A very small Shaping Machine ...

I am considering building a small [and simple] Shaper for horological and similar work, and would welcome any Design Ideas.

• Working envelope no greater than 100mm cube
• To machine Non-Ferrous materials only

Thanks in anicipation of expert advice from the Shaper enthusiasts.

MichaelG.

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There are three pictures of a delightful little machine by Vautrin, on this page ; but I would probably want something a little less delicate.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 21/10/2013 18:46:41

The one that was recently in Best of ME Vol3 would be about that size.

J

Shame I decided not to buy it [after a quick skim in WHSmiths]

MichaelG.

Drifting slightly from my own topic ...

I just found this [which is somewhat smaller than I had in mind]

MichaelG.

Hi Michael & Guys
I have a small Drummond hand shaper it great to use.
Good luck finding or making one
Nobby

Nice looking machine, Nobby

But it appears to be bigger and heftier than I need.

Just as a "sanity check" for me ... what is the "Working Envelope" of that one?

Thanks

MichaelG.

Hi Michael

This link at Vintage Projects :- http://www.vintageprojects.com/machine-shop/shaper-metal-plans.html might give you some ideas.

I think I've seen another design in "Practical Mechanics" or "Popular Mechanics" a Google search should find those.

Keith

edit also Model Engineer OCTOBER 9, 1952.

Edited By Keith Long on 21/10/2013 23:49:12

Michael;

I really like the Martin Models "Strong Arm" shaper - modelled after the little Adept. About a 4" x4" x4" cube working area.

As I already have a Hand Shaper (Nobby is not the only one!) I don't know if I'll ever get around to getting a set of the Martin Models castings or not.

Web site : http://www.martinmodel.com

The castings shipped overseas might set you back a bit; even shipping "north of the border" is problematic.

John A. Stewart.

i thought that the model engineers size vertical mill such as the dore westbury and all that has gone since has made shapers obsolete? (dore westbury owner here). cant understand why anyone would want a shaper in this day and age!

cheers,

julian

How about a model metal planer?

"cant understand why anyone would want a shaper in this day and age"

If you need to ask then you'll never understand

Edited By Ady1 on 22/10/2013 01:19:20

Its kind of like what ex-smokers go through - you *think* you are past it, when one comes along at a good price, and the temptation is sooo strong.... sooo strong and precious.... I feel like Gollum in Lord of the Rings...

Passed by a couple of nice-sized ones recently, but the Drummond hand powered one from a club member was too good to pass up, and it helped him do a necessary cleaning out of his workshop.

I'm thinking of taking it to the 2014 local "Maker Faire", and let people zip a tool along some brass or something - kids at the 2013 Maker Faire had incredibly little knowledge of machining.

Another JohnS.

Keith / John / Ady

Many thanks for the suggestions. ... Of these; the 1952 Model Engineer article, and the Martin Models [Adept-ish] design, are most interesting.

Unfortunately: Everything does look somewhat coarser than I had in mind ... probably because the designers expected to work on Iron Castings.

I anticipate working mainly on Brass/Bronze, and hard Aluminium Alloys; and will be happy to take very light cuts. The Shaper would be used for precision detailing, not for rapid stock-removal. [My proposed "envelope" was based on the overall size of some Microscope and Camera components.]

I may need to to re-think the approach: Perhaps it should be a "portable" Shaper Head, that can be clamped to another structure [Angle Plate, etc.], ... like those magnetic drills that they use on girders ??

Please keep the ideas coming

MichaelG.

................

Julian,

I already have a BCA MkIII (which is a Mill cum Jig Borer), but there are some jobs that seem better suited to the Shaper.

Thanks for the thought though.

MichaelG.

Ok so where do I get the plans for the flat bed planer,

Haven't seen one of those since I worked in the oil industry when machine shops where real machine shops,

I use to operate 1 that had a bed travel/stroke of 10' - thats approx 3mtr in old money and was driven by old leather flat belts

Shapers are brilliant machines for holding a section of floor down securely until you can get a more useful machine to take it's place.

How about David Gingery's shaper? I am sure that could be hand driven with a little thought. Just started working on the patterns for mine

.

Nice one, John

But, at the scale I want, it might hold down a place-mat until my dinner arrives.

MichaelG.

Hi Julian & Guys
How would you machine a true semi circular groove say about 1" dia 4" long 1/2" deep in MS. on a small manual milling machine . ? Got my flak jacket ready !!!

Nobby

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Davey,

Thanks for the thought; but the Gingery Shaper is much bigger and heavier than I want, and [from what I have read], it's at the "rapid stock removal" end of things.

MichaelG.

Hi Michael,

If the spec could be improved to include ferrous metals (surely not that much of a challenge?) wouldn't this be an ideal crowd-source design project?

>How would you machine a true semi circular groove say about 1" dia 4" long 1/2" deep in MS. on a small manual milling machine . ? Got my flak jacket ready !!!

The CNC fraternity would load up a 1mm round-nose end mill, press 'go' and retire to watch teh TV for a few weeks...

Neil

Edited By Stub Mandrel on 22/10/2013 11:56:44

HI guys
How about surface grinding on a hand shaper ? Grinding dust ?
Nobby