tool tales

Doug Bernhardt · Post by **Doug Bernhardt** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:44 pm

This is a good and bad tale. Last summer I got a new (out of the box) shaper, from a local place, made by Tool City. I really had no experience with this tool so the long and short is that you use it to manufacture mouldings and other cool things like that. Anywho....it had about 5hrs work on it when it died. Called the shop where I bought it and much to my surprise there was a repair man at my shop in about 3hrs!! He took the motor with him and came back with a new one in about 2 weeks. That lasted until he sparked it up and the switch smoked and stank......time for a new switch. Although they come from Pittsburgh PA they (as almost everything else it seems) are made in China. So the new switch would take another month or so. Meanwhile the job I actually got it for in the first place is well under way and falling behind....at least as far as the mouldings etc were concerned. A few weeks later I got a call from Tool City. They decided to replace the whole thing with a newer model.....no questions asked. I put the old one at the door and assembled all the parts I could find and waited for the delivery. It arrived on time (too late for the job though) and the improvements were immediately apparent. Switch was in a new location and separated from the body....the fence was better designed and it had 2 dust ports. I have learned over the years that the switch on all the heavy machines is the weak point. The shaper more so as it needs to be reversable. What I have learned about the shaper is that it takes a while to set up....the knives (custom made profiles) take time and can be expensive...and that you need to look at the spindle length. You'd think that a cutter head of 3" would be standard but not so. This machine will only accept a 2" head and limits it's overall ability. I bet thats more than almost anyone would want to know about this but what the heck. Once it's running right it'll open as many doors to carvings as the lathe does. It's also too darn quiet around here right now and thought I'd mention what the heck has been occupying me these past weeks.

Post by **Danny Baronian** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:19 pm

Hi Doug,

hope you get good use out of your new shaper, but give that thing ALL of your attention when working with it. It's one of the wickedest machines you'll own. Unless you've grown your beard longer and get too close to the lathe. It happened to my machinist when his pony tail got too close to the lathe. Kept his hair short for years after that!

Next time your in the market for equipment, check out your own General machinery, though the cost is on the other end of the scale. Better now with the strong Canadian dollar through, right?! I have a 24" General bandsaw and is the finest bandsaw I've ever seen. Another one would be Grizzly. Very well made with good service.

Where are the pictures of the project? Last one I saw was the curved Pub on the corner. Man, that was nice!

Danny

Patrick Mackle · Post by **Patrick Mackle** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:19 am

Speaking of lathes and long hair took me back when I worked machine shops.
I was beginning the day deburring metal rings on a Swiss deburring lathe. I had remembered to wear my goggles, but had left my cap in the coffee room.
While chucking up only the second ring of the batch, it dropped down into the lathe tray. I leaned forward to snatch it back when instantly my chin was thrust down into my chest bone, then recoiling me backwards nearly off the stool. Dazed and in shock my first sense was a whirling swishing sound through the air. My stunned brain fought to clear itself at the sound as my eyes declared that the source of the continuing hiss was a great gob of spinning blonde hair instantly snatched from above my forehead.
A quick glance in the mirror revealed that I had given up a golf ball sized patch of mane, follicles and all. It felt like a giant carpet burn, wet and sticky to the touch.
I was fortunate that I didn't lose my forehead, nose, and upper lip!

Pat

Post by **Danny Baronian** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:34 am

Blonde Hair?

That was a while back! :-)

DAVE SMITH · Post by **DAVE SMITH** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:31 am

You crack me up with laughter Pat. reminds me of a sketch from Laurel and Hardy
Dave

Doug Bernhardt · Post by **Doug Bernhardt** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:40 pm

Pats lying...he was born gray!! But.....I have alot of respect for that thing and have hesitated to get one because of the danger. I guy near here....top notch craftsman lost 3 fingers on one hand because he was distracted while using it. About band saws though Dan....I have had a good look at them all and the best machine on the market is the Laguna 16"HD...wow. The old general stuff is amazing too and have a jointer and lathe of theirs. I will try and figger out this posting pictures thing again and drop a few links on my web site.

Post by **Danny Baronian** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:53 pm

Doug, I sold my shaper years ago for various reasons, glad it's gone, and haven't missed it. But, I have at least 3-4 good moulding companies nearby that can cut any shape from any wood species with a matter of days. After considering the time involved making cutters and setting up the machine, the cost to have them made was more economical than making myself. There's always the benefit of saying you made it all in house though!

I don't know the quantity your producing, but after a while you end up buying a feeder too. Keeps your fingers away from the cutter, and cranks out a few hundred lineal feet of moulding faster than it takes to set it all up!

You hear a lot about CNC's in sign shops, you should see how they make moulding knives - all on CNC equipment.

If you need custom made knives, look in your area, or check online. You probably already know, but the best material for cutter knives is steel. Carbide can't get close to the sharpness of good tool steel, and won't keep an edge as well as steel cutting wood.

Never seen a laguna other than pictures. My General is about 20 years old and built like a tank, quiet, and vibration free.

I hope your machine serves you well.

Danny

Doug Bernhardt · Post by **Doug Bernhardt** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:48 pm

Hi again Dan....I picked up a Laguna table saw some months back...beautiful machine. I'd heard they are poor when it comes to customer service and my experience so far is just that. The tool is so well made I just can't complain....the fence blew my mind. The saw was a demo at a wood show and a few small things needed replacing. You know a knob from a door and that sort of stuff. It's taking forever although it is still as good as any of my "old General" stuff. The new general equipment just ain't the same. Too bad as the manufacturing plant was/is a hop skip and jump from here. I will get their (laguna) band saw in the next year or so...you'll have to come up and see it!! As for cutters etc....I did get several sets of knives made and they twarnt cheap neither. Some large coves and arches for bead and dart carving. My plan is small runs for the job at hand. This weekend I'll run about 100ft of a custom profile about 1" thick and 2 1/2" wide....I love the idea of getting everything just as I like it and when. I know this was printed somewhere but a few years ago I only checked the price of materials every once in a while and found that an 8' length of moulding I was pricing out (with a mark-up) was costing me twice what I was selling it at. The price had slipped up that much without me noticing. I think I was selling the mouldings for $20 and they now cost about $35 for the same thing. I can make that same profile for for a fraction of either and profit (long haul) will be consistent!!(we hope) More soon!!