Good evening everybody. I just picked up a shaper today but am having some trouble. I don't know much about them yet and cannot find a manual for this one anywhere (Geetech CT-102 3hp version). After getting it home and firing it up for a quick test, a collar of some sort worked it's way loose and got a bit mangled on the smaller router bit that was installed in the collet adapter they had in it. The router bit/collet felt super tight, but I didn't even realize this collar was a threaded piece to check for tightness. Now it won't thread back on, so I'm hoping to find replacement parts. To make matters worse, I was told the spindle assembly was in a box of cutters that came with the unit, but forgot to double check after loading the machine. Got it home and no spindle! Suddenly my great deal's starting to feel not so great. I'm hoping to get some more info about this unit to see if there are other year 2002 or so shapers made in Taiwan that share parts. Anyone out there have experience with these? The spindle size is a bit of a mystery to me too. I've seen 3hp models like this listed as 3/4" spindles, but the 5hp version with the same model number came with a 1-1/4" spindle. This one is 3hp, but the collet assembly in there now seems very large and there are cutters in the box it came with that have 1-1/4" bores in them, obviously for that size spindle, so not sure which size spindle I should be looking for. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
(06-11-2021, 09:36 PM)tlgrimmy Wrote: Trying to post pictures, but it keeps telling me anything over 1000kb won't work. Not sure what picture will qualify for that!
Pretty much any 800x600pixel jpg will qualify. Anything much bigger than that will be bigger than the window size for many members.
You need to use an app or application to re-size the picture so that it does not just fill up the WN server's hard drive.
"the most important safety feature on any tool is the one between your ears." - Ken Vick
A wish for you all: May you keep buying green bananas.
Geetech is also the OEM for many better known brands. Grizzly is one of best known, I'm sure there are others. The trick would be to find equivalent models.
Thanks! I'm hoping I can track down an equivalent model by Grizzly. Oddly enough, on the Geetech website, they list Oliver Machinery as the place to contact with regards to parts. I called and they gave me an email for their parts department. We'll see how it goes!
06-23-2021, 04:53 PM (This post was last modified: 06-25-2021, 11:19 AM by tlgrimmy.)
Just in case there's anyone else out there having trouble tracking down parts for this or a similar shaper, I figured I'd share what I've found so far. Looks like there were a number of these made by Geetech for other import companies as well. There's a Bridgewood U0-102, a Northwood NW-101, and many other iterations I'm forgetting the model numbers for (Woodtek, Champ Fond Machinery, etc). Sunhill Machinery and Wilke Machinery seemed to distribute them for awhile as well under various names (both out of business). The Geetech website got me in touch with Oliver Machinery for parts. They've been "waiting to hear back from the manufacturer" for over a week now, so I'm beginning to think that's a dead end.
However, I recently stumbled upon another clone called an Accura 02314 and the Accura importers are still in business (accuramachinetools.com). I got in touch with them and they do in fact have a ton of parts for these in stock in PA, so no need to wait on the manufacturer! I was able to order a 3/4" spindle assembly for $80 and a 1-1/4" spindle assembly for $90. They are really great to work with, and couldn't have been kinder. I highly recommend getting in touch with them if you have any need for parts. They mentioned that this model shaper was only recently discontinued for them and that they have had great luck with these over the past two decades. They really do seem very well built. The spindle connection design is nearly identical to the Delta 43-791 / 43-792 and Powermatic Model 29 and TS29 shapers, which are industrial grade 7.5hp shapers, so that's certainly a vote of confidence in my book. Those style shapers do include a nut that screws down over the top of the spindle to the arbor connection, whereas these Geetech/Accura style spindles only fix to the machine via the drawbar, but the only visible difference between them looks to be the small recess on the Delta/Powermatic models for the nut to bear against and they tend to be longer, with more space under the nut for cutters/spacers. I very nearly ordered a Powermatic Model 29 spindle that I found on ebay because it really does look like it would work. The price was pretty up there though.
Anyway, glad I was able to find the spindle assemblies in the end and wanted to pass this info along in case anyone else out there is struggled to find parts! Accura will likely be your only legitimate option.
One thing that could apply: apparently there are more than one setup for spindles and shapers. I have read where some people have bought Grizzly spindles then had them machined to fit Delta shapers. Not saying it is or is not different, only that it's possible.
Let us now when you get the spindles and check them out on whether it's a direct fit or not.
Well done.
06-25-2021, 02:19 AM (This post was last modified: 06-25-2021, 11:17 AM by tlgrimmy.)
Thanks and good point on the machining. I was starting to think if I went for it with the Powermatic or Delta spindles I found, I could try getting them machined if they weren't quite the right fit. Fortunately, the new spindles came today and they're a perfect fit. Accura really came through for me and the prices were very reasonable.
I finally figured out how to resize a picture to upload it here, so here are the new spindles! You can see just how similar they are to those Powermatic and Delta ones I mentioned. I added a picture of the shaper and the top of the spindle assembly with the spindle removed for reference as well. I've since cleaned up the spindle arbor recess with steel wool so it has a nice clean and shiny bearing surface for those new spindles. I attached the manual as well for anyone interested. I hope this helps someone out there!
All in, I'm only out $600 ($400 for the shaper and around $200 for the two spindles shipped), which seems like a solid deal for what I got. Oh, and I have the fence assembly and a box of cutters it came with as well. They're just not pictured. I was eyeing the Grizzly G1026, which is similar in specs, but truth be told, this machine is built even heavier and light to perform as good or better. I'm sure I would have been very happy with the Grizzly, but for about a third the cost for this beefier unit in great used shape, I'm a happy guy.
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