# Shaper barn find



## 7milesup (Mar 18, 2021)

I should put this in the vintage machinery section but meh, I will put it here.
The F-I-L of one of my good friends has a huge pole shed absolutely packed with crap a collection of you-name-it.  My friend had told me that there was a metal working machine in the shed, so we ran over there today to check it out.
It is a John Steptoe Shaper.  14" from what it says.  Used to run off of flat belts, well, actually the LAST time it ran it appears it was running by flat belts, just to give you an idea of how long it has been sitting there.  I was sort of hoping that it was going to be a little smaller one, like an Atlas or something, but this is very interesting nonetheless.  I could move the "table" with the ratcheting hand wheel.  
By looking at the pictures, do you guys see anything missing on it.  He is thinking about sending it to auction, but wanted to know if I was interested.

He also has a Cochrane Bly #2 filer.  Also ran by flat belts.  He said that he swiped a part off of it for his wife to hang one of her plants on...  Not sure what part that is.

Of note also, he has at least a dozen canisters of 3" Naval dummy training shells.  They look like they are made out of mahogany, or similar.  One of the coolest things I have seen, especially since I just got done reading "The Last of the Tin Can Sailors".  I wish I took some pictures of those.  He told me I could have one for $60.  They come in a white container that has a 1/8th turn end cap and then you slide the "shell" out of it.


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## Aukai (Mar 18, 2021)

That stuff is in amazing condition for just being left out in the barn.


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## FOMOGO (Mar 18, 2021)

That's really a nice size. The Atlas's are on the small side for a lot of work. I would grab both of them in a heartbeat. Looks like the shaper would be relatively easy to convert to electric, and it's just such a cool piece of history. Any idea how much he wants? Cheers, Mike


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## 7milesup (Mar 18, 2021)

I don't have any idea what he wants.  If my friend had his way, he would give them to me.  I will be talking to the guy within the next few days.  He also has some rough sawn oak that I am going to buy and I really do want to figure out how much he wants for them.

Edit:  If anyone sees something missing on that shaper I would like to know.  Hate to get it home and find out the all important widget is missing and making a new one would be challenging.


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## silence dogood (Mar 19, 2021)

Check to see if he has the vise that went with the shaper hidden somewhere.  I did not see one in the pictures.  You don't have to have it, but it sure would be nice.


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## Superburban (Mar 19, 2021)

I do not know how it compares, or how prices are in your area, but I paid 300 for my steptoe shaper several years ago, with a variable speed drive, and in working condition.









						John Steptoe Shaper Co, 14" shaper
					

I adopted this shaper a few weeks back. It has seen a well pampered life. I hope I look half as good when I'm 111 years old.     Since they only used the name "The john Steptoe Shaper co", from 1903 to 1917. From Vintage Machinery.  (Steptoe, McFarlan & Co. was founded in 1860 as a partnership...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## francist (Mar 19, 2021)

I’m not seeing the lantern tool holder holder nor the foot to support the front of the table. Neither would be hard to come up with replacements. I’m not even sure that there was a foot but I see the milled front edge of the bed where it would run so I’m basing it on that. And, of course, no vise either endless it’s still lurking in the barn somewhere but again not an insurmountable deficiency.


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## davidpbest (Mar 19, 2021)

I prefer things that go around in a circle instead of back and forth.  DVD’s versus Betamax for example.  Widebelt sanders versus stroke sanders (woodworking).  Parting versus hacksaw.  Ask yourself if this planer is attractive because: 1) emotional/nostalgic reasons, or 2) it’s a bargain (potentially), or 3) everybody else is doing it, 4) my hero (Abomb79) has one so it must be good, or 5) I can identify how this would be more helpful in the shop than a (pick your poison) TIG, surface grinder, blast cabinet, Biax scraper, lunch with Stefan.


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## davidpbest (Mar 19, 2021)

francist said:


> I’m not seeing the lantern tool holder holder nor the foot to support the front of the table. Neither would be hard to come up with replacements. I’m not even sure that there was a foot but I see the milled front edge of the bed where it would run so I’m basing it on that. And, of course, no vise either endless it’s still lurking in the barn somewhere but again not an insurmountable deficiency.


“Lantern toolholder”?   Seriously?


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## 7milesup (Mar 19, 2021)

davidpbest said:


> I prefer things that go around in a circle instead of back and forth.  DVD’s versus Betamax for example.  Widebelt sanders versus stroke sanders (woodworking).  Parting versus hacksaw.  Ask yourself if this planer is attractive because: 1) emotional/nostalgic reasons, or 2) it’s a bargain (potentially), or 3) everybody else is doing it, 4) my hero (Abomb79) has one so it must be good, or 5) I can identify how this would be more helpful in the shop than a (pick your poison) TIG, surface grinder, blast cabinet, Biax scraper, lunch with Stefan.



It is mostly of interest because I don't want it to end up in a scrap heap.  Maybe not a great reason, but nevertheless, a reason.  I know the gentleman well enough to believe that it may end up outside or in the scrap heap.  He is clearing the barn out (it is actually a pole shed) to make way for a cemented floor so his wife can have a pickle ball court.  
Not sure if I am going to take it or not.  Leaning towards not.  Don't really want to take up more room in my shop.


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## T Bredehoft (Mar 19, 2021)

“Lantern toolholder”?   Seriously?

Right. there is no toolholder.
There should be a 'clapper box' on the end of the ram, to allow the tool to return without pressure on the work piece.


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## francist (Mar 19, 2021)

davidpbest said:


> Lantern toolholder”? Seriously?


Yes, seriously. I’m seeing an empty clapper box with no tool holder in it. Unless one is using a dedicated holder for inside key ways the lantern holder is usually the order of the day. How would you typically do it?


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## NCjeeper (Mar 19, 2021)

Aukai said:


> That stuff is in amazing condition for just being left out in the barn.


That is what I was thinking.


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## projectnut (Mar 19, 2021)

OK, what am I missing about the recent fascination for shapers???.  They were in machine shops for nearly a century and got little or no attention.  Now that they're long obsolete in the money making world for some reason seem to appeal to the hobbyist crowd.  Not that many years ago you couldn't give them away.  In many cases the transportation costs were greater than the scrap value.  A friend had a 16" one in his shop for making structural column shims for many years.  When the contract ran out it sat in the corner for 3 years.  He tried to sell it on several occasions and finally found a hobbyist/collector willing to pay $150.00 for it.  It was worth more in scrap value, but it would have cost more than the scrap price to have it hauled to the dealer.

I thought maybe a visit to Abom79's website might shed some light on the subject, but it's still a mystery to me.  I watched half a dozen "shaper"  videos and all I saw  were a few being hauled out of storage, and some making "test" chips.  I didn't see one where they were actually making a useable part.  Maybe I missed something and someone can point me to a video where a machine is actually making parts.

As for the shaper in the barn, it looks like it'll take a lot of time and money to transform it into a working machine.  I don't think you're going to find many line shaft pieces and parts to be able to use it in it's original condition, so it looks it'll have to be modified to run on an electric motor.  As an uninterrupted project I'm guessing it'll take a year or more to finish.  It's more likely the project will span several years before the machine will start making chips.  Even then what type of project will it be used for?

I guess I don't share the opinion that it's in "amazing condition".  To me it looks rough, but salvageable.  As mentioned earlier it looks like a long term project


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## NCjeeper (Mar 19, 2021)

projectnut said:


> OK, what am I missing about the recent fascination for shapers???.


For me I find the shapers intriguing. So simple but mesmerizing to watch. Something about the rhythmic motion back and forth as a chip of metal gets stripped from the stock in the vise. I really didn't exposed to shapers until I started watching Abom and Steve Summer's channels. Neither my High School machine shop nor my College machine shop had one.


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## hotrats (Mar 19, 2021)

"Of note also, he has at least a dozen canisters of 3" Naval dummy training shells. They look like they are made out of mahogany, or similar. "
I used to have a couple. Very nice relic. SARCOINC had them 20-25 yrs ago, for around $25. & shipping.... I sold the ones I had for about what I had in them.
A couple versions at least, earlier had a brass base, and nicer fuse assembly, later, steel, or alloy base, and not as nice fuse assembly. 
Just remember - my memory may vary...


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## Manual Mac (Mar 19, 2021)

i grew up in a time when junior & senior high schools still had many lathes & machine tools for the kids to learn on.
But we had no shapers. My guess is most don’t even have lathes anymore.
I’m not sure I have any use for a shaper, but if I could find a good deal on a small one (not likely) i would buy it, they have always interested me.
EDIT: hotrats you must be a Frank Zappa/Captain Beefhart fan.
Me too.


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 19, 2021)

I have to agree with @projectnut. We had a shaper at the JC when I was there. I used it to make a gear rack and was probably the last student to run it. That was back in '78. Fast forward 30 years and I met a guy who was a retired fine arts metalworking professor from UC Berkeley. He lived off-grid and had a decently equipped black-smithing type shop. I was amused to see a little bench-top shaper as I walked in the back door of the house, the first one I had seen since school. When I started participating in online machining forums, I was even more amused to see people lusting after and buying them. I suppose they are cool, and yes it is hypnotic to watch them run, but if I'm going to collect antiques they will have some resale value and my wife isn't going to need a forklift to get rid of them.


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## hotrats (Mar 19, 2021)

Manual Mac said:


> EDIT: hotrats you must be a Frank Zappa/Captain Beefhart fan.
> Me too.


Exactly!  Not so much Beefhart though. Nice to find other fans. Ever listen to Frankly A Capella, by the Persuasions? Good stuff.


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## ErichKeane (Mar 19, 2021)

Shapers are just interesting and fun to watch.  I like the ability to 'make anything but a profit'.  I have a home shop, nothing i make ever even hits my break even point, since it is a hobby.  So I like to enjoy watching/playing/problem solving with interesting tools.

I realize Abom is the one who really kicked off the recent love for shapers (though, I found the video a few weeks ago that inspired HIS obsession!  His comment in the youtube comments and everything), but I find them fun and fascinating.

Honestly, if we ever cared about the 'best tool for the job', we wouldn't have hobby tools, we'd have 5 axis CNC machines. A shaper is just a 1970s equivalent of a milling machine, or manual lathe.


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 19, 2021)

ErichKeane said:


> Honestly, if we ever cared about the 'best tool for the job', we wouldn't have hobby tools, we'd have 5 axis CNC machines. A shaper is just a 1970s equivalent of a milling machine, or manual lathe.


A shaper is just a 1970s 1920s equivalent of a _horizontal_ milling machine.

There, fixed that for you.


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## ErichKeane (Mar 19, 2021)

MrWhoopee said:


> A shaper is just a 1970s 1920s equivalent of a _horizontal_ milling machine.
> 
> There, fixed that for you.


*Shrug*, Tomato Toah-to


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## 7milesup (Mar 19, 2021)

I really wish someone close by here would chime in and say "whoa, I will take that puppy".  Then I wouldn't have to think about it.

I too like the "Never made a profit" motive.  I have 3 hobbies.  Woodworking which I have pretty much never made any money on.  Flying RC helicopters and airplanes.  Nope, certainly no profit there.  And lastly, metalworking.  Only profit so far is from buying on auctions and selling.  Sure, would be nice to make a little coin, but not counting on it.
I go to my part time R&D job to make a little money to _spend_ on one of my three hobbies.


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