Thread: A question for the Shaper Owners

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.)

Same as you Bryan. No mill just a shaper and lathe and loving it.

Phil

It seems your not alone Bryan. One good thing is it's a lot cheaper on tooling. When you buy a mill thats only half of it as the tooling soon adds up.

Dave

Nice to know there are others. Ben you will find there's not much you can't do with a lathe and a shaper. You just need a little patience and imagination. But I guess you need those for any kind of machining.

I'm not wanting to upset the apple cart but my most used machine prior to the arrival of the 13 was my little Hercus mill. The lathes were used to make the round bits for my milling projects. The shaper was used to rough things to shape more often than not. The mill was used with a slitting saw for cutting off before I bought a bandsaw.

The mill is small so the projects needed to be suitably small but then all my machines are small.

If I was starting out and had the opportunity to purchase either a mill or a shaper of similar capacity and quality, I would opt for the mill.

BT

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

I'm not wanting to upset the apple cart but my most used machine prior to the arrival of the 13 was my little Hercus mill. The lathes were used to make the round bits for my milling projects. The shaper was used to rough things to shape more often than not. The mill was used with a slitting saw for cutting off before I bought a bandsaw.

The mill is small so the projects needed to be suitably small but then all my machines are small.

If I was starting out and had the opportunity to purchase either a mill or a shaper of similar capacity and quality, I would opt for the mill.

BT

Bob
Same here
Bruce

Originally Posted by Abratool

Bob
Same here
Bruce

A few months before I bought the 13 I was at Ron Mack Machinery in Osborne Park. I used to drop in there every couple of months to check out the second hand machines. On that occasion there happened to be a pristine Elliott 14" shaper stowed amongst a ragtag collection of beaters. The machine was close to flawless. Ron Mack said I could have it for a large. I said I had a shaper and would dwell on it. I guess if I had bought it, trying to justify the need for a second mill to my wife may have been problematic.


The reality is that there's every chance that I might find another shaper, something larger than the Douglas and little chance that I would find another Schaublin, let alone one in the condition mine is in.


I would like a larger shaper along with a larger shed. As you well know, it does not end.


BT

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

If I was starting out and had the opportunity to purchase either a mill or a shaper of similar capacity and quality, I would opt for the mill.

The prices are normally so different that I'm not sure we are compearing apples with apples, cart or not. Most the guys on here have picked up shapers* for less money than I've spent on tooling for the mill. All up I'd say the mill has cost me ten times the shaper............. but I cant make up my mind which one I would choose. Not because I use the shaper more, but for some reason I get more enjoyment from using it.

*a mates father calls them "lazy mans file"

Stuart

Originally Posted by Stustoys

The prices are normally so different that I'm not sure we are compearing apples with apples, cart or not. Most the guys on here have picked up shapers* for less money than I've spent on tooling for the mill. All up I'd say the mill has cost me ten times the shaper............. but I cant make up my mind which one I would choose. Not because I use the shaper more, but for some reason I get more enjoyment from using it.

*a mates father calls them "lazy mans file"

Stuart

You are correct Stu, I'd glossed over the considerable price difference. Buy both.

Ray's saw. This is hand work, not hand wheel turning.

Originally Posted by Stustoys

The prices are normally so different that I'm not sure we are compearing apples with apples, cart or not. Most the guys on here have picked up shapers* for less money than I've spent on tooling for the mill. All up I'd say the mill has cost me ten times the shaper............. but I cant make up my mind which one I would choose. Not because I use the shaper more, but for some reason I get more enjoyment from using it.

*a mates father calls them "lazy mans file"

Stuart

Your not wrong there, a cheap face mill with inserts will set you back $150, thats half the price of a cheap shaper.
The measuring gear and most accessories used on a shaper can be used on a mill when you do decide to change over. Milling is just so much quicker, though more expensive.

If I had to pick one on a tight budget, I would pick the shaper. Saying that all of my milling gear has been built up over the years bit by bit because I just cant afford to go out and buy it all (or even half) at once. Everybody complains about the Chinese tooling, but without the cheap Chinese tooling I would still not have much and without it around the prices of quality gear would be driven higher than what it is now.

Dave

Hello,

I thought I do something different AB (other than turn flat material flatter).

Its not much, but I'm still learning about the shaper. All done by Mark I eyeball. Had lots of fun this afternoon. On the second picture is the first part of a spring centre I'm making for the fun of it.

Cheers Ben.

ps Sorry about the picture quality, all photo's taken from my phone.

Greetings chaps I might as well stick my ore in on this one. As a bachelor and unattached childless body I can afford a mill and a shaper The shaper is a Gordon Institute of Geelong machine and it sits there forlornly waiting for some action. It is a three speed three phase beastie. Probably 12 inch stroke but could be more. The previous owner used it to cut Key ways. Now the other day I got my Arno Mill to go. The Arno has every thing you could want on a Mill. It almost talked to me the other day when I was making some Tee nuts on it. The material used was 4140 and doubt if a high speed tool would have done the job. The material started a round bar. Fair dinkcum it was almost as good as sex. I have also access to a large shaper that has 93 stroke a minute on is gear box no name in this beastie. This one is also idle.
Yours 4-6-4

Ben that vice you are using appears to be a milling vice,to keep most of the swarf away from the thread cut a piece of milk bottle up to cover the opening,put a tongue on the front to fit under the sliding jaw.