shaper cutterhead questions....

[Mike Kees]

I am looking at buying a rabbeting cutterhead and am wondering what if any difference is there between the aluminium and steel bodies on the insert style heads ? Thanks for any help, Mike.

[Martin Wasner]

I have zero evidence or proof.

I think steel heads do a better job.

BUT! I've never used the exact same design in steel and aluminium. It's been the same process, but two different manufactures. There's other factors. Rake, angle of attack, and shear could've been different.

Aluminum heads are usually for lighter duty shapers to make the bearings last a bit longer.

[Wayne Lomman]

Totally agree with Martin for about the same reasons. Cheers

[Joe Calhoon]

I have a aluminum Euro block head and a identical one in steel. I see no difference in performance but would imagine the steel one would last longer especially the threads. We also have a few alu cutter bodies on our 320mm diameter tenon heads. I like these as they are a lot easier to lift on and off the shaft of the tenoner and shaper. They are also common on CNC routers for door and window tooling. The better tools will have hard metal inserts on any place threaded.

Like Martin says easier on bearings for light duty shapers but otherwise I would prefer steel for normal size cutters.

[brent stanley]

Run steel if you can for longevity, but it may place more demands on your machine. Not a problem if it has the heft to withstand it, but something to think about.

B

[Mike Kees]

Thanks. What brands of tooling do you guys recommend ?I have a CMT head for the pin style steel insert cutters so was looking at their rabbet head. What others should I be looking at ?

[brent stanley]

Thanks. What brands of tooling do you guys recommend ?I have a CMT head for the pin style steel insert cutters so was looking at their rabbet head. What others should I be looking at ?

I had a aluminum CMT rebate block and it worked fine and was MAN rated, but was limited in the depth it could work for tenoning so I got a larger diameter one in steel for my larger machine. I also had a small pin style head like yours for my small machine, but I sold it and got the small combi head from Whitehill that gave me a shear cut rebate block and steel limiter pin style block in one head. It can also be flush mounted for tenoning if I get the spindle for it.

[brent stanley]

What machine will you be running the blocks on if you don't mind me asking?

B

[Mike Kees]

Brent right now I have a Steel city 3h.p. shaper. I am trying to only buy new tooling in 11/4'' bore,so when I get a bigger shaper my tooling will be good to go. I have a 3/4'' and one inch spindle for the steel city as well as the router collet. Mike.

[Mike Kees]

I will probably not sell this machine but plan to keep it as my "light" shaper.

[Phillip Gregory]

I am looking at buying a rabbeting cutterhead and am wondering what if any difference is there between the aluminium and steel bodies on the insert style heads ? Thanks for any help, Mike.

The steel heads are supposed to be more durable and are MUCH heavier. Amana makes both kinds and recommends not using the steel heads on shapers less than 3 hp. They only make the standard 40/50 mm Euroblock steel heads in 100 and 120 mm sizes with 1", 30 mm, and 1 1/4" bores. They make the aluminum heads in 3/4" as well as 1", 30 mm, and 1 1/4" bores and make the aluminum heads in smaller 68 mm and 88 mm diameters in addition to the 100 and 120 mm sizes.

I have a 120 mm steel Amana head and it weighs several pounds more than a stack of typical 1 1/4" bore cope and stick cutters or a stacked panel raising cutter set. I would not recommend using it on a modern 3 hp shaper that is designed for 3/4" bore tooling as that mass is going to be very hard on its relatively small spindle bearings.

[Mike Kees]

So I have found two rabbeting cutters with Inserts. Both are Amana tools. One is 61463, steel body 85mm diameter and 50mm cutting height . The other is 61462 Aluminium body 100mm diameter and not sure what the cutting height was. So I get the extra weight of steel and the possible durability issues of aluminium,which one of these heads is the best compromise to use on the machine I have currently (steel city 3h.p. ) and move up with me to a larger machine in the future ?

[brent stanley]

So I have found two rabbeting cutters with Inserts. Both are Amana tools. One is 61463, steel body 85mm diameter and 50mm cutting height . The other is 61462 Aluminium body 100mm diameter and not sure what the cutting height was. So I get the extra weight of steel and the possible durability issues of aluminium,which one of these heads is the best compromise to use on the machine I have currently (steel city 3h.p. ) and move up with me to a larger machine in the future ?

I wouldn't hesitate to run that size steel cutterhead on that shaper....it's not really that big.

This is a big cutterhead!

IMG_20180730_161848_119.jpg

[Gregory Stahl]

Here is my go to rabbetng head:

https://www.rangate.com/products/shear-rabbeting-cutter

Love it—use it to size my face frame stock off the rip saw too.

Greg Stahl

[Martin Wasner]

Does it shear in both directions? The one I use for sizing is. I've never seen anything deliver the cut quality that thing does.