ISO30 Spindle limitations - Cutter Size

[Wes Grass]

Re the Felder router spindle, I thought of that as well, along with the extra RPM available from a VFD. But you're still stuck with swapping cutters and setting depth.

A quick change spindle, combined with a simple CNC control and preset tools, would be awesome. I've thought about the same sort of thing. But for my use, it would really just be a nifty toy. The time and money would be better spent on a CNC router.

[Brian Holcombe]

If the goal is a small cnc tenoner, you might be farther ahead to find a Harris/Millbury bench top tenoner and rework it for cnc control.

The millbury tenoner is a neat idea. That would probably do 95% of the tenoning that I do and one can install a coping head which would speed up shoji making.

Now....to find and restore one...

[Brian Holcombe]

Re the Felder router spindle, I thought of that as well, along with the extra RPM available from a VFD. But you're still stuck with swapping cutters and setting depth.

A quick change spindle, combined with a simple CNC control and preset tools, would be awesome. I've thought about the same sort of thing. But for my use, it would really just be a nifty toy. The time and money would be better spent on a CNC router.

This was my plan got the router, I may go that direction still and separate off the tenoning work.

[Mark Bolton]

We have a 919 and you will never get any spec from HSD for anything larger than 2" or so I believe. We run a nearly 4" cutter that is colossally out of spec. Thinking of a router table on steroids that can run shaper cutters may be a stretch.

[Brian Holcombe]

Yeah, been driving to that conclusion. Was worth a trip down the rabbet hole just to see if this was feasible.

[Brad Shipton]

I have a 4" dia cutter pair that I use on my spindle, but they are rated to spin at 12k. Those work very well. I tried the shaper adapter on my machine with a 6" cutter and it made me nervous. I recall Joe chatting on the woodweb with a guy from the EU about different bearing specs and lubricants to achieve very tight tolerances and I am not sure this is a road I would go down.

[Mark Bolton]

Yeah, been driving to that conclusion. Was worth a trip down the rabbet hole just to see if this was feasible.

Supplier data will be far better than this place.

[Mark Bolton]

I have a 4" dia cutter pair that I use on my spindle, but they are rated to spin at 12k. Those work very well. I tried the shaper adapter on my machine with a 6" cutter and it made me nervous. I recall Joe chatting on the woodweb with a guy from the EU about different bearing specs and lubricants to achieve very tight tolerances and I am not sure this is a road I would go down.

Your 4" cutter is a mile out of spec for the spindle, regardless of rated RPM. We are doing the same. Its a roll of the dice. The day could come where all hell breaks loose and your out the cost of a new spindle.

[Brian Holcombe]

Supplier data will be far better than this place.

My googling was failing me on this one, normally I just search online.

[Brad Shipton]

Mark, I contacted HSD and discussed this. The chart I pasted is for the ES919. At 12k, with the cutter 90mm below the nut I can run a cutter up to 3.5kg. This cutter block I use is nowhere near that heavy. I suppose if one is pushing as fast as you can it the HP demand would exceed what the spindle is capable of, but I have never had any issues.

[Mark Bolton]

Mark, I contacted HSD and discussed this. The chart I pasted is for the ES919. At 12k, with the cutter 90mm below the nut I can run a cutter up to 3.5kg. This cutter block I use is nowhere near that heavy. I suppose if one is pushing as fast as you can it the HP demand would exceed what the spindle is capable of, but I have never had any issues.

Nor have I. Im running slightly larger diameter than that but its a risk. In the end I think Mr. H was likely considering how close his options were to shaper level... :-)