Shaper setup and indicating

[Carpenter84]

Is there any shaper setup that's not sketchy?

Anyone have any tricks on indicating the shaper tool center of a bore? The tool is hand ground, and the tooling is home made, so crap shoot if anything's square.

I need a 1/4" keyway in a tapered bore. So, I have the work strapped on the angle. But I'm going to cut the keyway in 3 cuts with a .100" wide tool to reduce the pressure and lower the risk of crashing with the less than ideal setup. So the plan is to find center, step over the .075, cut, step over the .075 the other way, then just nip out whatever's left in the middle. I'm sure I can eyeball the center, but this is one thing I've struggled with on the shaper. I'd love to know if anyone has a trick to find center in a small bore and a large tool...

[4GSR]

I think you need to add some more clamps to your setup....

The only thing that might help you here is a height gage.  But only if you have room for it.  That won't work.  A machinist's square would work.  You would be eye bawling it, using the square and a measuring instrument to determine the distance on each side of the cutter to the side of the hole until you get same amounts on each side.


Just kidding about the clamps....

[Carpenter84]

no, I plan on adding more clamps...! This was a preliminary setup. I still hadn't shimmed to the taper yet.

Oh, a center finding square, like a Starrett... hmmm, but I'd have to do some fancy work to ensure I had the scribe at 90*... ok, that got my brain working. Thanks for the brain nudge.

[RayH]

To center the part, make a shaft that fits the tapered bore in the work piece. Bore the end of the shaft to receive the tool holder. Move things around until the tool holder enters the bored hole. Lower the table and remove the set-up shaft.

[Carpenter84]

that's actually a pretty good idea... Since it's just a reference tool, I can make it from aluminum even...
I did the first key. It went fine, but it was off center... visibly...  I will have to excuse my way outta that one. The second hub keyway will have to be better.

Thanks Ray.

[RayH]

Shawn,

The linked video came to my attention today and I remembered you were asking for input regarding set-up for a keyway.

The presenter might be somewhat of an acquired taste but there are some tooling and set-up examples that you might find useful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRTBwxiDvtM

[Carpenter84]

That was a lot of setup. But I have often looked at the shaper tombstone sideways, left and right, to try and think of other ways to use it. To my disappointment, the table doesn't around to use the other T-slots. The design of the table leaves much to be desired with its 2 slots on top, but 3 on the sides.
I was supposed to have two shafts with blind bores to put key slots in, but the customer has asked that I hold off for now. Sounds like he is rethinking his designs. Which is good in my opinion. He's building drive trains with gear boxes and everything is from Aliexpress and not quite up to snuff.

Why did you suggest the presenter is an acquired taste? I found him rather interesting and entertaining. He seems very passionate about his little shaper. I'll be sure to see what else he has going on.
Thanks for the video suggestion. 

[RayH]

I just thought his video style was a bit slow.

I found myself wishing he would "giddy-up" from time to time, but his content were useful.

[Carpenter84]

Alright, I can see that. But I find a lot of people I tend to watch are slow - I just didn’t notice.