Hendey 15" Friction Shaper restoration

[RCPDesigns]

The Hendey Friction Shaper is finally home! I found this guy back in August 2018. I saw a shop sale on CL in Brunswick GA (about 5 hours from me) and since I was going to be in that area during a trip I decided to stop by. I didn't really have any interest in what they had listed but I figured if they had those items they'd have other stuff as well. That proved correct as it was packed full (like a narrow trail to walk through the shop) with vintage machine tools and accessories. They were not quite ready to sell things as they were just then beginning to clean things out. Fortunately they let me poke around and I found a radial cross slide and a bunch of hold downs.

As I got to know them a bit better I got to dig a little deeper. I mentioned I would be interested in a dividing head and we dug around and found a L-W chuck co universal dividing. On the way out I noticed a shaper sitting back a bit. It didn't look too big and looked like something that might fit in my shop. As I picked my way back to it I noticed it was a Hendey shaper though it didn't seem like any I'd seen before. Later research would determine it was a 15" friction shaper from around the turn of the century. I spent some time trying to find a reason why I couldn't buy it and while I came up with some good ones... desire won out. As such, I made plans to buy the dividing head and the shaper.

I still had the little issue that the nearly 2000lb shaper was 5 hours from my house and I was driving a minivan. While I did get the Hendey lathe home in the van by making two trips, it just didn't seem the shaper was going to do that. Fortunately the owners were taking a load of tools to another shop that was about an hour or so from my house. They agreed to take the shaper and store it for me until I could come and get it. As the months went by it became apparent it was going to be a little difficult for me to come and get the shaper so they brought it to me!! After watching the guy back the trailer up and down my 300' driveway and around the corner and down into my shop I realized I probably wouldn't have been able to do that. When I mentioned that to him he said he'd been dragging trailers around since he was a teenager... it certainly showed.

I probably will not get started restoring the shaper until the spring. I still need to finish the MG TD and that's taking a fair amount of time. The shaper is missing the vise, jack shaft, pulley and the rod that connects the feed. They are fairly certain that they have those items since nothing that went into the shop ever left the shop. The shaper was purchased by the current owner in 1941 and was never used. The owner before that was J T Clayton who was a pattern maker in Daytona Beach FL and made the Clayton "Whirlwind" Siren. I don't think he was the original owner as it was sold by Joseph Beal & Co out of Boston MA.

I will be going back down there first of December and will have a look around. They know that have a big shaper vise so I'll at least be able to get that if not the original.

So... meet the Hendey 15" Friction Shaper No. 2074

 

[hendeyman]

RCPDesigns:

Hendey 15 inch Friction Shaper No.2074 was one of a group of thirty 15 inch Shapers completed on October 10, 1900. The Serial Numbers in
the group were 2052 to 2081. The 15 inch Shaper was certainly the most popular as evidenced by the fact that 2501 were built before April 1904, when the Serial Numbers for all sizes were combined. No Patterns, Castings or Repair Parts are left in inventory for ANY Friction Shaper. All of the drawings have survived for these Shapers as Hard Copies or on Microfilm, so parts can be made if required. I have reproduced the drawings that show the belt arrangement and Countershaft dimensions and speeds for those who would be interested in putting their Shapers back on lineshaft operation. The last group of 15 inch shapers manufactured was a lot of 30 machines completed on June 15, 1920, they represent the last Friction Shapers built by Hendey. Prior to April 1904, Hendey built more Friction Shapers than
Crank Shapers, which were built between 1914 and 1954. Clearly, the Friction Shaper in its many forms (Pillar, Traveling Head and
Suspension) was a serious moneymaker for the company.

Hendeyman

 

[enginebill]

I would be interested in the drawings of the countershaft as I would like to put mine back on the lineshaft.

 

[RCPDesigns]

RCPDesigns:

Hendey 15 inch Friction Shaper No.2074 was one of a group of thirty 15 inch Shapers completed on October 10, 1900. The Serial Numbers in
the group were 2052 to 2081. The 15 inch Shaper was certainly the most popular as evidenced by the fact that 2501 were built before April 1904, when the Serial Numbers for all sizes were combined. No Patterns, Castings or Repair Parts are left in inventory for ANY Friction Shaper. All of the drawings have survived for these Shapers as Hard Copies or on Microfilm, so parts can be made if required. I have reproduced the drawings that show the belt arrangement and Countershaft dimensions and speeds for those who would be interested in putting their Shapers back on lineshaft operation. The last group of 15 inch shapers manufactured was a lot of 30 machines completed on June 15, 1920, they represent the last Friction Shapers built by Hendey. Prior to April 1904, Hendey built more Friction Shapers than
Crank Shapers, which were built between 1914 and 1954. Clearly, the Friction Shaper in its many forms (Pillar, Traveling Head and
Suspension) was a serious moneymaker for the company.

Hendeyman

As always Hendeyman, thank you very much for your detailed information. It is such a treat to have this information available.

 

[hendeyman]

enginebill:

I had you and several other folks in mind when I mentioned the Lineshaft drawings. Besides the belt and speed arrangement drawings, there
is another one that explains the operation of the Friction Shaper that was drawn by Constant Bouillon (Chief Designer at Hendey)about the
mid-1890s. It shows a front and side cut-away view of the machine with the explanation in what may be called his best Spencerian Script.
The original drawing has darkened with age, which gives it a really nice appearance, which unfortunately doesn't show up on modern blue-
print machines. These drawing will give you a good idea of the centering distance and angle of the belts. You may have all of the hangers
you need, but if you decide that you would like to duplicate the original Hendey equipment, I have drawings for the various sizes of
Countershafts. Your machine should use the Old Style No.1 Countershaft. The reference prefix on these will be C44 and D44. Please
contact me at [email protected] for prices to have any of these items copied.

Hendeyman

 

[esbutler]

Going by the the info in Cope's book, RCP's looks like this one introduced around 1885.



It looks like the one below was introduced around 1882.



I have one that, in most respects, matches the 1882 version above but the pulleys are on the left side like the 1885 version. The pulleys also look a bit larger in proportion to the column or pillar and one of the pulleys has curved spokes. It does not have the gear shown in the middle on the later version.

Where should I look for a serial number on this one?

I know... pictures. I will probably need to hoe out around it to get some decent pictures and to look to look it over more closely.

Thanks.

 

[RCPDesigns]

The serial number on mine was on the top of the right rail at the front.

 

[esbutler]

#174

Here are some not-so-great pictures of my Hendey shaper. I found the number 174 on the front right side strap. I presume it's the serial number. Perhaps Hendeyman will happen by here again and shed some light on its age and original customer. I do not mean to hijack this thread but it's a sibling and makes for an interesting comparison to #2074.

 

[RCPDesigns]

So just a wee bit later than I anticipated... the restoration has begun!
She came apart very easily and I didn't see a lot of wear. I'm really lucky to have her!

It seems the filler is a burnt orange color, at least I think that's filler. I doubt it left the factory burnt orange.

I have everything painted, cleaned and shined up. Will start assembly this weekend.

Any idea what the RPM should be? What HP should I be looking at?

 

[Robert Lang]

Any idea what the RPM should be?

Countershaft should run at 300 RPM.

Rob

 

[RCPDesigns]

Thanks Robert. I don't have a countershaft and I don't know what the ratio is, so what should the speed of the pulley on the shaper be? Is the reverse pulley run faster?

 

[Robert Lang]

Thanks Robert. I don't have a countershaft and I don't know what the ratio is, so what should the speed of the pulley on the shaper be? Is the reverse pulley run faster?

I don't know the diameters of the two driving pulleys (two speed) and the fast reverse pulley, on the countershaft, so I can't say what speed the pulleys on the shaper would be.
All I know is the free & fast pulleys on the countershaft are 10" x 2 1/4".
Hendeyman would have to answer this.

Rob

 

[RCPDesigns]

Cosmetic part of the restoration is complete. I need to fabricate the rod for the auto-advance, the missing upper tray, drip cups and figure out how it will be powered. The current plan for power is to power it and the shaper with the cross shaft that came with the planer. As such I'll be going through the planer next.

 

[dundeeshopnut]

Looks nice, but have fun wiping up oil ect, off flat paint.

 

[RCPDesigns]

Looks nice, but have fun wiping up oil ect, off flat paint.

Yeah, a semi-gloss would've been better.

 

[cretedog]

Beautiful RCP!- Some pics and dimensions from mine that might help...

 

[cretedog]

Top shelf-

 

[cretedog]

3/8" dia. feed rod-

 

[RCPDesigns]

@cretedog Many thanks, those are GREAT pictures!!