Martin Wasner
10-16-2016, 3:15 PM
Anyone have experience with one of these?
I'm currently doing all my coping for cabinet doors on a pair of shapers with the Copecrafter jigs. It works alright, but it could easily be better. For whatever reason, some people just aren't good at coping.
Originally I thought I would look for a Unique Machine double ended coper, you can do two at a time, and the cycling is automated. The downside is anything that isn't fitting between the spindles isn't getting coped on that machine and you still have to have shapers set up to run the longer rails, like on paneled cabinet backs. Slick machine, but it doesn't gain me any floor space, and the thought of having the capital tied up to have a set of shapers and the dedicated coper isn't appealing. Plus the cost of having another $4k wrapped up in heads, backers, and carbide.
The local machine jockey is pushing these PMK machines pretty hard. At first I wasn't too interested, but it does seem like a better option the longer I look at them. No backers which would be nice. Plus you can do two parts at a time with typical rail and stile sizes so long as they aren't double sticked parts, just the sticking on one face. You just run them flat to flat. I'm not sure how fond of the add on table I am for changing of tooling. The do have a model with HSK spindles that would make change over time about as quick, but with a higher entry fee I'm sure. The smaller unit has a max of about 9", I don't see that being a problem for me. Anytime I've got a rail taller than that in a cabinet side It's usually got some sort of trim going around the bottom anyways and I scab something in there just to support the trim. I am slightly concerned about the build quality. It seems rather light at 1100#. The model with the HSK spindles is pushing #2000 though. I'm not sure if the lesser models are using a single motor or what. Just as a reference, by 51" bed SAC shaper is about 1600#. I don't want to be purchasing something that is along the lines of a Powermatic shaper for spindle quality.
https://youtu.be/jvs0IFu6iHM
Thoughts?
I'm currently doing all my coping for cabinet doors on a pair of shapers with the Copecrafter jigs. It works alright, but it could easily be better. For whatever reason, some people just aren't good at coping.
Originally I thought I would look for a Unique Machine double ended coper, you can do two at a time, and the cycling is automated. The downside is anything that isn't fitting between the spindles isn't getting coped on that machine and you still have to have shapers set up to run the longer rails, like on paneled cabinet backs. Slick machine, but it doesn't gain me any floor space, and the thought of having the capital tied up to have a set of shapers and the dedicated coper isn't appealing. Plus the cost of having another $4k wrapped up in heads, backers, and carbide.
The local machine jockey is pushing these PMK machines pretty hard. At first I wasn't too interested, but it does seem like a better option the longer I look at them. No backers which would be nice. Plus you can do two parts at a time with typical rail and stile sizes so long as they aren't double sticked parts, just the sticking on one face. You just run them flat to flat. I'm not sure how fond of the add on table I am for changing of tooling. The do have a model with HSK spindles that would make change over time about as quick, but with a higher entry fee I'm sure. The smaller unit has a max of about 9", I don't see that being a problem for me. Anytime I've got a rail taller than that in a cabinet side It's usually got some sort of trim going around the bottom anyways and I scab something in there just to support the trim. I am slightly concerned about the build quality. It seems rather light at 1100#. The model with the HSK spindles is pushing #2000 though. I'm not sure if the lesser models are using a single motor or what. Just as a reference, by 51" bed SAC shaper is about 1600#. I don't want to be purchasing something that is along the lines of a Powermatic shaper for spindle quality.
https://youtu.be/jvs0IFu6iHM
Thoughts?