Photo Index - Delta / Rockwell Mfg / Rockwell-Delta - Model 43-350 HD Shaper

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Delta / Rockwell Mfg / Rockwell-Delta
Milwaukee, WI; Jackson, TN; Tupelo, MS

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Shaper, Wood
Machine Size:	1/2" and 3/4" spindles
Submitted By:	Greg Coffin

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Model 43-350 HD Shaper
Date of Manufacturer:	1972
Serial Number:	FD-8012
Last Updated	1/13/2008 2:37:17 AM

Comments:

This shaper was owned by the Boulder Valley School District, probably since new in 1972. It was auctioned as surplus in August of 2007, where I first saw it. At the time I was looking for a shaper, but I didn't actually bid on it at the auction because it was three phase, and I wasn't sure what to do with that. After the auction I spoke with the buyer and he wasn't sure what he was going to do with it either because it was three phase and he didn't have any way to run it. He said to call him in a month and he'd let me know about selling it.

So during that month I did some research and found that three phase wasn't so difficult to deal with after all. When I called the buyer a month later, and he did want to sell it. We struck a deal and I went to pick it up.

The shaper was not covered in Institutional Green like so many other school machines. There was a note on the base indicating that it might have been used by the school maintenance department, and not by the students, which may be why it was spared such an ignoble fate.

Originally there was only one extension wing on the right side of the table, and the fence did not have the integral dust hood. I modified the existing fence to accept the hood, which works very well. I had to drill an extra set of holes in the wood fence to allow the fence boards to slide in further toward the cutter. The shaper came with a 1/2" spindle, and I was able to purchase a 3/4" spindle for larger cutters.

The shaper has a 2hp three phase motor, with a single speed pulley. I bought a 2hp Teco FM 50 VFD for the shaper, and have been very happy with its performance. The VFD is mounted on the left side of the cabinet under the new extension wing, which helps keep saw dust from getting into the NEMA 1 enclosure. I cut a hole in the front of the enclosure to allow the control panel to protrude through. In hind sight it might have been better to fully enclose the VFD, but it was my first attempt at three phase, and it made programming the VFD much easier. The switch on the front of the shaper is tied into the low voltage control system of the VFD.

Photo 1:

Comments: Left side of shaper showing VFD and enclosure
Source: Greg Coffin

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Photo 2:

Comments: Right side of shaper
Source: Greg Coffin

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