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(Intro and) Disassembling my new 32" Cincinnati shaper

Phriday

Plastic
Joined
Jun 9, 2020
Good morning, ladies and gents. I'm a concrete contractor on the Gulf Coast who has become interested in machine tools and machining. Over the past 2 years, I have bought several old machines at auction and from private buyers. I have a pretty nice shop that is being set up (this week, we're pulling out all the old electrical and prepping for new) and am beginning the process of restoring these old monuments.

The first one is a Cincinnati 32" shaper. The reason it's the first one is that as it sits, it's too heavy for our Bobcat to get it inside the building. I have removed the (10hp) motor and mounting brackets as well as the table, but it's still too heavy. Next is the ram, but I can NOT figure out how to get it off. It is disconnected from the rocker arm (is that what that part is called?) but I can't get clearance to shove the ram off the machine in either direction. The pivot on the rocker arm isn't down low enough to clear the ram. I think I have the stroke maxed out, but I don't know for sure.

The only other way I can see to get the rocker arm down low enough is to remove the pivot pin at the bottom of the machine, and I REALLY don't want to do that if I can avoid it. Am I missing something?

Thanks and it's a pleasure to meet you.
 
if its on a hard surface, jack it up and put lengths of tube under it to roll it to where you would like it.

But agree get the right tools makes it get done quicker and safer. ie forklift.
 
If you strip the machine to a bare casting your bobcat most likely won't be able to pick it. A track machine might. Go with street's idea, but use solid instead of tubing, as long as your floor is level. If the floor has a slope, rent a forklift. Removing the ram on a shaper usually means removing the keepers on either side of the ram and lifting straight up. Be aware the keepers will require careful and proper fitting for re installation.
 
Good morning, ladies and gents. I'm a concrete contractor on the Gulf Coast who has become interested in machine tools and machining. Over the past 2 years, I have bought several old machines at auction and from private buyers. I have a pretty nice shop that is being set up (this week, we're pulling out all the old electrical and prepping for new) and am beginning the process of restoring these old monuments.

The first one is a Cincinnati 32" shaper. The reason it's the first one is that as it sits, it's too heavy for our Bobcat to get it inside the building. I have removed the (10hp) motor and mounting brackets as well as the table, but it's still too heavy. Next is the ram, but I can NOT figure out how to get it off. It is disconnected from the rocker arm (is that what that part is called?) but I can't get clearance to shove the ram off the machine in either direction. The pivot on the rocker arm isn't down low enough to clear the ram. I think I have the stroke maxed out, but I don't know for sure.

The only other way I can see to get the rocker arm down low enough is to remove the pivot pin at the bottom of the machine, and I REALLY don't want to do that if I can avoid it. Am I missing something?

Thanks and it's a pleasure to meet you.

One-man tasking. 76 yrs old & easily as decrepit as the picture of Dorian Gray at that.

No need to take s**t apart if all you need to do is MOVE it?

- Shaper base shape is such they can sometimes be SLID or alternate "corner-walked" on oiled/greased sheet steel. Thin galvanized is all it takes to turn rough concrete into a slipway. "Big Box" have it in handy squares.

- Toe-jacks can be rented. Prybars and wedges are cheap enough. Chained-on long pry-timbers can swivel or "corner walk", rather than lift. Shims exist for multi-stage lifting.

- Ordinary trolley-wheeled garage "floor" jacks can lift under cross-timbers, bolted or chained-on cleats. No need to "get under" right at the bottom.

- Keep any load LOW - bare minimum height off the deck lowers the risk, all-around. Can't fall a foot, unlikely to topple, if wisely slid whilst only fifty-thou off the deck.

- I prefer skates to rollers. Easier to ATTACH to the load so yah can control it. Rods or pipe rollers are like cats or rats. Damned hard to "herd", shit-lousy "brakes and steering. Tough crowd for one-man working. Skates, OTOH, yah can easily "Scotch block" or change direction of march with.

- Bobcat can push, pull, and "angle" stuff it could not BEGIN to lift. Push-timber. Chains.

IOW?

Don't make a problem out of a solution.
 
What's the lift capacity of your Bobcat? A 20s-era 32" Cincinnati is over 6K without the motor, and they didnt get lighter as time went on... later ones are over 7k.
 
Might find something here useful

Cincinnati Shaper Co. / Cincinnati Inc. - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org

good luck

On my 36" Gemco it was full length "keepers" as Glen mentioned. On my 36" Ohio its tapered gibs on both sides

I'd guess over 8K on weight - my lightly built 36 Ohio is 8700 - and the Ohio "Dreadnaughts" were considerably more

On the "stuff" connected to ram - the Ohio drops the vertical swing arm at least some when you fully loosen the clamp bolt in the slot in the ram - because the vertical arm lower pivot is ANOTHER swing arm though quite short
 
Yes, the guy who loaded it onto our trailer had a load cell on his forklift and by his numbers, it was 7700 lbs.

I could drag the machine inside and get it into position, but there's some galling on the ways. My intent was to remove the ram to clean the ways out and take a few measurements to see how worn they are. Am I just thinking too hard about it? Is this a "if it works, it works and don't fool with it" deal?
 
As far as I can tell, the only way to get the ram off is to push it off the machine. There is a gib adjustment on one side that I've backed all the way out. As I mentioned in another reply, my intent is to break down the machine, clean it up and take some measurements to determine the wear on the machine.

Would some photos help? I was hopeful that a Cincinnati guy would see this post and chime in.
 
Yes, the guy who loaded it onto our trailer had a load cell on his forklift and by his numbers, it was 7700 lbs.

I could drag the machine inside and get it into position, but there's some galling on the ways. My intent was to remove the ram to clean the ways out and take a few measurements to see how worn they are. Am I just thinking too hard about it? Is this a "if it works, it works and don't fool with it" deal?

Assuredly.

It's a shaper. 99% Plus of the entire PLANET doesn't really give a damn if even ONE of them ever works again at all.

Which may be why I choose to own one, myself?

Position it. Power it. Lube it, Check for jams, blockage, breakage, any and all other dangers..

Try it and see if it is good enough. For the work you have for it. If any.

You WILL have OTHER fish to electrocute, yah?

You "buy back" time, once invested - or WASTED - either one.. with what national currency?

:D
 
Well, I guess that says it all. I have a lathe, another shaper, a mill and an Ironworker that all need attention as well.:)

No fear.

"Everybody's time-budget has to be <<f**ked-up>> SOMEWHERE!"

Shapers have sag and such even as virgins. Ram and ways do not have 100% support, full travel. One compensates for all that.

A PLANER.. on the other hand.... properly executed on the plan?

The table never has any LESS that 100%, end-to-end support.

Not all planers are "properly done". By my standard.

But at least they are waaay closer to full-travel support than a shaper.

Don't confuse their roles nor strengths just because they both "stroke themselves".

:D
 
I moved a 30 inch a couple hundred feet from the loading dock to the shop, on nothing more than skates and a re purposed mobile home axle..........laid down sections of 6 inch channel for the skates to run in.
No disassembly required.

Used that apparatus to take it off the trailer too.
 
Where in LA are you? Might be able to give you a hand or ideas. I’m in the BR area. Also I just came into possession of a large box of powers fuel canisters, nails, anchors , other concrete stuff etc I have no use for.
 








 
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