Spindle Release Tool for a Vintage Shaper
Vintage SCM shapers came with a special toothed pipe tool for removing the spindle attachment collar. March 16, 2015
Question
Can someone with a SCM shaper tell me what size spanner wrench is needed to release the spindle?
Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From Contributor O:
My 1985 vintage SCM has a metal tube - maybe 4" in diameter, and about 16"long, with two studs on the interior at one opening and two holes oat the other end of the tube. It is heavy duty. The studs fit into the collar around the spindle and the holes accept a steel rod that is used to leverage/turn the tube and therefore the collar. The foot lock engages the spindle to keep it from turning. I can't tell you what size spanner. Never used one on the machine, the tube works great.
From the original questioner:
That sounds like quite the contraption! Is it an OEM part or something fabricated along the way? I guess it might explain why they didn't leave easier access to it!
From contributor X:
What Contributor O is describing is the same thing that came with my old SCMI T130, it was made in 2003.
From Contributor O:
It came with the machine when it was new. We had no idea what it was until we tried to figure out how to change the spindle. It really works well, but not recognizably so. You ought to be able to go to SCM and get one - maybe?
From the original questioner:
I'm still waiting to hear back from them on my machine. Unfortunately it has no tags on it and seems like it may be on the older side. They started producing this machine in 68' and since most of the pics I've found of others have a different quill configuration, I'm guessing mine may be closer to the beginning of the T-160 run, but it's just a guess. So far it seems like SCM doesn't have much in the way of info on their older stuff. I ran into the same problem on my planer. It is funny when you hear these guys talk about how the machine is really old....I think of old as being pre-WWII, and really old as being pre 1900's. Late 60's and early 70's just doesn't strike me as really old. Luckily the spindle on mine is 1-1/4" and runs true so I can probably leave well enough alone. I'm just one of those who likes to give a new machine a once over before I put her to work.
Click here for higher quality, full size image
From Contributor O:
Yep, that is the same. The studs inside the tube engage the milled slots in that upper collar. Don't ask me which way it turns since I don't remember. I think I used it once to change spindles, then back again.
