Warning, brainstorming again, dedicated shaper
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:19 am
Somehow in the middle of all of this discussion of PowerPro's and right / left tilt, new Mark 7's, old Mark VII's and functions and speeds etc. I got to thinking about shapers. Shaping is I think the primary reason (or maybe the only reason?) for the left tilt. I'm not sure (weak memory) if we have really discussed the possible uses of the left tilt beyond basic shaping and routing, which are probably reasons enough by themselves.
Of course it is common knowledge that the regular Shopsmith is too slow to do any shaping or routing at all, right? Not being too bright and not knowing that, I have done a little of it since I got my 510 new back in 1988 not having any idea that I couldn't do it at all.
I just fed it slowly and was happy with it, all the while being ignorant of the fact that I couldn't possibly be doing it properly on a Shopsmith. I never run with scissors nor do I run when feeding stock into a machine of any kind. OK, end of sarcastic remarks... 
We have in the past (somewhere) discussed how easy it would be to increase maximum spindle speed for a dedicated purpose by adding a pair of poly-vee pulleys to the outside of the case on the idler shaft and upper shaft and removing the internal poly-vee belt. Poly-vee belts are not like Gilmer belts in that they are widely available in all sorts of sizes.
On a side note, a simple premium vee-belt could be used. Most shapers ran with simple vee-belts for many many years. Perhaps one of those newer link belts...
Moving on, the thought this morning is the possibility of making a dedicated shaper with SS components using a regular mini frame and inverting the headstock on the way tubes and using the regular right tilt.
Working height is as always a compromise whether it is a new Mark7, an old Mark VII or a regular Mark V. It would be the same height as a Mark 7 in left tilt but perhaps if it was deemed too tall the SS legs could be removed and a storage cabinet built to mount it on. The external belt would need guarding. The external belt would keep you from being able to use the stub shaft for anything unless it was somehow extended but for my purpose I am only interested in the shaper function. In my case it would likely sit with the last setup until needed for the next one.
If it were a headstock with a lot of hours on it all new upper bearings might be a good idea due to the increased speeds. This would still be variable speed, just with higher minimum and maximum speeds.
Has anyone else tried something like this or given it thought?
If I had to go buy everything I would be ahead to just buy a shaper but I would only have to buy the pulleys and belt and I would probably try it with a common vee-belt first so cost would be minimal. Besides, I like to play... I will not be trying to do anything about this until I get the shop better organized. I need to get going on my wall hanging system very soon. Dang! stuff hides well down in those boxes.
As an aside, I have been quite happy with the Push me / Pull me double drillpress. It does exactly what I wanted it for.
.
Of course it is common knowledge that the regular Shopsmith is too slow to do any shaping or routing at all, right? Not being too bright and not knowing that, I have done a little of it since I got my 510 new back in 1988 not having any idea that I couldn't do it at all.
I just fed it slowly and was happy with it, all the while being ignorant of the fact that I couldn't possibly be doing it properly on a Shopsmith. I never run with scissors nor do I run when feeding stock into a machine of any kind. OK, end of sarcastic remarks... We have in the past (somewhere) discussed how easy it would be to increase maximum spindle speed for a dedicated purpose by adding a pair of poly-vee pulleys to the outside of the case on the idler shaft and upper shaft and removing the internal poly-vee belt. Poly-vee belts are not like Gilmer belts in that they are widely available in all sorts of sizes.
On a side note, a simple premium vee-belt could be used. Most shapers ran with simple vee-belts for many many years. Perhaps one of those newer link belts...
Moving on, the thought this morning is the possibility of making a dedicated shaper with SS components using a regular mini frame and inverting the headstock on the way tubes and using the regular right tilt.
Working height is as always a compromise whether it is a new Mark7, an old Mark VII or a regular Mark V. It would be the same height as a Mark 7 in left tilt but perhaps if it was deemed too tall the SS legs could be removed and a storage cabinet built to mount it on. The external belt would need guarding. The external belt would keep you from being able to use the stub shaft for anything unless it was somehow extended but for my purpose I am only interested in the shaper function. In my case it would likely sit with the last setup until needed for the next one.
If it were a headstock with a lot of hours on it all new upper bearings might be a good idea due to the increased speeds. This would still be variable speed, just with higher minimum and maximum speeds.
Has anyone else tried something like this or given it thought?
If I had to go buy everything I would be ahead to just buy a shaper but I would only have to buy the pulleys and belt and I would probably try it with a common vee-belt first so cost would be minimal. Besides, I like to play... I will not be trying to do anything about this until I get the shop better organized. I need to get going on my wall hanging system very soon. Dang! stuff hides well down in those boxes.
As an aside, I have been quite happy with the Push me / Pull me double drillpress. It does exactly what I wanted it for.
.
