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Shaper question regarding spindle size vs cutter I.d.

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1.7K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  SweetTea  
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#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I bought a used shaper a while back at an auction that has the spindle size choice of 1/2" and3/4". I also at another auction bought some freeborn shaper cutters that were new old stock and would like to try them. (I bought them at "you suck " prices .) my question is can I use 1&1/4" I.d. Shaper cutters on a 3/4" spindle safely? The shaper has a 2 hp motor and I would be also considerate of table opening diameter. I read all the posts I could find on LJ that referenced shapers and couldn't find the answer I'm looking for. Any opinions on this would be welcomed.

By the way. As I was reading the shaper comments and questions, I noticed how one can get lost in all the information, projects, workshops and blogs here on LJ. This site is like its own internet whereas you begin looking at one topic and just get completely engrossed in all the peripheral information linked to it. What a great community has been created here. WELL DONE LJ's.
 
#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yes you can with some bushing. I have 2 delta shapers set up with freeborn stile and rails cutters. Both of those shapers are 3/4 spindles. The cutters are 1'' and 1/4 bore. one shaper is 3 hp and one is 2 hp. They work fine.

BTW are your cutters braised or insert tooling?
 
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#3 ·
Yes you can use a bushing on the 1.25" cutters to run them on a 3/4" bore shaper. It's not ideal and you would get better performance if you changed out your spindle to 1.25". I mean, it's not that noticeable to run them with a bushing, and it could be splitting hairs. You get less chatter and vibration if you had an 1.25 spindle. How much is dependent on many factors. In general, it's always a good idea when running cutters that have a bushing in this fashion to only go up one size over your existing spindle size. So while ideally you would use a 1.25" spindle with 1.25" cutters, the next step down would be to use a 1" spindle with 1.25" cutters. Going from 1.25" cutters down to 3/4" with a bushing is two steps down in spindle sizes. I would look into buying a replacement spindle for your machine in either 1.25" or 1" sizes, if possible.
 
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