Running a shaper - the compound

[big job]

    And since last winter when I came up with this, since then I have
powered its rotation with about .005 in time with the ram stroke.
That is how I can do round tapers more like as the world turns, (work)
the ram is cutting the taper. May be crazy, but with a lathe, one must
stay with it UNLESS you have a taper att. which I do not. So Its kind
of like a power hack saw - turn on switch walk a way just comming
back time to time to add a little down feed.

[EdK]

big job,

Nice little brass hammer you have there in the tray. Did you make that? Can we get a close-up shot of it?

Thanks,
Ed

[big job]

Yes Ed my other was just about toasted, so a rainy day I whipped this one up. The
knurled handle is threaded with locktight. And a while back I came upon on U tube
spiral knurling, thats real quick to do and very light on the machine. thats the only
pic of that cause its not that important just to be beat on and when toasted I will
just unscrew - chuck up reface it good to go.

[stevec]

(09-07-2012, 05:03 AM)big job Wrote: Oh I forgot that pic thats where the die grinder goes into but I use an
end mill

Thanks for clearing that up Bj.
BTW I'm going to u-tube now to see if I can find that spiral knurling thing.

[stevec]

Well, I watched the u-tube vid, nearly fell asleep, and I can't see the need for spiral knurling. I think I'll just stick with regular, faster, cross hatch knurling. Thanks anyway.

[Sunset Machine]

That taper, finished on the lathe with a file? Or is it good to go right off the shaper?
Encouraging - thanks for showing!

[big job]

Sunset M. If I can try to explain. For all tapers I use the compound method. Put into
words (I hope) this can be back straining, boring > many back and forth hand movements to get to the final end of the taper so I thought what if - the shaper?
setup just the opposite instead of dialing in a lathe compound I dial in the shaft on
the shaper - the shaft is turning very slow the shapers ram stroke is made as the
the tool starts now, in short all I have to do is after the shaft goes around one turn
I give it another .010 downfeed or so. Advantage is, say if the phone rings or you
just want a cold one, the shaft is still going around the ram is still raming--when I
get back > give it some down feed and there it goes and goes till the full lenght
is shaped or "turned".. NOW I will go back to the lathe for the final cleanup. Seems
crazy but on the lathe just ask my back. On the shaper I can sit down and watch.
To bad I am incapable of a vidio, to watch is much eaiser than words. Of course
the lathe operation is first like facing and driling a center. Hope this helps a litttle SP

[Sunset Machine]

I hear you about the back strain. I dread spending time on the South Bend, 4-6 inches higher would have been nice, it needs a concrete/wood pad under it the way things are now (underdrive, floor mounted).

Back to your taper-maker -- are you cutting on the top, or side? I was thinking of hanging a drill press on mine. Taut-wire gear cutter too.

As to the original post, I've read some PDF's and it seems they have no qualms about a 15 degree rake in steel. No worries about backlash/freefalling either, so that all might be barking up the wrong tree. It was my first day out with it, and looking at the work a little closer I see small scallops in random spots. Means my square nose tool is too wide and digging in, doesn't it. The PDF (Shaper Work, University of New York, 1944) shows 3/16" and mine is about 1/4", maybe more. I'll narrow it up and try again.

Interestingly, there was a section in the direction of feed. They prefer that the feed occurs "during the return stroke". With the clapper flying, that means feeding in mid-air and my machine is designed to do that in one direction only. The feed adjustment is an L-shaped affair, other machines use a T-shape or variation, something that allows the setting to be made on either side. Actually, the alternate makes more sense, feeding at the beginning, but they're pretty firm on the mid-air thing.

[f350ca]

Sunset, if the table feed works on the cutting stroke your cut pattern will be angled to the work, the same as the spiral created by the cutting tool on the lathe. Probably wouldn't make any difference, when cutting up to a shoulder your last passes are going to be hand fed so the shoulder should be square.

[aametalmaster]

(09-08-2012, 09:28 AM)Sunset Machine Wrote: I hear you about the back strain. I dread spending time on the South Bend, 4-6 inches higher would have been nice, it needs a concrete/wood pad under it the way things are now (underdrive, floor mounted).

Thats why i raised my lathes, shaper and bandsaw up higher plus i can read the dial better in my old age...Bob