# Cute Little Shaper in MN With Option to Ship for 150



## cjtoombs (Apr 30, 2019)

This is a neat looking little shaper, maker and vintage unknown.  I've never seen one like this one, with the right angle drive.  Looks to be a 6 or 7" shaper, must be pretty small if they can afford to ship it for 150.  Might be of interest to someone who's been wanting one of these but lives in an area where they're hard to find.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/192902824493?ul_noapp=true


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## Karl_T (Apr 30, 2019)

That looks to be  Rhodes shaper, or at least a clone. I have one with the vertical attachment.



			Rhodes Shaper & Slotter


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## tweinke (Apr 30, 2019)

any one have a guess on the brand name?


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## cjtoombs (May 1, 2019)

For posterity and for comparison, I will post pictures of the shaper in question.  Based on a comparison with the Rhodes shaper linked above, this is not a Rhodes.  The main casting and table are different, the drive is a unique worm gear right angle type I've never seen before, not a standard geared drive.  The ram has dovetail ways, not flat ways.  The vertical table feed is on the opposite side of the machine and the ratchet feed mechanism is different.  Again, I've been studying, buying and using shapers for about 10 years now, and this is one I've never seen.  Back in the day there were a lot of different companies making shapers.  Also, back when there was an iron foundry in every town big enough to have a theater an enterprising tinkerer with access to machines to build it could have designed and built a shaper like this, which would lead to some one of a kind items.  I would like to know its providence, but that's not likely to happen.


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## tweinke (May 1, 2019)

I would love to have a shaper in my shop. thinking of bidding being its only a couple hours drive. The pitfalls of no info on this one scares me a bit though.


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## Aaron_W (May 1, 2019)

Could it be a home built? Gingery has plans for a shaper, there is some similarity and someone really talented could have spiffed it up.


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## francist (May 1, 2019)

It's an odd duck, that's for sure.

The " no info" part isn't necessarily all bad -- I have very little information on my Peerless shaper either but that doesn't affect its usefulness. A few things on this one though that might not be that great are a really short dovetail surface for the tool slide, only one side of the slide ways for the ram seems to be adjustable or moveable, and the table looks it only has one centre T-slot so fitting attachments or different vise orientations could be challenging. No foot or leg underneath the table either. But it would probably be a lot of fun to fool with if the price was right.

-frank


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## cjtoombs (May 1, 2019)

francist said:


> It's an odd duck, that's for sure.
> 
> The " no info" part isn't necessarily all bad -- I have very little information on my Peerless shaper either but that doesn't affect its usefulness. A few things on this one though that might not be that great are a really short dovetail surface for the tool slide, only one side of the slide ways for the ram seems to be adjustable or moveable, and the table looks it only has one centre T-slot so fitting attachments or different vise orientations could be challenging. No foot or leg underneath the table either. But it would probably be a lot of fun to fool with if the price was right.
> 
> -frank



The short dovetail on the tool slide is normal for a shaper this size, and about proportionate to a larger shaper.  The adjustment on only one side of the ram dovetail is also normal, you only need an adjustment on one side.  Lack of a table support and what looks to be just a slot, not a t slot in the table is a bit limiting, but one could make a fixture plate for it with tapped holes or t slots if that became an issue.  Most (but not all) of the work I've done on my shapers has been with the vise.


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## T Bredehoft (May 1, 2019)

Oh Boy am I gald I don't have any more room in my shop, and have no need for a shaper, that is a beauty.  For the              price shiipped it would be most welcome.


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## tweinke (May 1, 2019)

I am watching it intently...……..   I was planning on building the Gingery one using aluminum plate instead of castings or the steel version by Marsh Collins that was published in Home Shop Machinist. I have the Gingery book and a copy of the Collins article, but wonder about the real life use of both machines.


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## T Bredehoft (May 1, 2019)

You can't beat cast iron for machinery. If you're debating buying it, keep on considering it.


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## jbobb1 (May 2, 2019)

I'm watching this also. I think I've looked at it a dozen times now!


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## tweinke (May 3, 2019)

still no bids.....


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## Cooter Brown (May 3, 2019)

I already have an Atlas 7b shaper but for some reason I want to buy this machine...


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## Janderso (May 3, 2019)

John York?
Benmychree, you know what it is.
My 7” Rhodes is still far far away.
What is it John?


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## Bob Korves (May 3, 2019)

Wrong answer...


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## cjtoombs (May 3, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> I already have an Atlas 7b shaper but for some reason I want to buy this machine...



I know, I've had to restrain myself from making an offer myself.


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## Cooter Brown (May 3, 2019)

cjtoombs said:


> I know, I've had to restrain myself from making an offer myself.


You made an offer too....lol How much did you offer? He wont take $500....


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## cjtoombs (May 4, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> You made an offer too....lol How much did you offer? He wont take $500....



Oh, I didn't make an offer, but I did think about it.  If I were going to, I'd probably offer 600.  That would be 750 with shipping.  I don't have time, space or need for it, but it is a cool little machine.  My big worry with something like that is that if it isn't packed up very well, it could be damaged in shipping.  UPS is absolutely brutal with any packages, and if that were shipped poorly packed, all the handles and the ratchet feed would be broken or bent by the time they arrived.  When I've packed up similar item I've sold, I built a box and used urethane foam carved to go all around it to cushion it.


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## jbobb1 (May 4, 2019)

Shipping got adjusted. It's now 250.00.


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## Karl_T (May 4, 2019)

Don't know if this helps anyone...

I live 25 miles away. i'd pick it up and keep it at my place till you could make arrangements to get it.


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## Cooter Brown (May 4, 2019)

He will do a Local pickup....


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## cjtoombs (May 5, 2019)

I was wondering how he was going to ship that for 150, it looks like it should weigh well over 100 lbs, and it costs about $100 to ship a 100 lb box.  I figure if he's going regular UPS he will have to break it into two boxes.


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## Splat (May 5, 2019)

I'd scoop that up if I was close enough. Definitely don't like shipping machinery any more than from manufacturer to retailer.


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## Cooter Brown (May 5, 2019)

He is expecting $1000....lol I paid $800 for my atlas 7b and it wasn't missing anything, plus I actually know what it is so I can get parts....


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## cjtoombs (May 6, 2019)

I think for that price, he's not really looking to move it.


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## Cooter Brown (May 6, 2019)

He has seen to many youtube videos and thinks that machinery made in the 1930s is worth gold..... He needs to start watching the CNC videos and see what gold looks like with today's standards.... You can't really make much money with a little shaper, its a very slow cutting process....


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## cathead (May 6, 2019)

I know where there is one of those I can buy locally for $150.  I'm still thinking about it but not sure if it has 150 dollars worth
of utility in it...........


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## Cooter Brown (May 6, 2019)

I sent the seller a link to this thread maybe he will see what we all think about this listing and lower his price....


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## ThinWoodsman (May 6, 2019)

cathead said:


> not sure if it has 150 dollars worth of utility in it...........



Maybe not $150 of utility in the thing, but I'd say there's at least $150 of "sit back and watch it run" 
Kinda like staring out at the river


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## Cooter Brown (May 6, 2019)

ThinWoodsman said:


> Maybe not $150 of utility in the thing, but I'd say there's at least $150 of "sit back and watch it run"
> Kinda like staring out at the river



I cant watch my Atlas shaper run for endless hours its very relaxing....


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## Cooter Brown (May 6, 2019)

Here is an early Altas 7b shaper for sale.... So old it doesn't have the table support foot, and its missing the rear oil pan with the mounts for the guards.... but it seems to have everything else.....









						ATLAS METAL SHAPER MACHINING METAL WORKING MACHINIST TOOL   | eBay
					

THE MODEL NUMBER PLATE IS MISSING. THE BELT GUARDS AND GREASE GUARD PAN ARE MISSING. THE MOTOR IS 110V, 1/2HP, 1740RPM. THE BELTS ARE WORN. THE CLAPPER DOES NOT HAVE ANY CRACKS OR WELDS. THE BALL CRANK FOR THE CLAPPER IS BROKEN.



					www.ebay.com


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## Choiliefan (May 7, 2019)

Biggest problem selling on ebay is the final value and paypal fees.
I've not sold a machine tool there in several years but at that time an insert fee was also levied.


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## cjtoombs (May 7, 2019)

Choiliefan said:


> Biggest problem selling on ebay is the final value and paypal fees.
> I've not sold a machine tool there in several years but at that time an insert fee was also levied.



Yea, last two machines I've sold have been on Craigslist, and I got a fair price for them.  I've come to the conclusion that anything that requires freight shipping is better off sold on CL.


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## tweinke (Jun 1, 2019)

Its back on CL   https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/tls/d/mayer-metal-shaper/6901158426.html


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