Cutting Dovetails with the Shaper

[Artie]

or..... how the hell do I do it?

I jumped in tonight and it was a case of sink or swim.... I sank......

The problem is simple... I have had great success with flat surface milling using the shaper and thought this going to be a straight forward process also. Not so.

I have hit 2 snags and I think I have them both solved but now wonder what else am I about to encounter?

First one was I didnt know I needed to lock the clapper and as it lifted on the back stroke it damaged the edge of the surface I was cutting (you can see the damage on the thin edge of the taper in the pic below, it looks all ragged thanks to the tool dragging back over it).

The second was I had trouble getting the tool to cut efficiently on both sides of the 58 degree cutter, I ground it to 58 and not 60 so I could take light cuts off each face of the taper and have a clearance angle on the other. I experimented with this and think that I have it ok now but I wouldnt mimd seeing what others have done.

I have the feed set at 30 deg from vertical to give me the 60 deg dovetail and have experimented with canting the tool holder at some extreme angles combined with various (corresponding) angle ground onto the cutter. Please ignore the cutter shape (and excessive tool angle) in this pic, its was a wild experiment while I was frustrated.

My question is this... Would it be possible for those who have cut dovetails with the shaper to share their experience or technique? Please..... 

Rob

[Davo J]

Hi,
I am not sure why you have the feed set at 30 if your cutting a 60 deg and I have not heard of locking the clapper either. Neither of my shapers are able to be locked.
If your cutting 60 deg the down feed should be set to that and the clapper should swing away from the surface on the back stroke. Only the tip of the tool should be cutting, in your photo it looks like your using the hole edge.
Here are 2 links to help out.
http://artfulbodger.net/docs/shaper/dovetail/index.html
http://www.neme-s.org/Shaper%20Books/Boxford%20Shaper/Boxford%208%20Inch%20Shaper.pdf
I have a really good pdf but will need an email address to send it as I can not find it online for you, PM me your email and I will send it.
Hope that helps some.
Dave

[Davo J]

Here is another one for you.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=dhX93Mxkxn4C&pg=PA36&lpg=PA36&dq=Cutting+Dovetails+with+the+Shaper&source=bl&ots=eg5H1-i7yc&sig=C7gcwdsIsPzQtTFRugavXBM_ElY&hl=en&ei=rdcgTIWRFNCLkAWDhdAH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDMQ6AEwCTge#v=onepage&q=Cutting%20Dovetails%20with%20the%20Shaper&f=false
Dave

[Artie]

Thanks Davo, these are exactly what I needed. Reading madly!

The 60 deg is measured from horizontal. The hand feed is calibrated from vertical, so to set the cutting angle at 60 it needs to show 30 on its scale (30 + 60 = 90). The scale is showing 30 from vertical and the tool is cutting at 60 from horizontal. Not really confusing plus I physically checked it against the existing tool holder that I cut with the dovetail cutter on the mill.

My main problem was not enough clearance angle which your post has highlighted for me. Thanks again.

Rob

[Artie]

Again a big thanks to Davo and his links, sorted out my issues and dispelled a misconception I had..

I used a much higher side clearance angles and the result is good. Im happy again.....

It was just basic machine set up and my shaper inexperience wasnt allowing me to deal with it, the result?

[Davo J]

Good to see you got it worked out and they look like they turned out pretty good.
I watched that shaper go through on ebay and if I didn't already have two I would have been bidding on it. From what I have read on here and the other forum you got a good deal.  .
Dave

[Artie]

Gday mate, yeah I think I got it at the right price. Incidentally the cost of these things seems to be going through the roof as they rise in popularity in the home shop. I think mine is with me for life... I truly love the thing...


I have vids of it in action in the QCTP thread, http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=3206.0

Cheers mate.

[Davo J]

Hi,
Yes I have seen the price going up on them as well.
I picked up my 10 1/2 inch Douglas with another half of machine for spares for $450, but have seen them go for $1200.
And I picked up my 24inch Alba for $300 and a week latter one the same went for $1100.
I just waited until a good deal came along, they are out there but you have to wait.
I have been asked to sell the Douglas but like you I don't think I will ever sell either.
Dave