Thread: Vertical Shaper vs Horizontal

I(and I think most others) call the vertical ones slotters. Which should keep you busy until someone that knows more turns up

Stuart

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Firstly, is there such a thing as a vertical shaper? What I saw and believe to be a vertical shaper had a short ram run on a cam, maybe it is something entirely different so please educate me.

Other than the throw distance being much smaller, there fore the work envelope what other differences would their be?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/130080...3/16423667159/

Hi Dale,

No reason why a shaper couldn't be hung from the roof Slotters are a bit like vertical shapers.. On the other hand I've often heard shapers referred to as horizontal slotters.

As far as differences, I'd think the clapper box would be a major difference.. that wouldn't work too well vertically.

Ray

I did notice that most photos of vertical shaper/slotters seem to have built in rotary tables. So I would guess they are good for doing splines.

The one in the photo is a G.L.Sheraton, I know the Sheraton lathes were copies of the Southbend same as the Hercus. But can find no info on a Sheraton vertical shaper/slotter.

Southbend produced a small horizontal one.



I guess you could fit a rotary table on to table on this machine, but I am struggling to come up with many ideas where it would be overly useful. maybe cutting small gears and internal keyways but that's about the limit of my imagination. With such a short stroke length I can't see it doing much surfacing.

I'd be guessing and saying that it's maybe designed for small key ways (what you suggested) etc. The vertical arrangement makes it's footprint much smaller than a horizontal shaper.

Just a thought….

Simon

I think of a vertical slotting machine as a shaper that is optimised for making slots, keyways, splines etc.
It's easier to mount work flat on a table, when gravity is helping you, compared with an horizontal machine.

When not surfacing, it's not necessary to have a clapper box, so you never see one on a slotter.

I made a 5mm x 100mm long internal keyway recently, in an aluminium pulley.
Just held it in my Douglas horizontal shaper's vice. Two cuts with a 3mm cutter, it worked first time, which was very pleasing.

Jordan

This should answer your question

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20slotting.pdf

Thanks for the info guys.

RC that is a long document and quite a good one, thanks.