Author Topic: Boxford Shaper worth it?! (Read 15715 times)

NickG · « **on:** July 31, 2013, 10:08:13 AM »

Hi all, might have just got carried away and won an auction for a Boxford shaper :-/ is it worth it though? £263 had decided would bid no more than £200 but then thought could go a little bit higher! Need to put a single phase motor on it too.

Jo · « **Reply #1 on:** July 31, 2013, 11:04:16 AM »

It looks like a nice Mk2. Even a better deal with that sizable machine vice included, make sure you get the handles (shaper & vice) when you pick it up.

A 1/2 or 3/4 hp single phase motor should be easy enough to pick up to replace the three phase one. Make sure it is a smaller single phase motor

Jo

steamer · « **Reply #2 on:** July 31, 2013, 11:13:28 AM »

Shapers are very nice machines...the small ones are usually not worn out can usually can make really flat surfaces!....

so Worth it!

If I had more room I would have kept my AAMCO 7" shaper

Dave

NickG · « **Reply #3 on:** July 31, 2013, 11:52:17 AM »

Thanks Jo and Dave, I have a motor which came off my original ML7 but it has an annoying rattle! Might have to take it to bits to have a look.

Bit concerned that i got carried away and have ripped myself off?

Dad will be thinking i've lost the plot when i tell him he needs to help collect it! As well as the ML7 that I don't need. Should have kept my centec 2a and would have had a nice collection of machinery!

Jo · « **Reply #4 on:** July 31, 2013, 11:59:29 AM »

That vice is worth £80. Ask if they have the rotating base for it when you pick it up... They may also find other stuff for you if you tell them what you are planning to make with it

As it is at a service base you should be able to get some strong fellas to help load it but it is going to be heavy, you will need to break it down.

Jo

NickG · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2013, 12:32:29 PM »

I thought the rotating base was on it but not so sure now looking at the picture :-/ no sign of the handles either in the pic. I don't think a bald bloke fluttering his eye lashes is going to work quite as well ;-) Oh no, what have I done!

b.lindsey · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2013, 01:10:04 PM »

Nick, is there a picture of it? If so I am not seeing the link

Bill

NickG · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2013, 01:29:53 PM »

Sorry Bill, should have pasted a link - should have done it before bidding too ha!

http://bit.ly/19x0cxo

pgp001 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:02:24 PM »

Nick

I cannot get your link to work.

Have you though about keeping the three phase motor, and running it off an inverter.

I am slowly re-converting my machines back from single to three phase, they are much more versatile, and inverters are cheaper than new motors.

Phil

NickG · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:08:07 PM »

Phil, i just realised that and edited it, works for me now. I did think about it, however the 3 ph on my lathe wasn't dual voltage so i would have needed a
Converter. This one is likely to be dual voltage and my old centec mill was but hastily sold that :-(. So don't think it'd be worth it for me, i've got a couple of single phase motors I can try on it.

pgp001 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:19:38 PM »

Nick

Yes I can see the page now.

What neck of the woods are you in ? I see the shaper is at Catterick.
If you get stuck for a 1PH motor I may have a suitable spare one.

Phil

steamer · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:32:30 PM »

Quote from: NickG on July 31, 2013, 01:29:53 PM

Sorry Bill, should have pasted a link - should have done it before bidding too ha!

http://bit.ly/19x0cxo

That looks like a well loved machine...well worth the price in my book anyway.

Good Score!

Dave

NickG · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:43:22 PM »

That's given me some reassurance thanks guys! Wife is not too impressed lol, my last ebay purchase was a bit of a disaster! I'm in Newton Aycliffe Phil, where abouts are you?

Jo · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:45:54 PM »

I want to know what is in the cupboard at the front.... it could be full of goodies

Jo

pgp001 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2013, 02:59:59 PM »

Quote from: NickG on July 31, 2013, 02:43:22 PM

That's given me some reassurance thanks guys! Wife is not too impressed lol, my last ebay purchase was a bit of a disaster! I'm in Newton Aycliffe Phil, where abouts are you?

Nick

We are down the road in Silsden, West Yorks.

Phil

NickG · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2013, 04:16:30 PM »

I bet there is nowt in there Jo as think it has been disconnected! That's not too far Phil, sis lives in wetherby.

Alan Haisley · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2013, 04:29:15 PM »

Nick,
Think keyways, splines, internal gears, dovetails at any angle, racks, ...

(Other ideas, anyone?)
Alan

NickG · « **Reply #17 on:** July 31, 2013, 04:59:34 PM »

Thanks Alan, i thought of keyways and have been looking at some threads where people have cut nice dovetails - I'll have no excuse, will have to make a QCTP then and put all flywheels onto shafts with keyways to justify it! Suppose there is a lot but I'd need some way of accurately grinding tools - thats another machine!

NickG · « **Reply #18 on:** July 31, 2013, 07:32:24 PM »

Have asked about the base and handles but the lady listing the items doesn't know and may not be able to get in touch with the guy that knows due to school holidays. Will be a bit annoying if they are missing.

tel · « **Reply #19 on:** July 31, 2013, 10:09:20 PM »

A little smaller than my Douglas (10") but a very nice looking machine - for that money you stole it!

Handles would be nice but hey, they can be made! After all, you have a shaper now!

!

sbwhart · « **Reply #20 on:** July 31, 2013, 10:25:02 PM »

You bugger I had my eye on that, nice one Nick

A shaper is one bit of kit I would like to get if only I had enough room, but I have a cunning plan that will sort that little problem out soon

Stew

NickG · « **Reply #21 on:** July 31, 2013, 10:44:28 PM »

Getting used to the idea now! Not sure where I will put it yet, plenty of space in the double garage but the idea was for the machinery to be around the edge so i can still get a car in if i need to!

tel · « **Reply #22 on:** July 31, 2013, 11:05:09 PM »

A car in the garage? What sort of warped thinking is that?

steamer · « **Reply #23 on:** August 01, 2013, 01:57:31 AM »

Quote from: NickG on July 31, 2013, 10:44:28 PM

Getting used to the idea now! Not sure where I will put it yet, plenty of space in the double garage but the idea was for the machinery to be around the edge so i can still get a car in if i need to!

Garages are over rated!

Dave

Dave Sohlstrom · « **Reply #24 on:** August 01, 2013, 04:15:25 AM »

You got a hell of a good deal. I bought a Boxford here in the states with the swivel table and a vice of 1500 USD , but it was the only small shaper I had seen in over 2 years of looking.

Dave

NickG · « **Reply #25 on:** August 01, 2013, 08:57:38 AM »

Good point Tel, a lot o people around here are converting them into proper rooms an can guarantee there aren't many cars in them. It is another hobby of mine though!
Feeling a bit better then Dave, yes a lot of shapers are far too heavy duty for the home workshop. We had a huge one at our club which is situated in basement - they had to literally cut it up to get it out - don't know how someone got it down - dangerously though! Then somebody donated a boxford one the same.

tel · « **Reply #26 on:** August 01, 2013, 09:10:28 AM »

The Douglas cost me Au$1000 + Au$200 for a single phase motor almost 12 years ago and I was well satisfied with that - and have never regretted it.

Jo · « **Reply #27 on:** August 01, 2013, 09:12:29 AM »

Nick: I hope you generously went back and acquired that hand shaper you were telling me about when you visited

Jo

MuellerNick · « **Reply #28 on:** August 01, 2013, 09:46:28 AM »

A shaper is quite useless!
I do have three (well, one sold and waiting to be picked up).

"You can do everything on a shaper, except earn money"

Nick

Jo · « **Reply #29 on:** August 01, 2013, 09:59:49 AM »

I don't think that NickG needs to earn money from his shaper

It is more an opportunity to provide machining opportunities that he may have otherwise struggled with.

Pleased to hear that you felt the need to invest in three in the past, I only have two: an Elliot 10M and an Adept 1. Most of the time they lie unused but then sometimes they are the only thing that can do the job

.

Jo

tel · « **Reply #30 on:** August 01, 2013, 10:13:43 AM »

Quote from: MuellerNick on August 01, 2013, 09:46:28 AM

A shaper is quite useless!
I do have three (well, one sold and waiting to be picked up).

"You can do everything on a shaper, except earn money"

Nick

Is this German for 'Very useful indeed'? As I said, I've never regretted buying mine and it is capable of an astounding range of jobs if you think things through beforehand.

NickG · « **Reply #31 on:** August 01, 2013, 11:02:06 AM »

Jo, i forgot about that until the other day! I'd have to buy it back now ha, there was also a small lathe which was quite sturdy but would have taken a lot of work to get right.

NickG · « **Reply #32 on:** August 01, 2013, 01:38:57 PM »

Have just been looking in a manual i found and it seems the table has a spigot hole in it, this could mean the vice doesnt have a rotating base but a spigot that fits into the hole and it clamped directly to the table.

MuellerNick · « **Reply #33 on:** August 01, 2013, 01:49:29 PM »

Quote

Is this German for 'Very useful indeed'?

You get this if you translate Bavarian to Australian back and forth 10 times. The end result is truth with tongue in cheek.

Nick

steamer · « **Reply #34 on:** August 01, 2013, 02:08:31 PM »

Quote from: MuellerNick on August 01, 2013, 01:49:29 PM

Quote
Is this German for 'Very useful indeed'?

You get this if you translate Bavarian to Australian back and forth 10 times. The end result is truth with tongue in cheek.

Nick

Maryak · « **Reply #35 on:** August 01, 2013, 09:11:04 PM »

Quote from: MuellerNick on August 01, 2013, 09:46:28 AM

A shaper is quite useless!
I do have three (well, one sold and waiting to be picked up).

"You can do everything on a shaper, except earn money"

Nick

Hi Nick,

Your scraping education is world class but if the above is truly your opinion then the same cannot be said about your knowledge of machine tools. Or in Oztral'n...........beats the crap out of filing.

Best Regards
Bob

tel · « **Reply #36 on:** August 01, 2013, 09:59:37 PM »

Quote from: MuellerNick on August 01, 2013, 01:49:29 PM

Quote
Is this German for 'Very useful indeed'?

You get this if you translate Bavarian to Australian back and forth 10 times. The end result is truth with tongue in cheek.

Nick

Thought it must be something like that!

Tennessee Whiskey · « **Reply #37 on:** August 01, 2013, 10:58:29 PM »

Well I for one would like to have a small version. Haven't used one since school. The one we had I guess was quite large. I remember some of the guys cranking it to full stoke and max SPM and riding the ram like a bull. BLindsey, you know the types I'm talking about. Nope weren't me, I had real horses to ride.

Eric

tel · « **Reply #38 on:** August 01, 2013, 11:37:34 PM »

My pride and joy!

ths · « **Reply #39 on:** August 02, 2013, 12:02:38 AM »

Nice shaper, Tel. Love one myself. Are you trying to be a good ol' boy in that hat? Quite becoming though.

Maryak · « **Reply #40 on:** August 02, 2013, 06:28:15 AM »

Quote from: ths on August 02, 2013, 12:02:38 AM

Are you trying to be a good ol' boy in that hat? Quite becoming though.

Mayhap "good" is one word too many.

Best Regards
Bob

tel · « **Reply #41 on:** August 02, 2013, 08:53:38 AM »

The Sarf will rahz agin!

ths · « **Reply #42 on:** August 02, 2013, 09:45:20 AM »

What, Tasmania?

tel · « **Reply #43 on:** August 02, 2013, 09:54:48 AM »

Nah, Antarctica - bring firewood!

Jo · « **Reply #44 on:** August 02, 2013, 09:59:10 AM »

Mine isn't as pretty as yours Tel

it has to sit out in the main garage and gets damp $:-\$

But it has a friend

Jo

MuellerNick · « **Reply #45 on:** August 02, 2013, 01:35:13 PM »

Quote

but if the above is truly your opinion then the same cannot be said about your knowledge of machine tools. Or in Oztral'n...........beats the crap out of filing.

I possessed 4 shapers, if that helps.
Now I have two left and I will keep those.

I tried to link to the vids, but the editor here is quite a PITA.

Nick

NickG · « **Reply #46 on:** August 09, 2013, 08:56:01 AM »

Hi, picked the shaper up yesterday, it was very heavy but luckily dad thought to use the engine hoist to lift it onto a 4 wheeled trolley and then into trailer so didn't need to dismantle!
Have to say it's immaculate, I would say has seen very little use. All present and correct with 3 handles for vice, cross feed and hand crank. Vice swivells on a spigot on thevtable with a big nut underneath. There is a sq drive box spanner for the slideway locks and spanners for the other nuts. It is dual voltage 3 phase, does this mean I'll be able to use the nvr switch gear?

Just needs a clean , oil and the motor changing.

steamer · « **Reply #47 on:** August 09, 2013, 10:59:45 AM »

Nick

I would consider a VFD instead of replacing the motor. You'll spend about the same money...and you will have the variable speed if you want it.....just sayin....

Dave

NickG · « **Reply #48 on:** August 09, 2013, 03:09:44 PM »

Dave, thats what i was thinking however i have a motor. If it's no good i might consider swapping the motor from the myford to the shaper and putting the 3 ph with a vfd on the lathe. Think it'd be much more useful on that than on the shaper.

Kim · « **Reply #49 on:** August 09, 2013, 03:57:19 PM »

That's exciting Nick! Can't wait to see some pics of your new shaper when it gets settled into its new home!
Kim

NickG · « **Reply #50 on:** August 09, 2013, 04:09:36 PM »

Yeah will be sure to put some on Kim, the whole place is a mess at the moment!

News:

Author Topic: Boxford Shaper worth it?! (Read 15715 times)