Adjustable Groover for shaper

[Jason Yeager]

Anyone have a good reccommendation on a adjustable grooving shaper head? I have never used one, but I regularly need to make dados off size, (usually between 1/4"- and 1/2"+ ) and thought an adjustable head may be the ticket. I only have a 3hp shaper with a 5.5" tooling diameter capacity. Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Jason Yeager]

bump.

thanks

[Peter Quinn]

3/4" spindle? The diameter of tooling or table hole isn't so much a restriction because you can use a bed board clamped to the table to work above the table, and you are above the table with many grooving operations anyway. But a 3hp machine may not like spinning steel tooling as large as most euro groovers. I have an aluminum dial groover similar to those Amana sells and it works great, but it's in the 1/2" to 15/16" range. I know Amana sells similar heads in different thickness ranges, and many are available in aluminum. I used to run mine on a 3/4" machine bushed up to 1 1/4" and 3hp was fine for the aluminum head. They have many options in shimed sets, the dial heads are nice if they fit your thickness range and budget.

Look also to Garniga, lueco, Schmidt, and Byrd tooling as options for similar groovers. All of them work great with the top spurs and insert carbide, you can't go wrong. I have heads from garniga and lueco, rabbit not groovers, but they are very fine tooling..

[Peter Quinn]

Another source for insert adjustable groovers is Guhdo. I have not tried these but they were recommended to me by someone I trust. Check out :

http://www.guhdo.com/cutterheads-groovers/groovers-lamello-adjustable-insert-groover.html

What is the maximum tooling diameter your HOOD will support? That is the real restriction.

PS: To answer your original question, the adjustable euro groovers with spurs make a beautiful cut, and I find the adjustable aspect very helpful. I use my shaper to make grooves I would have previously don with a dado, but they are much more consistent on the shaper and its easier to set up and run. The ONLY downside is the price!

[Steve Rowe]

Two recommendations that I have personal experience with are the Leuco and Garniga cutters. The Leuco cutter I have is 130mm diameter and falls within your specs. Standard bore is 30mm but Leuco bored it to 1-1/4" to fit my spindle. The Garniga cutter I have is a 180mm diameter cutter that is too big for your machine but they do make them in 140mm diameter which is barely over your capacity. Garniga is carried by Rangate and a rebadged version is also available from Laguna. This month, in stock Garniga cutters at Laguna are on sale at 50% off - this is a great deal that is hard to beat.

The performance of both brands is the same and is excellent.
Steve

[Doug Mason]

So does that mean that Peter Q. can finally get his get kitchen cabinet set!!

[Joe Calhoon]

Jason,
Montrose? I am just up the road from you between Ridgway and Ouray.

All the mentioned brands should work fine. Like they said, smaller diameter for your shaper.
I have several Garniga adj groovers and a couple Felder - Stark. They all work good.

Joe Calhoon
Cascade Woodwork

[Jason Yeager]

thanks everyone!

Wow, yeah Joe, you are just right up the road. I am on spring creek mesa, west of Montrose. thanks for the help.

Jason

[Peter Quinn]

So does that mean that Peter Q. can finally get his get kitchen cabinet set!!

I really want to buy the entry door set, but I can't seem to get them to return my call at Laguna? It used to be that "Hey, its me, I'd like to spend some money" would get a salesman's attention, but not now it seems?

[Peter Quinn]

Anyone have a good reccommendation on a adjustable grooving shaper head? I have never used one, but I regularly need to make dados off size, (usually between 1/4"- and 1/2"+ ) and thought an adjustable head may be the ticket. I only have a 3hp shaper with a 5.5" tooling diameter capacity. Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

Thanks

After looking through a few catalogues, it seems to me that only CMT has a groover that matches your needs exactly. Its a 3 piece groover with a 4-15MM range, 5 1/2" diameter (140MM). Thats like a heavy 1/8" through 9/16" thickness roughly.

http://www.cmtutensili.com/show_items.asp?pars=HK~694.001~2

I think they can be ordered through a CMT dealer?

[Jason Yeager]

Peter,

Thanks, I appreciate all your help, I ended up going with the CMT groover. I am looking at some of the Garniga stuff just because it is such a good deal.

Thanks

[Peter Quinn]

I got one of those garniga rabbit cutters last time they were on sale from Laguna, and they are great. Not too expensive at the half price sale. I'm thinking I may just get the CMT groover myself. Amana makes a slightly larger version of the same basic three piece stack, and I can spin up to a 7" cutter in my shaper, but I'm not sure I really need to ever put a groove that narrow in that deep, so I'm not sure it would be worth the extra money? Jury is still out on that one.

Who did you wind up ordering the CMT head from?

[Jason Yeager]

I ordered the CMT head from a local tool dealer here in town, he gave me a great deal, $450 plus shipping and tax. I ended up getting a few spare knives at the same time. If you end up wanting one and the price looks good, I can give you his name and number.

Jason