# What is a hand shaper worth?



## Ben (May 14, 2013)

So I am fascinated by shapers at the moment. The problem is I have a lathe rebuild and a mill ahead of it in my tiny one car garage shop. I am looking at this hand shaper on ebay for $300.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330921362083?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648

Somebody please tell me it is way too much, that I should spend the money on tooling I need for my mill. Or that I should just spend a little extra and get one of those 7" powered shapers that I cruise youtube looking for videos of.

Thanks!
Ben


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## DMS (May 15, 2013)

You're asking THIS group to talk you out of buying a machine? "jawdrop:

You must be new around here...

If you have a lathe and a mill, a shaper probably isn't going to add much, but they sure are fun to watch, and that one looks real pretty. Just sayin :whistle:


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## Tony Wells (May 15, 2013)

Hand powered shapers are more of a novelty, seems to me. I'd hold out for a powered shaper if I wanted one at all. If you aren't already running your lathe and mill, and have support equipment for them, you're getting ahead of yourself a little bit. 

But hey, it's your money.


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## stupoty (May 15, 2013)

I have one of them in original condition, its awsome, but yeah get a powered one.

i keep seeing them for sale and going , humm i should sell mine :jester:

its always the tool that loses bench space if i have to re-arrange my very compact work space.

you will see one for very cheep one day and as a curiosity its worth it.

Stuart

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Just to answer you original question,

"its way too much don't buy it!!"

:*****slap2:

Hope that helps

stu


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## itsme_Bernie (May 15, 2013)

Man o man I love all these- I thought someone on this forum scored one really cheap on CL a few weeks ago- pretty!  I've been searching ever since!

Looks easy to adapt it to power?  Even non-destructively?

Bernie


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## genec (May 15, 2013)

I don't know, what does shoulder and wrist surgery cost, there was a reason they put the motors on those. It does look like a nice conversation piece.:tiphat:


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## Uncle Buck (May 15, 2013)

Wait for a powered shaper!


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## core-oil (May 15, 2013)

Ben,

Being a machine tool junkie I lust after such things, but I would wait for a power driven model such as a little 7" South Bend or similar to happen along  Should you in the fullness of time get one of these powered machines you will find it far handier & with the proper tooling you will get a better finish on your work-pieces
  The little machine shown in the Ebay auction has no auto feed , This in many ways is a hindrance,  I am not knocking it , it is a nice thing from an earlier age, and folks did wonders with them, but it is hard work

 I have a powered Adept No2 shaper, the Ebay ones more up to date sister It is good but light duty, I also have a hand powered planer, good but hard work, fortunately it has a auto feed system  I tend to think further back in time & I think the era when shapers were more common, it must have been more interesting , There is a peaceful fascination about a power driven shaper at work, & in the case of my shapers & planer, I frequently can easily get a superior surface finish better than milling.


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## itsme_Bernie (May 15, 2013)

Is it too sinful to buy one of these machines and adapt it to power?  I am usually one to preserve perfect condition machines if rare or particularly beautiful- but I can't help think that for $300 or $400, or whatever they are up to now, that it is only a quarter of a nice powered shaper.  At least the ones I see- usually go for $1500?   


Bernie


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## core-oil (May 16, 2013)

I recall an article in a back number of The Model Engineer from memory it may have been about 1950? In this article the contributor gave an account of how he converted the hand powered machine we are referring to into a powered machine, This was the precursor of the Adept power driven machine as developed from this article & redesigned using a very well designed set of castings to hold all the gearing, plus its brackets for the feed system & drive shaft
  My machine ( of this pattern) dates from 1959, although a light machine it is handy, It is 6" stroke, but I feel work up to 4"" length is enough for it  I use it fairly often for planing small items of work For which it is ideal, On cast iron & bronze work excellent.


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## Ben (May 16, 2013)

Sorry it took me so long to get back to all of you, but I wanted to thank you very much for the feedback. It was exactly what I needed to resist the temptation of these machines. I already have a heavy 10 I am restoring and a clausing 8520 waiting behind it. 
I just see these awesome looking machines and get the itch to buy them, when I dont have enough hours in the day for what I have.

I think that waiting for the powered machine is my best option. I am not sure how this normally goes, but I will respond individually in the posts after this.

Once again, thank you so much for taking the time out to read this, give me advice and talk me off the ledge!)

Ben

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Thanks, I do have a mill and lathe(both that need restoring btw) but I just love watching videos of shapers on youtube. They just look so cool!

Thanks!
Ben


DMS said:


> You're asking THIS group to talk you out of buying a machine? "jawdrop:
> 
> You must be new around here...
> 
> If you have a lathe and a mill, a shaper probably isn't going to add much, but they sure are fun to watch, and that one looks real pretty. Just sayin :whistle:



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Thanks Tony!

Money certainly doesnt grow on trees around heres, so I think that it would be more prudent to spend on tooling that I need and could use on the mill and lathe. Also, I think that the power shaper would be more fun to watch.

Thanks,
Ben


Tony Wells said:


> Hand powered shapers are more of a novelty, seems to me. I'd hold out for a powered shaper if I wanted one at all. If you aren't already running your lathe and mill, and have support equipment for them, you're getting ahead of yourself a little bit.
> 
> But hey, it's your money.



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Hi Shawn,

Yeah, could totally see sitting out in the garage, smoking a cigar and watching the shaper do work. I think that a powered shaper is probably the way to go. I can just imagine how fun it must be to figure out new ways to use your shaper!

Thanks!
Ben


shawn said:


> As cool as that little shaper is Ben I would have to suggest waiting for a South Bend or Atlas shaper. The coolest part about a shaper is sitting and watching it work. I look for ways to use my SB 7" I don't think it would be the same if you had to power it with your arm.
> 
> Shawn



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stupoty said:


> I have one of them in original condition, its awsome, but yeah get a powered one.
> 
> i keep seeing them for sale and going , humm i should sell mine :jester:
> 
> ...



Thanks Stuart, getting some sense slapped into me is exactly what I needed!! It's nice to hear from someone that has one.

Thanks!
Ben

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itsme_Bernie said:


> Man o man I love all these- I thought someone on this forum scored one really cheap on CL a few weeks ago- pretty!  I've been searching ever since!
> 
> Looks easy to adapt it to power?  Even non-destructively?
> 
> Bernie



Bernie, you are officially on the bad influence list!! I need to be talked out of these dumb ideas I have, not given more excuses to buy them! I do think that I will wait like you suggested and get a powered shaper though.

Thanks,
Ben

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genec said:


> I don't know, what does shoulder and wrist surgery cost, there was a reason they put the motors on those. It does look like a nice conversation piece.:tiphat:



You are right, in one of my dumbass justifications, I imagined how I would get this great shoulder workout everytime I used it. The reality is probably closer to what you were saying. Thanks for the advice, however I would much rather spend 200+ for something that is usefull and a conversation piece.

Thanks!
Ben

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Uncle Buck said:


> Wait for a powered shaper!


 Thanks Uncle Buck! Will do!!

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core-oil said:


> Ben,
> 
> Being a machine tool junkie I lust after such things, but I would wait for a power driven model such as a little 7" South Bend or similar to happen along  Should you in the fullness of time get one of these powered machines you will find it far handier & with the proper tooling you will get a better finish on your work-pieces
> The little machine shown in the Ebay auction has no auto feed , This in many ways is a hindrance,  I am not knocking it , it is a nice thing from an earlier age, and folks did wonders with them, but it is hard work
> ...



I also suffer from the sin of lusting after more and more tools. Unfortunately I can have a problem when it comes time to stop. Thank goodness for my wife, else my home would be featured on the TV show we have over here called "Hoarders".

I think that the lack of auto feed was my saving grace, as I may have put a bid on it otherwise without thinking it through and regretted it afterwards. I would love to see a metal planer in action. I cant get enough of watching videos on shapers. The do seem very calm. I am dying to see in real life what kind of a finish they can put on a piece. I have talked with someone locally who has a small Rockwell and he said he would call me when he fires it up next. So hopefully I will get to see on in action in real life. If I were in Scotland I would be beating your door down to check out your machines!

Thanks for the advice Core!
Ben


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