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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
    Posts
    519

    Default Why do I need a shaper

    Hello all

    I know very little about shapers. I currently have a 11"X60" lathe and a HM46 style mill. I knew a bit about lathes and mills and had an idea what I would use them for. Now I have them I wonder how I made anything without them.

    I like the look of shapers and they seem less frantic than say a mill. I have a large vintage power hacksaw and prefer it to a bandsaw.

    My question is essentially, what can a shaper do that I can't do on my lathe and mill? Or what does a shaper do better than the lathe and mill?
    Please educate me. As I am getting older I am discovering more and more that a lot of the older tools or methods are better suited to the home workshop, or that just may be my perception. I want to enjoy what I am making and not looking to turn out a dozen items a day like a business.

    Thanks

    Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    I couldn't do without my shapers for internal keyways mainly, then to flatten a block of steel with a few dollar peice of HSS that can be resharpened over and over again, much cheaper than the mill and set and forget type of thing.

    A few years ago I ever mounted a bench grinder to it and surface ground some steel which worked successfully.



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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    near Warragul, Victoria
    Posts
    3,718

    Default Basic manual

    https://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-...0-14-and-P.pdf

    https://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-...1-14-and-P.pdf

    There is a Shaper USB stick somewhere that was being shared by the forum members, the stick has many manuals and other good shaper info.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southern Flinders Ranges
    Posts
    1,536

    Default

    The short answer is if you have a mill you don’t really need a shaper (pretty certain there’s a couple of people that’ll disagree with me though).
    A shaper is much cheaper on tooling, a mill needs a tool for just about everything, a shaper has a hand ground tool and some set up time. Dovetails are a classic example, on a mill you buy an expensive cutter, on a shaper you grind a HSS blank to suit and tilt either the work or the tool holder.
    I’ve thus far avoided the hype and resisted the temptation, although I have to admit I find the noise they make on longer cuts somewhat hypnotic.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default

    A mill can do everything a shaper can do, as long as it has a slotting attachment.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Laidley, SE Qld
    Posts
    1,038

    Default

    Was that 'need' or 'want'?
    With your lathe and mill you don't need a shaper.
    Wanting a shaper because they are old school, fascinating to watch and make wonderful rhythmic noises is very understandable.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Brisbane
    Age
    69
    Posts
    452

    Default shaper

    Quote Originally Posted by nadroj View Post
    A mill can do everything a shaper can do, as long as it has a slotting attachment.
    A mill can do everything a shaper can do if it has a vertical shaper attachment.
    That is the correct terminology.
    Regards
    BC

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,416

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bob ward View Post
    Was that 'need' or 'want'?
    With your lathe and mill you don't need a shaper.
    Wanting a shaper because they are old school, fascinating to watch and make wonderful rhythmic noises is very understandable.
    I've done several jobs in the last few years since re setting up shop where the shaper has paid for itself doing blind internal keyways.
    Way cheaper than buying brouch's for each job and would be a pain to do blind keyways I guess, as I don't own any.

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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    near Warragul, Victoria
    Posts
    3,718

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Posts
    837

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by steamloco1954 View Post
    A mill can do everything a shaper can do if it has a vertical shaper attachment.
    That is the correct terminology.
    Regards
    BC
    How does one get that flat knurled finish shapers can do (like vice jaws) on a milling machine?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lamestllama View Post
    How does one get that flat knurled finish shapers can do (like vice jaws) on a milling machine?
    You can tilt the head 45 degrees and the rotate the vice 45 degrees and use an end mill to cut vee notches. https://youtu.be/GzKnpJ0rCiE
    A shaper is quite probably more convenient as I can set the table feed up to .150" per stroke on mine which would take care of the relevant groove spacings.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
    Posts
    519

    Default

    Thanks to all those that have replied. If a shaper and I cross paths one day it may very end up in my shed, if it is meant to be.
    It looks like I don't "need" one but I think I would enjoy using one and that's what it is all about.

    Steve

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Posts
    837

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Karl Robbers View Post
    You can tilt the head 45 degrees and the rotate the vice 45 degrees and use an end mill to cut vee notches. https://youtu.be/GzKnpJ0rCiE
    A shaper is quite probably more convenient as I can set the table feed up to .150" per stroke on mine which would take care of the relevant groove spacings.
    You would be twiddling the handwheels of both axes of the mill between each groove. A very unrewarding use of time.

    The shaper will do this completely automatically without error. It's probably one of the very few things that is many times faster on a shaper than a manual mill.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Australind , WA
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reidy41 View Post
    Thanks to all those that have replied. If a shaper and I cross paths one day it may very end up in my shed, if it is meant to be.
    It looks like I don't "need" one but I think I would enjoy using one and that's what it is all about.

    Steve

    Yep, if you have the space , funds and time to play with it....why not.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lamestllama View Post
    You would be twiddling the handwheels of both axes of the mill between each groove. A very unrewarding use of time.

    The shaper will do this completely automatically without error. It's probably one of the very few things that is many times faster on a shaper than a manual mill.
    I totally agree.
    While mills have replaced shapers in industry, there is just something soothing about a shaper and you can't help but love the big lumps.

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