Niagara "stomp" shear manufacture date

[diy570]

i've searched around here a bit and found a few mentions of these types of shears and wanted to know if anybody could help me determine when this was made. i bought it to use, but its a neat old piece and i'm just curious to know more about it. i found 21286 stamped into it in 3 different locations and i'm not sure if that could be a manufacture date? 1886 seems too old and 1986 seems too new, but most reference i've seen to these types of shears were made from the 1920s and on.
here's a couple pictures. thanks for any help!

 

[A_Pmech]

Looks like an incremental serial number to me, rather than a manufacturing date as mine has. Niagara Machine and Tool Works did not incorporate until 1901.

Clearing and Niagara merged some time back and then they merged with Bliss. You may be able to get some info out of these guys on the manufacturing date:

http://www.schulergroup.com/micro/bcn/

Alternatively, an MDNA Reference Guide *might* have a listing for that shear. It was previously known as the "Serial
Number Reference Book for Metalworking Machinery".

Please post some more photos of the back gauge and front gauge! I need to make both of them.

 

[diy570]

thanks for the info. i can take some more pictures of the gauges if you want, pm me with the specifics you would like.

 

[Lump]

I have the same exact shear. Don't know the exact age of mine either.
Years ago I was a union sheet metal worker, and I can tell you that we had some pretty strong ideas about tool brand names. None got more respect than Niagara in the shops I worked in. And that's a fact.

Nice shear!

 

[diy570]

Nice shear!

thanks! this was sitting in a small local fab shop and the guy offered it to me last year for a decent price. i figured i better get it before somebody else did and just picked it up 2 nights ago.

does yours have the hold down on it or did these 30" models not come with one?

 

[OccupantRJ]

I also have one like it. No hold downs on the ones I have seen.

 

[Lump]

No hold-down. For the light gage metal these are designed for, and assuming that your blade is sharp and properly adjusted, no hold-down is needed. It would just get in your way. In my years as a tinner I never had a piece of metal slip from my grip on a sharpened and properly adjusted stomp shear.

 

[diy570]

thanks guys. my blade seems sharp, i sheared a couple near full width pieces of 20ga. with no problems. i wouldn't use a hold down for most things i do, i was mainly curious if mine was missing the piece or if they are non-existent for these models. if they exist, i'd like to track one down just for the sake of having a complete machine.

either way, i'm happy with mine so far and glad to know they have a good reputation. it shears a lot better than the shear on my chinese made, grizzly 3 in 1 machine that i've been using.

 

[Lump]

thanks guys. my blade seems sharp, i sheared a couple near full width pieces of 20ga. with no problems. i wouldn't use a hold down for most things i do, i was mainly curious if mine was missing the piece or if they are non-existent for these models. if they exist, i'd like to track one down just for the sake of having a complete machine.

either way, i'm happy with mine so far and glad to know they have a good reputation. it shears a lot better than the shear on my chinese made, grizzly 3 in 1 machine that i've been using.

Yeah, I'll bet. And you know how it is with just about any "3-in-1" tool. They will do three different jobs...but none of them very well. LOL.

You have a fine shear, and if you can keep ignorant folks from cutting wire and other improper materials on it, and keep it sharp and adjusted, you will get a lifetime of service from it...as others likely have before you!

 

[MichaelP]

I've just bought a similar shear, but with a hold down.

I was thinking about sharpening the blades and would prefer to lick the wide side of the blades before grinding the angled margin to sharpen the edge. Usually, people mention using shims if the thickness of the cutting edge was modified. This particular shear design allows to move the table along with the stationary blade back and forth to regulate the gap between the blades. I cannot see why any shim may be needed in this case. Am I missing anything?


I'm also trying to find out the maximum rated capacity of the shear, but cannot find the data. I sent a request to BCN, but don't hold my breath: the shear is quite old with its Ser.# 7977. The blades are 26" long.

 

[TinKnocker]

Nice shear. I scrapped one like it when I was an apprentice. I had no truck and lived in an apartment.