# $2300 for an Atlas Shaper?



## cjtoombs (Oct 11, 2019)

I looked at sold listings on eBay for shapers today and was a bit blown away by this:









						Atlas Model 7AB 7" Metal Shaper w/ Vise  | eBay
					

Excellent Condition, Remains of Pearlage on the ways, and the vise ways. The crank nor tool holder are included. Original paint, in great condition, motor in exceptional condition.



					www.ebay.com
				




$2300 for a pretty good Atlas shaper.  The add says it's a model AB, which didn't come with belt covers and the oil catch pan that goes under the ram on the back is broken.  Also, it has the original "pearlage" as the seller calls it.  I had to look, since I know no Atlas machines were hand scraped from the factory.  Turns out some PO had put machine turned decoration on the vertical ways and the vise.  I bought an Atlas shaper several years ago that was more complete and no broken parts for 500.  Also, in the same search a fairly rough Atlas 7B went for 200 in Louisiana.  All I can say is someone must have wanted one of these real bad.  I like my little Atlas, but I would certainly part with it for 2300.  For that price I could probably be persuaded to throw in the rotary table and index centers.


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## Eddyde (Oct 11, 2019)

Wow! Thats an insane price, especially around here (North East) where we're swimming in used machinery.


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## benmychree (Oct 11, 2019)

As PT Barnum said, "there is a sucker born every minute"


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## C-Bag (Oct 11, 2019)

well it's gone, doesn't say if it was sold or what. The delusion continues with the "crank or toolholder not included. These can be found cheap on eBay"
oh really?


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## Eddyde (Oct 11, 2019)

Well I might have spoken too soon, a quick check on Ebay, Craigslist and FB Marketplace search yields only 2 shapers within 100 miles, a beat up one for without a vise for $1250 and one similar to the above for $2500! Seems like only a couple of years ago nice ones were going for much less...


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## C-Bag (Oct 11, 2019)

The last local one I saw was for $2,000 and looked restored and complete. I think it was east of Bakerfield and only last a week on CL. It would seem shapers have become the hobby must have. At these prices I never would have gotten one for sure.


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## Nogoingback (Oct 11, 2019)

There's a guy in Portland trying to sell one for $1900.00 and he's been sitting on it, though I think he started higher.


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## stioc (Oct 11, 2019)

I don't know what it is but where I live it rarely makes sense to buy used anymore. The other day I saw a 2yr old Tundra listed for $50k private party...ummm I might as well add another $2k and buy a new one and a higher model too...not that I'm looking to spend that kind of money on a pickup (yes, they're like cars these days, everyone has one and the bigger the better to fit more grocery bags lol).


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## Nogoingback (Oct 12, 2019)

I think Toyota pickups are in a whole different category from other cars and trucks.  But, we bought a 2015 Honda van last
year as a lease return and saved 1/3 the cost of a new one, and the car is in perfect shape.


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## tweinke (Oct 12, 2019)

Shapers seem to have gone up in price in the last 6 months or so. Wonder if its related to You Tube.?


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## bakrch (Oct 12, 2019)

stioc said:


> I don't know what it is but where I live it rarely makes sense to buy used anymore. The other day I saw a 2yr old Tundra listed for $50k private party...ummm I might as well add another $2k and buy a new one and a higher model too...not that I'm looking to spend that kind of money on a pickup (yes, they're like cars these days, everyone has one and the bigger the better to fit more grocery bags lol).


Yep,  I aimed to buy a used Tacoma back in '17 and the only reasonably priced trucks had over 100k miles on them.

Ended up just grabbing a new one.


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## projectnut (Oct 13, 2019)

I would have to say the person who is willing to pay $2,300.00 for a machine like that obviously has more money than they know what to do with.  Last year a friend of mine sold  Leuter & Gueis 16" machine for $250.00.  Even the smallest "hobby" shapers can be found in this area in the $500.00 range.  I paid less than half of that for my 7" AMMCO.  Since these machines went out of favor in the 1960's I really wonder how many people buying them even have the where with all to know how to run them, and what they are capable of doing?

I wonder what the people smoke before making these eBay listing.  There are several similar size machines with asking prices between $2,300.00 and $2,700.00.  Some larger ones (16" to 37") have asking prices from $9,500.00 to $12,500.00.  No one of sound mind is going to pay those prices.  It seems like every time the economy improves people start hauling their junk out of the shed, or from behind the barn and put outrageous prices on it.

It reminds me of the weeks preceding the Iola or Hershey car shows.  Old cars and parts that have been in junk yards and storage sheds for decades suddenly become more valuable than gold.  Two weeks after the shows are over it all goes back into from whence it came until the next year.


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## cjtoombs (Oct 13, 2019)

C-Bag said:


> well it's gone, doesn't say if it was sold or what. The delusion continues with the "crank or toolholder not included. These can be found cheap on eBay"
> oh really?



This was a sold listing, so I assume the transaction was completed.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 13, 2019)

Sold for US $2,299.98  
PT Barnum was right, "There's a sucker born every minute..."


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## stioc (Oct 13, 2019)

I think a lot of old equipment/cars/tools are going for crazy prices lately...of course, market dictates the prices so there are people paying $300+ for old vises and $400+ for 20yr old pedestal grinders and let's not even talk about cars. There was a time (before the cash for clunkers program) where you could throw a rock in any direction around here and it would land on a sub $2k car in need of some TLC/restoration whatever. Now...completely rusted out cars say a 69 Camaro are $5k+ and the "restored" (aka a junkyard small block + Macco paint job) ones are $10k+
That's why I said at least where I live it seldom makes sense to buy used meaning I don't consider used prices people ask a good deal anymore.


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## C-Bag (Oct 13, 2019)

stioc said:


> I think a lot of old equipment/cars/tools are going for crazy prices lately...of course, market dictates the prices so there are people paying $300+ for old vises and $400+ for 20yr old pedestal grinders and let's not even talk about cars. There was a time (before the cash for clunkers program) where you could throw a rock in any direction around here and it would land on a sub $2k car in need of some TLC/restoration whatever. Now...completely rusted out cars say a 69 Camaro are $5k+ and the "restored" (aka a junkyard small block + Macco paint job) ones are $10k+
> That's why I said at least where I live it seldom makes sense to buy used meaning I don't consider used prices people ask a good deal anymore.


So true. And it seems it doesn't matter if it's worn out and 5x's more than it was new. I hadn't paid attention to the used car market until my son decided to try and buy one. It was just like you said, right after the cash for Junkers and the used car market had turned truly insane. We finally found a Saturn in good shape for what I think would have been a normal price of $2500. But it took over a month of silliness on CL.

It would seem the shaper has gone into the same realm as the other stuff with Atlas on it and gone into the stratosphere. I just don't get it


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## Bob Korves (Oct 13, 2019)

I have used Atlas lathes and looked at (and sold for others) quite a bit of the equipment, accessories, and tooling they made and sold.  I am pretty much less than fully impressed with the quality and rigidity of their products, even compared to modern Chinese machines.  At the prices I have seen lately, I would certainly be looking elsewhere.  If you are an Atlas collector, my apologies.  Yes, they are vintage and collectable, if that is your fancy...


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## randyjaco (Oct 14, 2019)

For $2k I would be happy to sell my restored and ready to work 10" Vernon shaper. Way more robust than anything ever made by Atlas and the footprint isn't much bigger.
Randy


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## eeler1 (Oct 14, 2019)

Hey now, price seems very reasonable, even cheap.  

Unrelated, but I may have a Lewis for sale, which is not only an operating home-shop sized shaper, but comes with a cool backstory.  Should bring a premium, don’t you think?


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