Tiny Metal Shaper. Who Made it?

[ritestuff]

I've been looking for a small benchtop shaper forever, and when a friend told me that he knew someone that had one for sale, I couldn't get there fast enough. What I found was this tiny thing. The "cool" factor is off the charts. There are no maker's marks on it anywhere. The first picture has a standard 12 oz soda can on it to give an idea of it's size. Can't wait to clean it up and start making chips.

Does anyone have any idea of what company might have made it?

 

[rsanter]

Atlas I think

Bob

 

[nine4gmc]

That thing is awesome! I think that would be on my nightstand running as a sleep machine.

 

[bl00]

I'd never get anything done if I had that. I'd sit in the garage and watch it run all day. Post a video when you get it going.

 

[sasquatch12]

Wow! One SWEET FIND!!

 

[sasquatch12]

Forgot to ask, How long is the stroke?

 

[Rye425]

Super cool. There's a youtuber that first introduced me metal shapers. If you've never seen his channel check it out. So entertaining.

 

[larry_g]

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Metal_Shapers/info

There is a yahoo group for shapers and they would probably have your answer.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

What an interesting little machine. I had no idea that "metal shapers" (regardless of size) even existed.

Can I presume they were used for some machining processes that a milling machine would do, but the metal shaper didn't have the complexity and hence expense of a milling machine?

 

[larry_g]

What an interesting little machine. I had no idea that "metal shapers" (regardless of size) even existed.

Can I presume they were used for some machining processes that a milling machine would do, but the metal shaper didn't have the complexity and hence expense of a milling machine?

Shapers predated the milling machines that we know today. Planers are another tool that were in the shops of old.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[justanengineer]

I suspect it was machined from a kit by a hobbyist, 50 years ago there were several. Sorry I cant remember the names but there likely is some info somewhere in the shaper section linked below.

Definitely cool no matter the maker, I've got an Atlas and yes, they are VERY fun machines to run.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html

 

[spongerich]

Definitely not Atlas, South Bend, AMMCO, Rockwell, or any of the more common ones.

She's cute as a button. Even tiny shapers can be very handy in the home shop.
They use cheap tooling and can make quick work of some jobs (like cutting inside keyways) that are difficult or impossible with other machines.

 

[Boilerhouse]

Mr Pete has a miniature home built shaper and did a video on it