Please excuse me if this is stupid

But did you have the table support bar set up correctly

as it would do exactley what you explained if it wasnt

Best Wishes Martin {owner of a elliot 10m}

What kind and size of tooling were you using what approach did you take?

I would probably plunge a 1/8" HSS parting tool straight down then come back up and take another say 20-40 thou repeating until done then take a full width pass across the bottom to finish.

_Paul_

A sideyways cut is bound to have weird forces acting upon it

For max stiffness the machine is designed for a vertical cutting situation

Everything should be as "short" as possible

Anything which "reaches out" any distance will chatter

Again, for max stiffness your slideways may need to be "locked" as well

It's no different from a lathe

The setup is everything

I remember vaguely from my shaper reading days that a swan necked tool could be used for making slots

The shape of the tool meant the cutting tip was BEHIND the clapper centreline and this stopped any "digging in" during the cut

A standard adapted toolholder can be used in the same way to position the tooltip behind the clapper centreline

I suppose this is a bit like a parting off tool setup on the rear toolpost of a lathe

This means it lifts slightly when the going gets too tuff (and probbly squeaks/scrapes)

Edited By Ady1 on 27/12/2012 10:28:58

Hi Peter,

I agree with Les. It is a long time since I used a shaper but the way the clapper box is set up on your picture shws that it will try to ift back into the workpiece.

Terry

Hi Peter,

Not so long ago I machined the narrow part of the T slots in a Hemmingway rotary table kit using an Elliot 10M (which seems to be about the same size as your Boxford). The T slots are the same as Myford cross-slide slots. The material was in cast iron – and I think the tool I used was 1/4in wide. There was no problem as long as I took it slowly (I find the 3 phase inverer speed control useful for delicate work). I agree that you need to pay attention to the clapper box orientation and ensure that clamping of the work is sound. Is all that bar stock necessary or can you work on smaller sections with the slot on top so there is no unhealthly overhang? Alternatively, if the length of bar is necessary, consider clamping the work one of the vertical faces of the work table so the slot is again on the top.

Clive.

Someone lent me DVD showing by Rudy Kouhoupt on how to use a shaper and this was exactly how a slot or dovetail is cut

**LINK**

The feed on the tool holder is finer than the table which is probably why the cutter jammed in the workpiece. You just have to turn the micrometer when the cutter has cleared the workpiece on the return stroke. I agree with Clive that to put a slot in the end of a long bar like that you would normally clamp it to the side of the box and have it vertical

John (Elliot 10M)

Terry

I only got the Elliott last March (very cheap as it was mis-advertised locally) but it is now a firm favourite for making true flat surfaces. The DVD by Rudy K was a great overview and introduction on the basic operations and how to do them. In fact all I need now is a new vice of about 6" size as my Vertex K4 seems a bit undersized. Luckily the t-nuts for my Champion mill fit the Elliott table as well.

Until now no one mentioned that the vise of the Boxford shaper can be mounted on the side of the worktable. The hole for this can be seen clearly in the picture above. The O.P. could have avoided lots of troubles if he did it that way.

Happy New Year,

Hansrudolf