keep the cabinet with the shaper , nice casters will let it move out of the way at anytime . I'm putting them on every machine I own. With leveling bolts to the floor where needed. That way everything can be cleaned around when needed. Good score on the shaper , if I ever get the money and can arrange it I'll have one to go with my planer. I'm pretty sure I've got everything to get all my machines back into working ones. Even the RPC , isolators came to keep it quiet. All I have to do is frame it wire it up mount the casters and plug and go. Ill get my friend to run the overhead wires with drop downs then ill wire the rest. If I wasn't stuck in this DERN wheelchair I'd have been done years ago. YUPP nice looking set up , I agree you shop says stay out here. Also says if you make me dirty I won't like it. Shop protection looks good on guard .


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## mikey (Apr 4, 2017)

Is that Border Collie smiling? 

Will, it looks like that space was made just for the shaper on the cabinet and your dog agrees!

Just curious; will the press fit in the closet?

That is turning into a beautiful shop, Wildo!


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## wildo (Apr 5, 2017)

mikey said:


> Just curious; will the press fit in the closet?



Actually, this is my thought as well. I still have some house hold junk in the closet that I need to clean out and/or sell, but once the closet is emptied, I'm thinking that could be a nice home for the press! Perhaps I'll put it on casters so I can wheel it out when needed. Good idea, indeed!

(And yes, my BC is always smiling! She's a SUPER fun dog!)


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## mikey (Apr 5, 2017)

If the press will fit in sideways, save the rest of the space in the closet for storage if you can. As you go along, you'll accumulate accessories for all your machines and I absolutely guarantee that storage will become an issue, if it hasn't already. 

Glad you have all those nice pictures of your shop. One day, you'll look back at them and remember when you could actually walk to each machine via a clear path. You think I jest, eh?


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## bss1 (Apr 5, 2017)

Yea plus if you put the press where the shaper is it will block the view of the TV


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## wildo (Apr 5, 2017)

bss1 said:


> Yea plus if you put the press where the shaper is it will block the view of the TV



The idea with the TV is that I can watch YouTube since I'm basically teaching myself machining via YT videos. I also intend to purchase Tubalcain's machine shop courses (which come on a USB drive) and hope that the TV can play them directly.

It's a small H-frame press from Harbor Freight. I cut one side of the legs off so that it sets closer to the wall. It actually fits quite nicely. No recent pics, but it looks like this:


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## bss1 (Apr 5, 2017)

I was just kidding. I will admit, I have a TV and beverage cooler in my shop too!  

I also have that same press and outfitted it with wheels and some shelves to hold the dies and attachments.  
	

		
			
		

		
	



I made a sturdier base from 2"x2" square tube that seemed to stiffen it up a bit.


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## wildo (Apr 5, 2017)

Oh- I really like some of the ideas you have incorporated on that press! I also upgraded to the pneumatic jack. I'd like to get a better idea of how that shelf moves around so that you can use all positions of the table on the press. Or maybe you never adjust it- purpose built? Do you have a thread on these upgrades? I'd like to check it out!


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## bss1 (Apr 5, 2017)

The upper shelf is on pins that slide into the existing holes on the frame. If you need to move or remove the shelf, you just unplug it from the frame and move it to another set of holes. Here is a pic of it unplugged. 




The shelf on the bottom is part of the base and is not adjustable. 



I actually made another one of the adjustable shelves and leave it plugged into the back side of the frame. They fill up quick.


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## wildo (Apr 5, 2017)

Awesome. Great design!


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