Photo Index - Porter-Cable Machine Co. - Craftmaster shaper

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Porter-Cable Machine Co.
Syracuse, NY and Jackson, TN

True Manufacturer:
Craftools Ltd.; Henry Power Tools Ltd., London, ON

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Shaper, Wood
Machine Size:	1/2" spindle
Submitted By:	James Huston

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Craftmaster shaper
Date of Manufacturer:	c. 1954
Serial Number:	K6715
Last Updated	5/24/2020 9:48:37 PM

Comments:

I won this shaper in an Arnfest auction about eight years ago. Porter-Cable has offered stationary machines for over a hundred years, but the Craftmaster series are a peculiar departure from the sanders made for industry or the Porter-Cable Hutchinson equipment marketed to the contractor. At some point ( no one seems to be sure, but the Craftmaster font is a dead ringer for the Homemaster font used on select Standard duty power tools in the mid 1950's), Porter-Cable rebadged a number of Henry Tools machines, including a table saw, a band saw, a wood lathe, at least two joiners, a scroll saw and this shaper. The machine appear to differ only in paint ( good old P.C. gray, only with a wrinkle finish) and the name on the tag. These machines were only offered in Canada, being made in London, Ontario, and likely didn't stay in production more than a few years.
I've mounted my shaper to a pair of legs another member forged for me ( thanks, Ja'Nette!), and it's powered by a Kingston - Conley motor, a brand P.C. favored for powering some of their smaller sanders of the late '40's- early '50's. The shaper is designed to be reversable, and a drum switch is fitted, running a magnetic starter. I own a few dozen Delta three wing cutters in 1/2", so the shaper is well equipped in that respect. It has retained the original fence and hold down, and sports a removable 1/2" spindle ( it's unknown at this time if other spindles were offered for this machine). the miter gauge did not come with it- it's actually from a 5500 Porter-Cable saw table.

All in all, it's a successful design, if somewhat crude and fussy to adjust. I'm glad I won such an intriguing piece of the company's history.

Photo 1:

Comments: overall shot
Source: JHuston

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Photo 2:

Comments: Fence detail
Source: JHuston

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Photo 3:

Comments: badge detail
Source: JHuston

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