Thread: Spindle Moulders and Tooling

A powerfeeder is a good investment, if you like your fingers.

CMTtooling.

Im in a very similar position, but mine wont arrive till October (Hammer B3)

I've read ALOT of information about shapers and scare story's and am equally confused by the 2 camps.
If you have the money a power feeder is a great investment for work quality and safety.

there are quite a few cutters out now that are limited in stock removal that are alot safer for manual use. I'm still looking for more info as you are and simple statement like Pat's aren't a great help.

Originally Posted by MatMann

Im in a very similar position, but mine wont arrive till October (Hammer B3)

I've read ALOT of information about shapers and scare story's and am equally confused by the 2 camps.
If you have the money a power feeder is a great investment for work quality and safety.

there are quite a few cutters out now that are limited in stock removal that are alot safer for manual use. I'm still looking for more info as you are and simple statement like Pat's aren't a great help.

Yes I've also come across stories about spindle moulder... and yes I have enough money for a power-feed but have yet to decide witch made and model.

Well Matman , Pat is right on the money.
There are more lost fingers and worst from SM's than any other machinery in a woodwork shop - professional or amateur. Have a look at any OH & S figures.
A power feeder is a lot safer because your fingers are well away from the workface but there are other benefits too.
A constant feed rate supplied by the PF generally means a cleaner cut edge with less jitter marks than if the piece of timber is manually fed through.
Note a PF can also be installed on tablesaws and jointers too for the same reasons.
Of course coupled with a new SM and the much safer cutterheads supplied these days means that these are a much safer machine than those of the past.

Two excellent books on this subject are
The Spindle Moulder Handbook by Eric Stephenson


The Shaper Book by Lonnie Bird

Stewie

Also interested in this thread.

I used a SM during my apprenticeship but not since. I have just put an 'old SM' on lay-buy.

The cutters are clamped in place by an upper and lower ring with grooves in them.

I am guessing many cutters these days come as a single unit like a router bit? Only stumbled across this thread in active topics so I have done no research as I wont be picking up my machinery before christmas. Can you get stackable cutters too to mix and match for your own custom profiles?

The attached photo shows; on the left, a now unlawful whitehill block with cutters which can be ejected if not secured properly. On the right; the modern block with securing pins, wedges and limiters. Cutters can't be ejected from the modern block, and the limiters are intended to reduce kick-back.
Of course this just follows the newer OH&S regs although some old hands have used the older style all their lives without incident ( that's the style I used when I did my apprenticeship way back when ) and of course this pertains to commercial shops. Amateurs or hobbyists can use what they want although spindle moulders/shapers can be nasty beasts if not setup properly.
As you can see DaveTT the newer cutterblocks aren't too dissimilar from the old - just a lot safer. I don't know about stackable ones though. Maybe a couple of passes instead of one to get the required shape.

Stewie

Stewie.


My SM, yet to be acquired has a different style again. even the banned one seems safer than my set up.

iIt has an upper and lower ring with a groove between the rings that runs through edge to edge either side of the spindle hole. other than clamping down there is no other 'lock' mechanism to hold the blades in place

thx for your post

regards

Dave

Dave, you can purchase the newer heads separately. The common "home" size spindles are 3/4, 1" and 30mm. I have a CMT set with a bore of 30mm and reducers to the 1" spindle of my Jet.

Originally Posted by Stewie D

The attached photo shows; on the left, a now unlawful whitehill block with cutters which can be ejected if not secured properly. On the right; the modern block with securing pins, wedges and limiters. Cutters can't be ejected from the modern block, and the limiters are intended to reduce kick-back.
Stewie

Thanks for the photo, it has explained something more than words could. I have yet to collect my SM, I understand the shipment of SM's has yet to land at the docks. I forgot to mention that I decided on the SP-300 from HF in my eyes its practically the same as carbatec's SK-100T. I'm restricted to only SPH machinery in my workshop.

I like the sliding table with the various angle clamping jig which allows you to keep ones hands and figures away from the cutter. Although for long jobs a PF would certainly do a better job and be a lot safer.

As for the the PF I was thinking carbatec AF-32 junior power feeder would be OK, although I'm still looking and open to suggestions?


Pete

Originally Posted by Pat

Dave, you can purchase the newer heads separately. The common "home" size spindles are 3/4, 1" and 30mm. I have a CMT set with a bore of 30mm and reducers to the 1" spindle of my Jet.

Mine is a 3 phase one from around the 50ies, maybe older

I'd be thinking it is at least the imperial equivalent of 30 mm

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

Mine is a 3 phase one from around the 50ies, maybe older

With a 50's model, I've seen some YouTube videos showing that these models are driven by a draw bar and arbor to attach the cutters. This is sometime I'm hoping the SP-300 has otherwise I'll have to re-engineer the spindle shaft (purchased the SP-300 sight unseen; Can't complain about the price). I intend to interchange the cutter arbor for a collet chuck arbor and use the extensive router bits I still have. I realize the spindle speed would be reduced but hoping not enough to affect the quality of the cut. That and the fact of less chance of getting a wood burn on the material.
Pete

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

Mine is a 3 phase one from around the 50ies, maybe older

I'd be thinking it is at least the imperial equivalent of 30 mm

Most likely 1 1/4"

I have a MiniMax Cu300 with a spindle moulder with a 30mm shaft. This Italian unit came with a head and basic set of cutters and limiters that I have since expanded by purchasing several new CMT 40mm cutters and limiters from Carbatec. These cutters work fine and are good value. Whilst I did some work with hand feeding it is not the safest way to work and does give rise to "snipe" I have now fitted a new 1hp power feeder that I purchased from A1 Machinery in Sydney for less than $900 and this makes a big difference.
Cheers,
Paintman.

Originally Posted by PaintMan

I purchased new 1hp power feeder that I purchased from A1 Machinery in Sydney for less than $900 and this makes a big difference.
Cheers,
Paintman.

That would be the next size up (AF- 34) from the AF-32 which has only a 1/4ph motor. How do you think you would go if you had purchased the 1/4hp instead?
Cheers,
Pete