Moving a Boxford shaper

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Hi all
Does anyone have experience moving a Boxford 8inch shaper? I would appreciate any advice or an idea of it’s weight, it’s fairly small but heavily built.

Cheers Andy

[John BaguleyParticipant @johnbaguley78655]

Hi Andy,

 

Yes, I’ve recently acquired one from a workshop clearance. I had to strip it down completely to move it as it’s very heavy! It comes to bits fairly easily though. The heaviest part is the cabinet stand which is welded 1/8″? steel.

 

Very nice piece of kit

 

John

Edited By John Baguley on 26/10/2011 00:49:27

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Mine was delivered by the local dealer who I bought it from. He arrived with an engine hoist alongside the shaper in the back of a pickup & used that to unload the machine & place it in my garage. I used 3 or 4 steel bars (1 1/2″ish diameter) as rollers & a crowbar to move it into it’s final position. It was moved a couple of times – in to position to mark the holding down bolt holes, out to drill the holes, back in etc. Finally grouted in after levelling.

 

It was some years ago that this occured, but I don’t recall having any particular problems – I had a reasonable amount of room to work at the time. As with all cabinet mounted machines, it is top heavy & should be moved with care – slightly off-balance & it would fall over very quickly (as I found out later with a CUD lathe – fortunately without any damage to self or little damage to the machine !).

 

Nigel B.

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Many thanks – I think breaking down into parts is the way to go. I can see the box table comes off fairly easily – what about separating the main casting from the cabinet and is the main casting a 2 man lift?

 

Andy

[CrabtreeengineerParticipant @crabtreeengineer]

Hi guys, I know this topic is a few years old but it might well be worth replying to for posterity. I have a passion for Boxford shapers & have bought & sold several over the years. I still have one now. The way I move them around is as follows.

In the workshop I simple use a long crow bar, about 6 feet long to lever the shaper up until I can get blocks of wood under each corner. I then have many rollers made from scaffold poles that I then place under the shaper. The machine can then be quiet easiely skidded around on the rollers.

For transporting from one place to another I guess I cheat a bit! I have one of the Machine mart engine lifts that will fold up & a Machine Mart motorcycle lift modified with a flat bed made of ply wood.

if you are lucky enough with your truck or van you may be able to lift the shaper straight into the back. Otherwise, I lift the shaper onto the motorcycle lift with the engine lift. Before the lift is made I back the motor cycle lift up against the back of the van, & place said scaffold poles onto the bed of the motorcycle lift.

Once onto the rollers the shaper can be skidded into the back of the van with ease. Removal is just a reversal of the process.

i can manage to do this on my own, & have picked up as many as two shapers in a day.

Elf & safety may not like it…but I still have 10 fingers & toes & the Egyptions didn't have Elf & safety & look what they managed.

The wife & I have managed to offload & move quiet heavy lathes with just the pair of us, an engine lift, some rollers & a couple of crow bars & farm jacks.

Not to make light of safety, these machines are heavy, but with a bit of careful planning & for thought its surprising what can be done.

Regards R

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