What's A Shaper For?

DMS said:
Milling machines were actually based on the Lathe (at least according to wikipedia). Shapers were around before that AFAIK. They work like a lathe in that they use a single point tool for cutting. Instead of the part rotating, and the cutter remaining fixed, as in a lathe, the part is held fixed in a shaper, and the cutter moves back and forth across it in a linear fashion. There is typically an auto feed that traverses the cutter across the workpiece a fixed amount after each stroke. Depth adjustment is usually manual.

I have never operated a shaper, but find them fascinating. Lots of videos on youtube of them in action. There is not really anything you can do on a shaper that you can't do on another machine, but tooling is very cheap (hss cutters, vs endmills or broaches). From what I have seen, the surface finish is also remarkably good. Many people like them for cutting dovetails, as they can do it with cheap tooling, as opposed to a dovetail milling cutter, which can be expensive and delicate.
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Just a quick history lesson for those that are interested. The basic idea came from the lathe. The horizontal milling machine came first in about 1810. In the United Sates, Ely Whitney is credited with building the first one, but others in England developed a very similar machine at about the same time. The shaper was developed later, sometime around 1840 I believe. Both machines were developed to replace hand work. The milling machine was developed to take the place of filing, the very first milling cutters were rotary files, since the only people at the time that made cutting tools were file makers. Shapers were later built to replace chipping, a process of cutting cast iron and steel with a cold chisel, a skill that took some time to develop.

Before these machines were made, all work was cast or forged, then chipped and filed to size. A slow process that took many years to learn to do properly. In addition no parts were interchangeable since everything was done by hand. Any machine had to be built one piece at a time and everything needed to be fitted, by hand, to mating components. The introduction of these machines allowed for less skilled workers to make identical parts faster, eventually leading to the standardization that we have today.

Sandro Di Filippo
 
Thanks Sandro,

It's always interesting to learn a bit of the history and development of our beloved toys.

-Ron
 
Thanks Ron and everybody. Very interesting reading. I can't believe I'm gonna say this but I don't think I need a shaper. :p It's really amazing how man can create such machines. People are amazed and sometimes afraid of computers yet without the actual machines doing the work we wouldn't have what we have today.
 
I have a 12" Vernon Shaper, which I restored and is about 90 years old. It is a beautiful machine and I love to watch it operate. But after owning it for several years, I am a true believer in the old adage; "You can make anything on a shaper you want, but money." Just about anything one does on a shaper takes longer than on a good vertical mill.

Randy
 
Well, I have to disagree with the "no money made" with a shaper, Randy. I think it's the exception rather than the rule, but I have paid for mine many times over. There was more shaper work in times past, but still it can be had. And if you get in with the right customer, you will keep one busy. Not likely to make $200/hr, but can definitely make rate cutting internal splines and similar features. And for one off, oddball internal keyways, hard to beat a shaper.
 
Good morning all,

I have to join the disagree about not makeing money camp. My shaper is small, South Bend 7" And it will also do
what my 9 x 42 -1 1/2hp veri-speed Bridgeport mill will have a major struggle with. And make me the same money.
One example is a guy that uses 316 stainless shims for setup of pumps and motors in the water treatment industry.
Some need to have a 1 to 3deg taper machined in them. They are 1/16 to 1/4" thick 4" square. As this stainless is
non "L" the are very hard to cut. The mill will not even think about tapering the thin ones. That little shaper cut's them
like they are hot rolled, just another peice it don't care.
I would love to find one in the 16"-18" size.
I also use it to reform hammer sears on some of the replica guns.
Some of the ones from Italy are cut with to much positive angle. You pull
the 12lb trigger and actuly watch the hammer move back before it drops. I put a pin thru the hammer pivot hole
and rest it on top the vice jaws, set the angle to fix the sear notch. One stroke sometimes 2 and it cuts a perfict
sear. Touch of polish and done. Single stroke jog button from one of my prior posts. The mill will not do it. The cutter
will leave angled cut marks that you have to stone out. Double work and the chance of messing up the angles.
My shaper is just as valuble as my mill and lathes, I would be lost without it. :)) It makes the same doller per/hr as
my other machines. A production shop is different, parts/hr is the norm.

Rick
 
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Brings back memories------While serving my T&D Apprentiship, in the early 70's, I was working with a long block of hot rolled steel. I needed to remove app. one inch of stock from this 6"x12" bar, so I removed app. 3/4" from the 12" side that was app. 36" long. BAD idea---when I removed the bar, it curled almost 1/4" from end to end.
Lucky for me I still had enough to salvage the bar but I learned a valuable lesson:))
 
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