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Vernon Metal Shaper

matt_isserstedt

Diamond
Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Location
suburbs of Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Completed Ebay Auction

Just curious about this machine. I see Art Volz has already stolen the logoed cover-door. :D

But more on topic, this would seem, by gross dimensions to be more like a 7" stroke shaper than a 3-1/4" stroke....could it be that Reliable just measured it as-is and didn't know how to adjust it, or is it really that short?

I looked at http://www.lathes.co.uk and didn't see any more info.

-Matt
 
To change the stroke length on that one I believe you have to use a wrench on that crank nut which they probably didnt do. I suspect your correct and its more likely a 6 or 7 incher.
 
Vernon became the Sheldon. My mill says "Sheldon Vernon" on it, my shaper is marked Sheldon.

The Sheldon version has some additions to the feed works and doesn't have the hand wheel, Possibly the drive is different.

Max ram stroke is 12 inches, it is a really good full size 6" maybe 8" shaper, but any longer stroke is pushing it's limits.
 
The guy that had it certainly never ran it. I have had three Atlas and one South Bend 7" shapers. Still have one Atlas. Nice little fellows. I bought a 12" Sheldon like that shown in the ebay ad, my dream machine. The manual says it will stroke 13". It has a tilting table and variable speed drive. I was lucky enough to get a matching Sheldon horizontal mill that has the same variable speed drive. My thought is when I geared up for my one ton J head Bridgeport mill. Any weight machine like a 1500 pound Sheldon shaper or H mill or 13" SB lathe is just about right.
WAlt
 
Hmmm - Wish I had realized the stroke on that shaper was longer than they stated, as it went pretty cheap and was on the left coast, albeit almost 400 miles away. My fault for not inquiring of the experts here. :rolleyes:
 
Before youse guys go jumping on Sheldon Shapers, I have some experience with one.

They are nice and they are much heavier than the South Bends or Atlas's.

One thing that gripes me is their back gear set up.

It is moisy as hell.

There are a set of speeds that are too fast when in open drive and too slow in back gears.

There is a variable pitch pulley on the motor and a flat faced pulley on the jack shaft. There is no easy way to play with pulley diameters.

When you are working at from 5" to 7" stroke, open drive is a little fast and back gear is painfully slow, no matter what you do with the variable drive.

Any total stroke over seven inches has to be run in back gear, the machine gets real excited in open belt drive.

I think the machine wants an 1150 RPM motor, mine came with a 1750 RPM job as standard.
 
JimK, you're thinking a bit oldschool. Add a VFD and the speeds will be whatever you desire


Ed
 
I suppose any machine tool that I can afford is going to be something of a compromise but I think my Sheldon shaper is terrific. Sure the backgear (and I'm not really sure it's a true backgear) whines, but it's nice to have once in a while. The clutch comes in very handy, as does the stroke length adjustment nearby. The table tilts (a bit) but I've not used the feature. I think of the Sheldon as a sort of "large" small machine, if that makes any sense. Perhaps they built them with lots of features as selling points to schools and vo-tech programs.
It was interesting to see the original Vernon on ebay, it doesn't appear to have clutch, easy stroke adjustment, or quite same backgear arrangement. It's my understanding that the automatic oiler was always an option on the Sheldon. Mine doesn't have it so you've got to keep pretty busy with an oil can.
This machine resembles mine:
http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Sheldon-Shaper-Ready-to-Use_W0QQitemZ7587946092QQcategoryZ92083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
You can make out the black knob at the end of the red clutch lever next to the ram. the white lever at the rear of the machine is the backgear. You adjust the stroke by engaging the machine crank on a square ended dowel in the hole beneath the horizontal power feed crank. Variable speed control isn't visible in this photo. VFD would probably be a good idea for this machine as would bolting the whole thing to a concrete floor. As for this auction, the machine may be worth $800 but I hate to see auctions start so high. Shame it doesn't have the vice. No connection to seller, etc.
 
Jim K has it right.I have one and to fix the speed problems just run it off a vfd.Solves all problems except the noisy back gear.
 
That ready to use Sheldon looks good. I bought mine at a high school auction in good condition with a tilt table and a vice. I won't tell you what I paid for everything, but it was about what you would pay for a somewhat overpriced shaper vice. I love this machine, it is a bit noisy. The motor is a 3 phase driving the variable speed drive, but the motor sits alone belted to the variable speed pully and could easily have a single phase motor replacement.
The only thing I miss is, unlike the 7" Atlas or SB shapers is being able to by hand crank the tool bit up to the work.
Walt
 
I have a 1924 7 inch Rhodes.. The original has 2 1/2" flat belt drive from the jack shaft to the machine. the motor to the jack shaft, is a silent chain.
well when I got it, the chain was no longer silent (streched, but good) so I machined some poly V groove pulleys to replace it, and added a VFD.
Man is it quite, and nice.
 
I have a 12" Sheldon, too. I have the same complaint that Jim does. But, the Reeves pulley is noisy, too.

A Gould & Eberhardt it's not...Otherwise the machine is well built and solid. I've roughed out lots of stuff on it before I go to the Bridgeport. Even made "diamond plate" for my models on it.

The controls are well thought out and are easy to use. I got mine for $500 with a vise. The table support was missing, but Sheldon sent me a print for that part. A hunk of Ductile iron made that...

Andy Pullen
 








 
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