Thread: A question for the Shaper Owners

Originally Posted by calala

I am at the moment lost without the use of my shaper, I retired 2 years ago and had to let my rented shed go, thus my shaper is sitting idle at my home. One of my hobbies is Blacksmithing and I used my shaper to make tooling, dies,etc. Its a funny thing but I never think of taking photos of things I make it looks like I should, but I seem to get side tracked by the item just produced. However, I love my shaper and the things you can do with them, simplicity itself. If you can think of something a shaper can do it.

I know how you feel... creating the item is the name of the game, and then what I feel is 'self promotion' comes a distant second.

At the end of the day, by providing a photo, you are sharing knowledge, innovation and most importantly, INSPIRATION, as well as your own blood, sweat and tears.

Too often 'old school' knowledge is dismissed as 'fear of the unknown'. We live in a 'CNC culture' where people think they can make stuff with the press of button, without rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty.

So please post as many photos as you can- I want to learn.

I am a bit of a contradiction spending the last seven or so years building CNC gantry routers, CNC lathes and CNC mills. I have tried my hand at blacksmithing in the 70's and went to night school to learn the finer points. I have primarily been a woodworker doing cabinetry and wooodturning. Due to raising a family I made my machines where possible and as I had more spare cash I began buying fancy blue coloured Taiwan and China replicas of real machinery.

In my transition to CNC I brought a metal lathe and a mill as I had fond memories of doing lathe work in Metalwork at High School. Once I had learnt how to use them I questioned their value in the workshop as you don't use a lathe and mill much in woodwork. Wasting time on the internet at night I came across CNC machines and having an understanding of programing I found a new niche for my idle hands. The experience I had in machine building, the capability of metal shaping and computer knowledge amalgamated into my CNC adventure.

This of course has nothing to do with Shapers yet.

Being a bit of an old tart for ancient iron I go weak at the knees when I look at a Herbert or any of the work dogs of previous years. I brought a hand shaper many years ago and thought that was as close as I was going to get to real machinery.
In Perth there are not many opportunities for old iron and a Douglas came up a couple of months ago on Gumtree and the planets were aligned. I had the machine in my shed and running very soon after. I have yet to really acquaint myself with the Lassies quirks but look forward to an adventure with her that will reshape all the iron I can feed her.

This forum will hopefully provide the knowledge and inspiration needed to do that with precision.

I've got some nice Herbert and Ward photos that might tide you over until our real machine viewing rendezvous tomorrow Rod.

Stop tempting me.
I have taken SWMBO to work, replied to the post and have to get out to the shed - I just love working with MDF (not) but I need to get it done.

When you have worked for a while with CNC you start to see the 'assumption' that the computer is going to do everything for you... press that green button, switch brain off.

While CNC can do some exceptional things it is someone with a 'pre-CNC brain' that gets the most out of it.....

I propose, something along the lines of the 'scraping classes', maybe a group setting where old school machinists could teach the youngsters (those who care enough to learn) some of their knowledge, and vice versa?

A lot of this knowledge is being lost, and I as one of the (40 year old) 'youngsters' would like it to be recorded for prosperity.

Gerbinsquasher
I agree with what you are saying and in fact if you don't have the fundamentals of machining you are not going to operate a CNC machine well.

CNC does things you can't do on a manual machine and I view both as complimenting each other.

I'm just wondering if there's anyone else who owns a shaper but no mill, or am I an orphan? (It's not a religious thing - I'd have a mill too if I could afford it.)

Originally Posted by Gerbilsquasher

I know how you feel... creating the item is the name of the game, and then what I feel is 'self promotion' comes a distant second.

At the end of the day, by providing a photo, you are sharing knowledge, innovation and most importantly, INSPIRATION, as well as your own blood, sweat and tears.

Too often 'old school' knowledge is dismissed as 'fear of the unknown'. We live in a 'CNC culture' where people think they can make stuff with the press of button, without rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty.

So please post as many photos as you can- I want to learn.

Gerb, a few photos.

When I bought my first Hercus, I was given a photocopy of an old Hercus brochure for their 9 inch lathe. There was an illustration of the vertical milling attachment. I liked it. Then a while later I happened to see the attachment in a bloke's workshop. He suggested contacting F W Hercus to find out if any of the parts for the attachment were still available. They were except for the slotted slide. I measured the slide and had two goes at making it. The first attempt ended in tears when I didn't realise the clapper box wasn't sitting fully closed and when I commenced my finishing cut , the tool removed a chunk of cast iron. I learnt a lesson that day. The dovetails were cut on the shaper, the tee slots finished on the lathe. I bought a boring table from Hercus to do that job. I've used the table 3 times in ten years.

I needed a vice for the milling attachment. Except for the final milling of the slots on the lathe, the body and jaw were cut on the shaper.

The tool and cutter vice body was an Ebay purchase from Hercus. The jaw was again cut on the shaper.

The Tough drill I bought for 50 bucks was in a poor state. The base was cleaned up on the Douglas. Sadly my Waldown bases are too big.

The slotting head, whilst not really a shaper project, benefited from the shaper's ability to remove metal rapidly. It needed to, I was getting bored by the time I made the second body. I won't go into why the second came about.
Most of this stuff was made before I was aware of a forum and before I had a useful digital camera.

BT

Originally Posted by Bryan

I'm just wondering if there's anyone else who owns a shaper but no mill, or am I an orphan? (It's not a religious thing - I'd have a mill too if I could afford it.)

I had only a shaper and one lathe for a few years Bryan and I had more room in my shed. The good old days.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Gerb, a few photos.

When I bought my first Hercus, I was given a photocopy of an old Hercus brochure for their 9 inch lathe. There was an illustration of the vertical milling attachment. I liked it. Then a while later I happened to see the attachment in a bloke's workshop. He suggested contacting F W Hercus to find out if any of the parts for the attachment were still available. They were except for the slotted slide. I measured the slide and had two goes at making it. The first attempt ended in tears when I didn't realise the clapper box wasn't sitting fully closed and when I commenced my finishing cut , the tool removed a chunk of cast iron. I learnt a lesson that day. The dovetails were cut on the shaper, the tee slots finished on the lathe. I bought a boring table from Hercus to do that job. I've used the table 3 times in ten years.

I needed a vice for the milling attachment. Except for the final milling of the slots on the lathe, the body and jaw were cut on the shaper.

The tool and cutter vice body was an Ebay purchase from Hercus. The jaw was again cut on the shaper.

The Tough drill I bought for 50 bucks was in a poor state. The base was cleaned up on the Douglas. Sadly my Waldown bases are too big.

The slotting head, whilst not really a shaper project, benefited from the shaper's ability to remove metal rapidly. It needed to, I was getting bored by the time I made the second body. I won't go into why the second came about.
Most of this stuff was made before I was aware of a forum and before I had a useful digital camera.

BT

May I say..... WOW!

I sometimes get a little disconcerted with day to day dealings with the 'masses', and it's nice to be reminded that there IS intelligent life on this planet.

The standard of finish, the complexity of the projects and even the cleanliness of your equipment are all places I am trying to reach in my own workshop. No doubt I will make more mistakes too, but they are there to teach you something valuable.

Originally Posted by Bryan

I'm just wondering if there's anyone else who owns a shaper but no mill, or am I an orphan? (It's not a religious thing - I'd have a mill too if I could afford it.)

They guy selling that latest Douglas near me has just bought a mill so he is getting rid of his shaper.

On here I think your the only one.

Dave

Originally Posted by Gerbilsquasher

May I say..... WOW!
<snip>
The standard of finish, the complexity of the projects and even the cleanliness of your equipment are all places I am trying to reach in my own workshop.
<snip>

Welcome to the club Gerbilsquasher, BT's work is an inspiration for many (myself included) to try and do better. I notice it's effect on Joe H's work is becoming more pronounced...

On the subject of mill versus shaper, I think it's good to have both... the shaper is more fun to use however... that powerfull, quiet, and relentless simple bit of magic

Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by Bryan

I'm just wondering if there's anyone else who owns a shaper but no mill, or am I an orphan? (It's not a religious thing - I'd have a mill too if I could afford it.)

I don't have a milling machine. If I had the room and money I'd get one. I am hoping that the shaper and lathe will do for now.

On an interesting side note, I'm seriously thinking about using my shaper to do much of the work on my MLA cross slide casting, especially after seeing AB outstanding work. I just need to learn how to use the shaper accurately.

Ben.

Hi BT,
I am unfortunate in that i have not been a member here long enough to see much of your work. Wow! now i feel i need to go back through all your posts just to see your work.

Ewan