1 year search for a Poitras shaper has ended!

[chris del]

For the last year I have been searching for a Poitras shaper. A couple have come available and I was either too slow or the seller wanted too much money etc......
I became aware of this one a few days ago and took a look at it this morning (saturday) and loaded it up!!
This is a 1974 vintage sought after Canadian Jointer and weights over 300lbs without the motor.
The motor was 575V so I will get a 2hp Leeson with a mag starter.

[Mack Cameron]

Oh, Chris! you just never get tired, do you?
I wish you'd hurry up and become my neighbour!

[lou sansone]

neat shaper. it looks quite comfortable to use
best wishes
lou

[chris del]

Oh, Chris! you just never get tired, do you?
I wish you'd hurry up and become my neighbour!

Mack, I am sure the neighbourhood is bad enough with you in it...... Imagine how bad it would be if a much younger and better looking clone of you moved in.

[Mack Cameron]

So what do you have to move to get that bad boy in? I could be interested! I'm sure I could talk someone into the DW 735.

Sorry! I see it's a shaper, not a TP. My mistake, but still hurry up and get here!

[Rick Thom]

""So what do you have to move to get that bad boy in? I could be interested! I'm sure I could talk someone into the DW 735.
Sorry! I see it's a shaper, not a TP. My mistake, but still hurry up and get here!""
There you go again Mack, driving up the property values!:eek:
Chris it's time for you to get a new planer so Mack can buy yours and I'll get his 735 at a very fair price.:)

[Jim Becker]

Very interesting shaper, Chris. Very "fluid" looking!

[chris del]

Jim,

Its build like a tank, very simple and smart....these shapers last forever....

[John Fry]

Great find!

It appears to be in excellent condition.

[Bruce Page]

Very cool! I've never seen one like it before.

[Ed Kowaski]

When Poitras shut down General bought the rights to some of the machines. This shaper was one of them and was on the General website until very recently. I don't know if they dropped it or the website update is incomplete, they only show 1 made in Canada shaper now. :( I don't recall the General model number. Price was ~3400 from memory.

Nice shaper, nice score Chris, congrats :)

[chris del]

You are right Ed, However the story as I understood it was that General purchased Poitras and then continued to make this shaper under the general name.....I didnt know Poitras went out of business.. There are even some floating around that have the Poitras crest cast into the base with the General label above it.
The part number is 2800B and it was in their last years catalogue but I notice it is not on their website..... The nice thig is the General has a full parts inventory on this machine....not that I will ever need a part!

I also own a Poitras 6000 planer..... It is a brute. Other than the belt guards everything on this thing is cast iron

[tod evans]

cool little shaper chris! let us know how you like it after you`ve used it for a bit. nice score! tod

[chris del]

Well, I decided to strip the paint and re-paint the original colour... I also replaced the spindal bearings, belt and added a American made 2hp Leeson. This manufacturers sales brochure from 1973 recomended a 3/4 - 1 hp but few people have mentioned that even the 2 hp will not be enough. I will have to see when I get a chance to use it with a 5" raised panel cutter.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Why that one rather than any other industrial shaper?
Or stated another way What makes poitrus the shizzle?

[chris del]

Simply put Cliff, they just dont make them like they used to.... Used old Canadian and American made machines demand top dollar up here....
These machines are made to run 40 hours a week and last forever....
I could have easilly purchased a brand new offshore machine for the same price and I am sure that I would be happy with it, but it would not have the romance...