# 8" Pratt&Whitney metal shaper,



## C-Bag (May 8, 2019)

Makes sense they would make one, but I've never seen or heard of one:









						8" Stroke Pratt & Whitney Metal Shaper   | eBay
					

8" Stroke Pratt & Whitney Metal Shaper . Condition is Used. Very nice condition. Has a vise and toolholder. 110 volt. We can palletize and crate this machine for shipment. We also have a forklift to load. Buyer must pay shipping cost.



					www.ebay.com


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## Dabbler (May 8, 2019)

it looks like a good deal fro someone in driving distance! (wish I were closer)


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## C-Bag (May 8, 2019)

Interesting machine and it being P&W I'm sure it's awesome. But this is a auction, and got several days. Who knows what it will go for. A bid this early often means it could get stupid.


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## Toolmaker51 (May 9, 2019)

C-Bag said:


> Interesting machine and it being P&W I'm sure it's awesome. But this is a auction, and got several days. Who knows what it will go for. A bid this early often means it could get stupid.


I  don't get the concept thumb-printing online auction days before closing. Just telegraphs someone else is after it too. Pushes cost up on every person.
Bid to win, bid last.


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## C-Bag (May 10, 2019)

Toolmaker51 said:


> I  don't get the concept thumb-printing online auction days before closing. Just telegraphs someone else is after it too. Pushes cost up on every person.
> Bid to win, bid last.


Yup, it's why I usually turn off the auction and only look at buy it now. The only reason I saw this was it came up in one of those side ads and I saw the name. Ever seen a Pratt&Whitney shaper before?


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## f350ca (May 10, 2019)

Interesting unit, but the drive has 2 jack shafts, 3 belts, and 6 fixed pulleys, no speed adjustment I can see.

Greg


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## francist (May 10, 2019)

Found this in the Pratt & Whitney 1893 catalogue at vintagemachinery.org












-frank


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## cjtoombs (May 10, 2019)

Based on it's construction, I knew it would be old.  1893 sounds about right.  Neat machine that looks like it has been well cared for by it's current owner.  I was following it before this was posted, mainly because I want to see what it goes for.  I think it was at 330 this morning, but there will be a lot of bidding in the last 10 seconds of the auction, as all the autobids from outside services kick in.  From a usefulness perspective, there are better shapers out there that could likely be had for a lower price.  I prefer dovetail ways on the ram, the old square way shapers usually have plenty of wear in the vertical direction that is difficult to correct.  From a collectibility perspective, this is certainly a nice machine, I expect the collectors to drive the price up on this one.


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## C-Bag (May 10, 2019)

Thanks for posting that Frank. It explains the lack of different speeds and the cobbled together look of the motor drive. It was originally a line shaft drive. It is interesting that it's a square way as the only other I've seen is the Atlas.


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## cjtoombs (May 10, 2019)

C-Bag said:


> Thanks for posting that Frank. It explains the lack of different speeds and the cobbled together look of the motor drive. It was originally a line shaft drive. It is interesting that it's a square way as the only other I've seen is the Atlas.



Quite a lot of the older shapers, up to about 1910 had square ways on the ram.  I owned a pre 1905 Steptoe and a ~1900 Whipp and both of them had square ram ways.  They fell out of favor after that period, the only one that I know of after that was the Atlas (I think it debuted in about 1935).  The Atlas isn't surprising, they had a penchant for square ways as can be seen from the lathes and mill.  Conversion of the old lineshaft machines to motor drives is a bit of a pain, and they come in many flavors, from very poorly done to quite well done.  There were transmissions made for the conversions but car transmissions were pressed into use as well.  The Whipp I had had a 73 Plymouth 3 speed transmission on it.


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## C-Bag (May 10, 2019)

Talk about a stout machine, the 9" weighs 1,000lbs! Even though I've never wanted to change the speed of my old Atlas, I do wonder how they decided on the speed this one runs at. And never having had dovetail ways I don't know better. But it does beg the question why you couldn't make an adjustable upper gib? The only problem with mine was some silly person in the past adding a spare shim to one side of the ram. Who knows what that was about. But having an Atlas is far different from having something as obscure as the P&W. I can get canabalized parts all day on eBay, very few other parts show up for other makes of shaper.


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## C-Bag (May 13, 2019)

Well it went for $734. Not bad. Anybody on this forum win it?
 If I was local I would have been very tempted.


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## Dabbler (May 13, 2019)

If I was within 5 hrs driving distance I would have been the winner - for sure.  That's a nice piece of kit.  To bad I'm 30 hrs road time away.


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## C-Bag (May 13, 2019)

You just don't see a lot of shapers around and this is the first Pratt&Whitney for me. I wonder how many there are out there? It's sad to think about how many of these cool old machines went to the scrap yard.


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## Dabbler (May 13, 2019)

congrats c-bag!   nice score!


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## C-Bag (May 13, 2019)

Sorry if I gave the wrong impression Dabbler, 'twas not me that won it. I'm hoping its somebody on this site though!


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## Superburban (May 15, 2019)

Hope its ok, I saved all the pics to the thread, before they disappear from E-bay.

I wish the pics were better, I'm curious what the pulley below the motor does. I like that it is taller, my Steptoe would be great if it was about 6 to 8 inches higher.


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## C-Bag (May 15, 2019)

I'm glad you saved all the pics of the P&W here Superburban. Might never see another one again. I too wish the pics were better with more detail.

The stand my Atlas came on is I think an old teletype stand. I like it because it's tall enough I don't have bend over. I'm not tall, 5' 6" and the table is at chest height. Makes it easy to see what's going on and adjust.


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## Superburban (May 15, 2019)

Yea, another forum I frequent, we encourage the first poster to copy and add the pics, and any other important info, when they start the thread.

The table of my Steptoe is about 2 to 2&1/2 feet above ground level. I have been contemplating pouring about a 2 foot thick concrete pad for the shaper to sit on. But it would be nice to be able to move it if I decide down the road.


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## Dabbler (May 15, 2019)

Most of us locally weld a base to raise up our machines, wide enough to accommodate a pallet jack for easy moving.


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## C-Bag (May 20, 2019)

Superburban said:


> The table of my Steptoe is about 2 to 2&1/2 feet above ground level. I have been contemplating pouring about a 2 foot thick concrete pad for the shaper to sit on. But it would be nice to be able to move it if I decide down the road.



Does the Steptoe weigh over 1,000lbs too? I got a chance to measure my table and it's right at 4'. My shop is so squished I have to have everything on castors so it can be stored out of the way then shuffled up front when needed. I scavenged some great quick stops from where I worked so it's holds the shaper steady.


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## C-Bag (May 20, 2019)

Dabbler said:


> Most of us locally weld a base to raise up our machines, wide enough to accommodate a pallet jack for easy moving.


I thought really seriously about making all my workstations without castors and just move them with a pallet jack as they come up for cheap on CL a lot. If I ever get more space I think a pallet jack will be on the top of the list. Very safe and handy.


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## Dabbler (May 20, 2019)

I'm doing a base for my PM945 right now.  Will post pictures, I promise!


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## bentontool (Feb 6, 2022)

I have the above-noted 14" P&W shaper.  I bought it locally from a mechanic for $100.   The base of the clapper box is fractured-off (one bolt only) and will need repair or replacement.  But overall, it is in good condition w/o too much wear on the ways.  It is DECEPTIVELY HEAVY!  I don't have the vise, so it is about 2,000 lb.


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