Thread: My Invicta 4M arrived

Originally Posted by Gerbilsquasher

Gaskets for shaper gearboxes are a bit easier. You can cut one from gasket paper or just get yourself a tube of black Silastic, both available from 'better' auto shops.

No gasket infact there doesnt even seem to be any sort of selant. Surely they wouldn't rely on the paint! still that would explain why it was empty and why they have a little oil level tub on it.
Stuart

Just for the sake of asking stupid questions, what do you make with a shaper? Cut splines and keyways? Curved surfaces? What do you guys that have them use them for, that you couldn't do on the mill?

Not much you can do on a shaper that you can't do faster on a mill or with a broaching tool, IF you have the tooling. But the tooling is much cheaper for a shaper. They may also be a better place to start if you want a flat surface and don't have a grinder. Dovetails any angle you like. Long internal keyways....... So far nothing lol

Stuart

Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde

Just for the sake of asking stupid questions, what do you make with a shaper? Cut splines and keyways? Curved surfaces? What do you guys that have them use them for, that you couldn't do on the mill?

Internal splines

"Hi brendan My shapers "knee"(is it a knee on a shaper?) has a jack screw just like your mill. Might have to have a look inside "


Really? Thats cool. What size and pitch are they? Mine work beautifully now!

Hi 19brendan81
Nothing interesting inside mine. The inner is 1" the outer is 1 3/4", both 4TPI. No fancy set up to make the outer one move first(as you can tell by the wear on the inner thread) just a couple of collars screwed onto the end of each to stop them coming right out.
Stuart

Sounds like a sensible setup.

Whats your first project on the shaper going to be?

I liked the idea of turning the outside first, puts more wear on the stronger thread, of course it has to work.
First project? Well i was thinking about making a new crossslide of my lathe with T slots. But now that i have a mill as well there is no hurry on that. I'll make some serrated plates and washers for car suspension adjustments I guess.
Assuming I get it going that is. Pulled the relay out last night it, was full of oil, 500ml easy. Still it wont be needed.

Stuart

A new compound slide for my lathe is one of the first things I want to do. My current one only has 60mm travel which isnt enough for MT3 tapers, so I want to build a new one with 100mm travel. Should be a good project, but I need to get some dovetail cutters first which is OK, as I can also use them for making new tool holders for my QCTP.

Now see if you had a shaper you could save yourself $15
Stuart

Brendan,
They say a stick of HSS will machine off a ton of steel, so it make the tooling cheap.
Stuart
A tool holder for the shaper like the one below would be a good first project.
Or you could go all out and make some chips like the last photos just for fun.lol
The last photo is taking 2inch depth of cut, lets see a home shop mill do that.

Dave

I love HSS now. Im a HSS convert since I learned how to grind it. Thats why im making these toolholders for my QCTP - so they can hold various size and shapes of HSS for general machining.

Thanks Dave I've seen that last picture, amazing.
I will have to make something. Although the tool holder on the shaper making the toold holder is handed like the one i have, so its good to know that will work. Any ideas about the srcew adjustment on the tool holder in the shaper? Looks like adjustable rake to me. Would cast bar be much better than MS? (not that i have any idea what it costs)
Stuart

Something I might try on my shaper is one day mount an indexing head to the table. Would be fantastic, I reckon, for making splines and gears of all descriptions, including bevel gears. Yes probably much quicker on the mill but a piece of HSS is a lot cheaper than an involute gear cutter