Question
I've got a small studio furniture shop, and my main piece of power equipment is an SCMI/Mini Max 5-function combination machine. One of those functions is a full size 1 1/4" spindle shaper. To make the machine more attractive to artsy small-shop guys like me, they stuck a router collet on the top of the spindle. The only problem is that the top speed is around 9500 RPM, appropriate for big shaper cutters, but lousy for the little router bits I'm used to using. In fact, I don't own a single shaper cutter, largely because the 1 1/4" bore cutters start around $100.
I basically need my shaper/glorified router table for simple rabbeting and slotting; I do very little with fancy molding shapes. What is the best/cheapest way to get good results from this machine?
It's belt-driven, so I might be able to have a customized pair of pulleys made, but I don't know whether the bearings are up to higher RPMs. Perhaps I could have a machine shop make a 3/4" spindle with a 1/2" shank that would fit the router collet, so I could use more modestly priced shaper cutters? Any other ideas? By the way, I don't have room in my shop for a router table.
Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor M:
If your shaper spindle is removable, what some of the Felder guys have done is make an insert that drops into the cut out in the table and mount a router on the insert and not bother with the router spindle at all.
Idea # 2 would be just take a 1/2" spindle and insert that into the router spindle and use T bushings for your 3/4" shaper cutters. Just make sure they are rated to handle the higher RPM's. Spindles for that application can be found off the shelf from someone. Sorry, I don't have a name for you at the moment.
After a while, though, you'll find yourself using the larger 1-1/4" tooling, as it gives you a much better cut. If you are ever considering buying a cope and stick set of cutters to make doors, buy the larger ones to run on your shaper and not the smaller ones - you'll get a better job off them.
Your assessment of the marketing reasons for the router spindle is accurate. You are trying to make the shaper do something it cannot do well.
If you cut rabbets, get an aluminum rabbetting head with carbide inserts and spur cutters, maybe a bearing or two, and learn to use fixed bearing points if you do curved work. Get two and make tenons in one pass. Some basic tooling, a little experimentation and creative thinking go a long way.
I'm not an engineer, but I don't think doubling the speed (router bits spin at around 20,000 rpm) of the spindle would be a good idea. The bearings are probably not designed for that type of speed. And if I understand your other idea correctly, you want to put a 3/4" bore cutter onto a spindle which would mount into a 1/2" router collet? I have to say that one makes me cringe.
If you want to get good use out of the machine with a wide array of cutters and don't mind having parts machined, I think you're better off replacing with, or having the bigger spindle machined down to, a 3/4" size. That seems like the safest bet. But if you're only going to use a couple of cutters, I think cost-wise you're better off just buying the 1-1/4" cutters and getting to work.
Contributor J, I wasn't thinking of pushing the RPMs up quite that far. The school I went to (Redwoods) has a couple of nice European shapers that turn around 14 or 15k and do a decent job with router bits. I'm not thrilled either about the 3/4 spindle-in-router-collet idea, but it is a nice, beefy collet and I generally don't hog off a lot of material at once.
1) Could you use your table saw instead? Sounds like you're at about 1/8" for your slots, which would be easy for a table saw blade.
2) Call Magnate or check them out online. I buy tooling from them and they make slotting cutters from 1/16" kerf. They only have 5/16" bore as a stock item for these cutters, but they do make custom tooling. They could likely make exactly the size you need, if you use it enough to justify the cost.
I know, freakish isn't it? Imagine a combination machine that includes a 12" TS with slider, 12" jointer/planer, horizontal mortiser and shaper, plus an 18" bandaw, 12" disc sander and an old fashioned European-style bench, all in a single-car garage. I have enough trouble finding a place to put materials and an in-process project as it is. Those gigantic two-car garages are starting to look pretty good. : )
Second, you could purchase the largest diameter straight cut 1/2" shank router bit you can find. The further away from center, the higher the sfm speed will be. There is less cutting power out there, but that won't be a problem on the combination machine.
Third, no room for a router table? All you need for a router table is a hand router and a piece of MDF, particleboard or plywood. Cut a hole in the middle and mount the router base. When not in use, remove the router (leave a spare base on the board if you have one) and hang the board on the wall or store it behind something.
On older moulders it was common to have a frequency converter to double the motor's rpm. On occasional use it should be no problem at all to kick a standard motor's rpm up. Again, advice from my local motor repair guys. They are very knowledgeable on anything motor and control related.
I still find it hard to believe there is no room for a router table in a small shop!
Now, onto shaper cutters. If you need shaper cutters made with thinner kerfs, we (Lemmon & Snoap Co., Inc.) can help you. We can use saw plate to make groove widths down to 1/16" if need be. The saw plate is more rigid for stability.
