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Thread: corrugated shaper heads

  1. #1
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    corrugated shaper heads

    Ive always been a brazed cutter head user, and have sent my custom stuff out, but am wanting to start doing small runs by myself for obvious reasons. Time, cost, etc. My question is can I buy a 4" tall corrugated cutterhead, and use 4" or smaller knives in it, or should I buy a 2" & a 4" cutterhead? TIA

  2. #2
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    What shaper and spindle? Dave

  3. #3
    One thing to consider is that when you must cut from the bottom of your work ,the tall head might not drop low enough
    under the table. The manufacturers have to be so carefull about liability. When I have found it neccesary I have used corrugated blanks or just pieces of wood. Obviously you have to use same thickness steel if useing blanks.

  4. #4
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    I was always told to match the head to the knife and that you shouldn't use knives much smaller than the head.. however you can use a 3" knife in a 2" head (1/2" max stickout top and bottom) though you loose the reference surface of the head that way. Better to get mutiple sizes of heads (assuming you have a shaper capable of using an 3 or 4+ inch head)

  5. #5
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    Shapers are T-130 1 1/4" spindle machines.

    Also wondering about dual angle 4 pocket heads. Is it necessary to use blanks in the unused slots?

  6. #6
    I only use the blanks if the head won't go on spindle. Just using two knives sometimes distorts the head and keeps it from
    fitting on the spindle.

  7. #7
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    If you use the shaper a lot, you'll likely end up with multiples anyway. I started with a 2" then quickly added another as I started doing a custom cope and stick profile on interior doors. No sense in changing knives all the time. Then I added the 4" for a job and my largest is a 5" My opinion for what its worth is buy what you need for the job at hand. These days it only takes a couple days to have something shipped, so not a problem. Next job comes in that you want to keep in house buy the head sized for the project and use it for whatever you can. When another job comes along that requires something bigger.... buy another head. I only used brazed tooling for cope and stick cabinet doors. Everything else is either corrugated or steel for a Euro head.

    good luck,
    JeffD

  8. #8
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    Thanks jeff. That makes the most sense.

  9. #9
    You will find that manufacturers recommend filling in unused slots with blank knives. Think about what it means to say " Just using two knives sometimes distorts the head and keeps it from
    fitting on the spindle." Not filling the blank slots invites trouble, especially with large projections. Here's a link to one vendor's setup guidelines https://www.globaltooling.com/pages/...ed-cutterheads
    Last edited by Kevin Jenness; 04-19-2019 at 12:10 AM.

  10. #10
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    I never really saw the point for dual hook heads. Knives ground for 12 degrees don't cut the same profile when run at 20, so you either need two sets, or the ability to grind in house to take advantage of both hook angles.

  11. #11
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    What about heads that have four slots all the same angle ? My four inch high head is an FS Tool head like this. I am going to run this with two profile knives and two blanks,mostly to save money on getting knives ground.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jared Sankovich View Post
    I never really saw the point for dual hook heads. Knives ground for 12 degrees don't cut the same profile when run at 20, so you either need two sets, or the ability to grind in house to take advantage of both hook angles.
    The two hook angles are an either/or situation. one angle for soft woods, one for hard, blanks in the unused slots.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Edgerton View Post
    The two hook angles are an either/or situation. one angle for soft woods, one for hard, blanks in the unused slots.
    Yeah, I get that in theory, but how many people actually stick to that and match the angle to the wood for shaper work? 20 degrees cuts cleaner and has better edge retention, no downside unless you start tearing out sections. Schmidt doesn't even list 12 degree single hook heads (though I'm sure they make them)

    My point being most people wouldn't opt to run 12 degrees until they had issues running at 20, and at that point you need new knives, or better stock.

  14. #14
    I disagree that the mfgs rules are always valid. Lawyers write that stuff. I once called Schmidt and naievely gave them
    my "rules" for using the old slotted collars. The guy told me I was right and added the lawyers told them they were
    better off saying nothing beyond "be careful". The best rule for commercial shaper stuff is don't let an idiot use it. A good
    rule too is never walk away from the shaper before the set up is complete ,but I've seen that done. Fortunately the knives
    only hit the guy who made the hazard.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Jared Sankovich View Post
    Yeah, I get that in theory, but how many people actually stick to that and match the angle to the wood for shaper work? 20 degrees cuts cleaner and has better edge retention, no downside unless you start tearing out sections. Schmidt doesn't even list 12 degree single hook heads (though I'm sure they make them)

    My point being most people wouldn't opt to run 12 degrees until they had issues running at 20, and at that point you need new knives, or better stock.
    I always stick with that. Knives get used for shaper, sash sticker and a couple moulders. Right grind for the right degree pocket for the correct lumber means tooling lasts longer and can be used on multiple machines.

    I also always run blanks in unused slots.
    That means 3 blanks in my 6 knife heads, unless I run 6 and joint them.

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