shaft machine

[JoeyInCali]

I would and am. I don't use a table saw per say but a similar design as my machines have the blade built into the machine itself. This is why I recommended to BubsBug to see Blud if he couldn't build the machine himself. Although there is freeware software available you usually get what you pay for and half way decent software can run into more money than Bluds machine set up to go. The machine I'm putting together now will do four shafts or butts at a time. Being a one man shop I really don't need that much speed but it's only costing me around an extra 6 or 700 bucks for the capacity to do four at a time instead of just one. I only make around 150 to 200 shafts a year but each one go's through the shaft machine at least 8 times plus the butts and re-tapers so it won't take long to recoup the initial extra expense.

Dick

You might as well offer that machine out on the market.
I just don't like table saw machines b/c they require so much room, electricity and gets messy.
CNC with small blades will just be as clean-cutting I think. Plus easier to do compound tapers I would think.

 

[rhncue]

You might as well offer that machine out on the market.
I just don't like table saw machines b/c they require so much room, electricity and gets messy.
CNC with small blades will just be as clean-cutting I think. Plus easier to do compound tapers I would think.

I sold a few shaft machines about 10 years ago before I got smart. Anything with a rotating blade is dangerous and I hate to think how much liability insurance would cost.

Actually, my present shaft machines use a 12 saw blade and the one I am building also will. I have a router and wing cutter on my butt taper lathe and although it does a pretty good job, the finish doesn't compare to what comes out of the saw blade shaft machine. You are correct in stating that you can get a better, closer, compound taper by using a smaller cutter than a saw blade but that's just one of the compromises that must be made if you want the benefits of the use of the blade. No machine, that does more than one operation, does them all perfectly.

Dick

 

[RocketQ]

Can you take a pic of the indexing part of the machine. The taper can be cut easily on a mill then index it on the machine. I can give you some ideas if you send some pics..