Shaper Head

[Paul Canaris]

As I look more into the choice of cutter heads I have a few questions to pose to the experts.

There are two cutter and four cutter heads typical.
What is advantage of one over the other?
I am speaking to a dealer who is suggesting a four cutter head, with two hooks. As he explains it, it seems to be two of the profile knives are ground for hardwood and two for softwood; I guess to allow the best of both worlds.
Seems like this would really kick up the cost if I had to buy double the knives each time I need a profile, is there enough of an improvement in the variables to make this worthwhile?
When working with larger vertically oriented cutters, how do you safely feed the material. As most of molding I will be making requires feeding materials verticaly on end, I cant see how I can us my power feeder to so.:eek: Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[tod evans]

paul, i run the two knife set up for hardwoods, they`ll cut softwood acceptably but not vis-versa. the softwood knifes are prone to premature dulling on hardwood.
as to your feeder just lay it on its side, front end angled toward the table to keep the work down...02 tod

[Paul Canaris]

Todd thanks, I thought that was how you used the feeder. I was talking to a technical support person at a tooling dealer who said that this approach is never done implying that all feeding must be done by hand; it seemed intuitive to me to use the feeder so I can keep my hands; makes you wonder if some of these technical support guys have ever actually done any of this.:rolleyes: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
The majority of heads available seem to be four cutter models. If I purchase one of these and wanted to run two knives to keep it economical, I assume I would need to fill in the un-used two spaces with knife blanks. Given all I have read about balance being important to cut quality and spindle longevity I assume whatever I used as a filler would need to be symmetrical as regards weight, so as to not imbalance the cutter head. Do the vendors have matched filler plates to supply?<o:p></o:p>
Also, do you end up needing a variety of heads of differing heights (2”, 3”, 4”) to closely match the heights of the knives, or do you just put in inserts to fill in the gaps and balance them as well as you can....seems tricky from my perspective not having done so.

[tod evans]

paul, you can run only two knifes in a four knife head just keep `em 180 degrees from eachother. i usually don`t do weight matched filler, just crank the jib screws down tight so nothing flys out. and you`re right most tech guys don`t run the equipment. i know cg schmidt carries two knife heads in most popular bores for 60deg corogated stock, instead of going with a four knife head just ask for the two knife version, at least i would. you can get the heads with split jibs so you can use small or big knifes in the same head just use the appropriate jib to lock the cutters, big knifes use a couple or three jibs small use one or two. really tooling isn`t rocket science so don`t let the techies get you off on wierd tangents....02 tod

[Paul B. Cresti]

Paul,
See the images below for using a feeder with stock vertical on the fence. The tech you were talking obviously is not a woodworker. Also see my two knife head from Schmidt. Notice the small knives in it with the filler bar. I have also included a picture of my big crown setup....it involves using two knives, one for the top ogee and a second for the bottom cove.....and a picture of my big cove cutter.

I use to use these setups before I had a feeder. Feeding by hand is an experience. You have to have that stock very tight to the fence and do not let go. When you get those big knives spinning, the harmonics coming off of that spinning head feel like a subwoofer pounding on you chest! Thus my interest in getting a feeder. By the way, even know that I use a feeder I still over size my stock on those big profiles so that I go back and trim/angle cut the extra stock off.

[Paul Canaris]

Great pictures, very helpfull.:)

So, the crown molding is a two part custom ground pattern?

Is the molding cut in a single pass, or multiple passes?

[Paul B. Cresti]

Paul,
Yes it was a custom profile I drew up in Autocad and emailed to CG Schmidt (same goes for the cove). They split the main crown at a logical point, transition area, in order to fit the custom insert head they made me. Since I have an interchangeable spindle I gave up some clearance under the nut. All of my profiles are cut in ONE single pass. Very very very scary how much wood a 6.6hp 3ph shaper can hog off...

As far as the advantage of a two knife head vs four....Tod is much more the expert than I to answer that one

[tod evans]

paul, schmidt stocks shorter jibs for your head, when your profile library grows having different length jibs for that head will come in handy.
just what you needed eh? me helping you spend more money:rolleyes: .02 tod

[Paul B. Cresti]

paul, schmidt stocks shorter jibs for your head, when your profile library grows having different length jibs for that head will come in handy.
just what you needed eh? me helping you spend more money:rolleyes: .02 tod

Gee man thanks! just what I need another excuse to spend even more money on tooling. Actually I just bought a long piece of filler bar (was sick & tired of ordering new ones with every knife) and just last night I cut to new pieces for a new knife I just got... Word from the guys at MiniMax is to check out Garniga tooling....just ask Brian Buckley...I think he got a bunch.

[Paul Canaris]

Appreciate the assistance guys.

[Brian Buckley]

Paul B.,
All it takes is a check, one after another after another. Garniga is the CRACK COCAINE of shaper tooling. Once you use it, you want more, alot more.

Brian

[Brian Buckley]

Paul B.,
All it takes is a check, one after another after another. Garniga is the CRACK COCAINE of shaper tooling. Once you use it, you want more, alot more.

Brian

[Paul B. Cresti]

Paul B.,
All it takes is a check, one after another after another. Garniga is the CRACK COCAINE of shaper tooling. Once you use it, you want more, alot more.

Brian


Oh great Brian, I am already adicted to caffeine.....I have gone through the overdose of CG Schmidt tooling, Festoolitist.....you know somewhere along the line or in someones lifetime I AM SUPPOSE to actually MAKE money doing this ;) but then again I never did try cocaine...hmmmmm

VIVA ITALIA !!!! FORZA AZZURI !!!!!

[Paul Canaris]

All it takes is a check, one after another after another. Garniga is the CRACK COCAINE of shaper tooling. Once you use it, you want more, alot more.

Brian


Have to agree, my Garniga slotter is a well made tool. It's a shame the Italian's dont make shaper cutters closer to the profiles I need.:(

[Brian Buckley]

Paul Canaris, I have very expensive bad news for you. Garniga will make any shape insert cutter you want. Others will also make insert cutters for the Garniga head.

Brian