Thread: New to me Alba shaper

I have never heard of a 24"Alba either... I saw a 24" Invicta at an auction years ago...It was really huge,much bigger then the Alba...

Originally Posted by .RC.

I have never heard of a 24"Alba either... I saw a 24" Invicta at an auction years ago...It was really huge,much bigger then the Alba...

Me neither before this one.
The motor is off it at the moment so that makes it look a little bigger. It sits at the rear on a massive cast plate.
The only thing I found on it online was a fellow with a 18inch Alba saying he wanted a 24inch one. Maybe there rare?
This one will suit my shed good with not being too big. I see some brands with the same stroke are huge will others like this one are smaller in mass. I have looked at some over the years and they have been 3 to 4 ton, way to big for my son and I to move on our own.
It's just a thought at the moment but I am thinking about putting a separately powered horizontal spindle were the clapper bolts on and use it as a surface grinder until I can get one. Whats your thoughts? I cant see why it wouldn't work, the wheel dresser could be set up on the table, and I would the be able to grind angles by swiveling the head. One thing is for sure it would be ridged enough.
Dave

You can do that,in fact I have an old article from Model engineer magazine where that was done.... However I think the grinding grit would quickly destroy the sliding surfaces unless you have a vacuum cleaner set up to collect the grit and ground metal as the wheel cuts..

I have found on my TC grinder most grit is created when you dress the wheel..


Edit: Found the article

Good to hear, at least it's been done before. I wasn't sure whether I was thinking too far outside the circle.
I was thinking of building a complete enclosure for it and running coolant, so that would keep the dust mostly contained and from flying around the shop.
Any chance of a scan of that article?
Dave
Edit
Thanks

RC,
I found another Alba here on the forum, but only a small model.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/al...-shaper-76279/
Dave

Hi Dave,

Just curious, I have no real experience of shapers, what does the 24" actually mean, is that the amount of travel on the ram, the table size or what?

Regards
Ray

Hi Ray,
Yes 24 inch is the ram travel. so you can machine something flat 23 inches long or double that if you turn it around and set it up again. the smaller one is 11 inch but they call it a 101/2 because thats what it will cut.
They will do most everything a mill will do, and will do some operations a mill can't like cutting internal key ways. The best part is the tooling is only HSS lathe tooling so it's allot cheaper than a mill. There only downfall is there slow, but can be left semi unattended as they have a table feed left to right even on the small one's.This big one will cut around 5-6mm deep steel per pass on a facing cut if needed.
Your in the lucky state down there for them, every bit of machinery I want. is always down your way.
One just went through on ebay for $650 down that way.
Dave

Hi Dave,

That 24" shaper must be some machine! I have spent the better part of the past few weeks shuffling stuff around the workshop to make room for the mill, I doubt I could fit one in.

Looking forward to see how the rebuild/restoration goes. Sounds like a useful thing to have around the workshop.

Regards
Ray

The smaller they are the dearer they get because of what you said,how much room they take up. I will have to do some rearranging myself. I just got the shed divided into a metal side and a wood side after not having a wood side for a few years. Looks like the wood side is going to be smaller for a while until I can get the shed extension built.
You would not believe what I have squeezed in a 7mtr square shed, with still being able to work in there.
I forgot to mention that a shaper can cut internal and external dovetails with a standard piece of ground HSS.
Dave

And what's wrong with my "only a small model"


It's up and running and earning it's keep. Besides it's the only way to make internal keyways in this area (other than a file) since an old friend got sick and had to close his shop down.

Ken

Hi Ken,
Nothing wrong with small shapers. My little Douglas is great, but as you know a small shaper will only do small jobs, a large one will do both.
I am trying to find out some info on this one, dates etc. Have you found any info on the Alba company?
Did you finish the rebuild on yours, any pictures?
Dave

Well Ill admit I'm just plain jealous , I think you should box up that Douglas and send it to me ,after all what's a bloke need two shapers for ?

No chance of getting one up here either.

Kev.

Dave,

No pics. I have tried to upload some from my new camera previously, but I wasn't able to shrink them enough.

As I said it is in use. Totally remachining the 4" asian/indian vice was a good practice run. Cast iron finish is beautiful. Run some prehardened M200 tool steel (plastic injection mould steel)through. Did it easily but tool wear was heavy.
Still in its original green paint (minus a few patches); bit it is a worker; not a show pony. I lost count of the hours spent scraping the new gear as it had a tight section where the gear teeth were binding. Probably the new bull gear shaft and bushes as well as the odd tooth wear pattern didn't help.

As far as I can recall, Alba took over the original company (forget the name) then were themselves taken over by Elliot. The latest build date for my one would have been about 1950. More likely to have been pre-war. The cost was somewhere around 14500 pounds. What would that be in todays exchange rate. I have an idea that the original company started off around the 1900 period.

I wonder how the current crop of Chinese machines will be faring in a 100 years time??

Ken

Originally Posted by Toggy

I have tried to upload some from my new camera previously, but I wasn't able to shrink them enough.

The forum will now resize images automatically now, so you may want to have another try.