Taper Shaper Problem ??

[WilleeCue]

Bought a used Taper Shaper and part of it was delievered today.
Was squaring up the frame and adjusting what I could and noticed the head stock and tail stock centers were off quite a bit.
As you can see in the photo the tail stock is about .02" lower than the head stock.
There is no adjustment for this other than making a spacer for the tail stock or having the head stock post machined down.

I remember ordering a tailstock assembly for my Unique CNC CueMonster and having it cut down to level out a tapered cue for inlays.
I wonder if this taper shaper was modified for some reason.

If you have a Unique Taper Shaper would you check yours and see if this is normal?
I tend to think it isnt but there could be some reason for it.

I made a spacer for the tail stock and it is even with the head stock now and should be just fine.

Willee

 

[WilleeCue]

Here is a photo showing the spacer under the tail stock post.

I think this will work OK unless there was some reason it was made to be lower.

 

[JoeyInCali]

I think someone removed the spacer from that tailstock before.
It doesn't make sense.
I've had two Taper Shapers and the centers always met.

 

[whammo57]

that difference looks like .200 in.......... just the right amount to make a tapered cue butt level on the top.....................

Kim

 

[WilleeCue]

that difference looks like .200 in.......... just the right amount to make a tapered cue butt level on the top.....................

Kim

That is the exact size spacer I ended up using to get the points to meet.
But why would you want that on a Taper Shaper machine that cuts from the side?
And you would not want that offset if you were cutting straight groves for ring billets as they are cut from the top and need to have a consistent depth.

Perhaps the first owner had the Panto-graph option and modified it for that.

Willee

 

[JoeyInCali]

that difference looks like .200 in.......... just the right amount to make a tapered cue butt level on the top.....................

Kim

Not possible with a spring loaded side cutting taper machine.

 

[carguy]

Not possible with a spring loaded side cutting taper machine.

Hey Joey- I think that Kim means the cue would be level on top when cutting inlays with the Unique inlay cutting attachment for those machines.
On the Taper Shaper I got from you years ago, I made an offset center for the tailstock to do the same thing.

Amazing that someone would lower that tailstock like that. Hmmm...

Willie- That looks like a nice clean Taper Shaper!
The only other thing I can think of is that part of the machine is not OEM. There are some knockoffs out there. I don't know if their center height is the same or not.

edit- Sure looks OE though.

Robin Snyder

 

[JoeyInCali]

Hey Joey- I think that Kim means the cue would be level on top when cutting inlays with the Unique inlay cutting attachment for those machines.
On the Taper Shaper I got from you years ago, I made an offset center for the tailstock to do the same thing.

Amazing that someone would lower that tailstock like that. Hmmm...

Willie- That looks like a nice clean Taper Shaper!
The only other thing I can think of is that part of the machine is not OEM. There are some knockoffs out there. I don't know if their center height is the same or not.

edit- Sure looks OE though.

Robin Snyder

Ah. My bad.
Or he could have just shimmed the feet of the machine.

 

[WilleeCue]

Hey Joey- I think that Kim means the cue would be level on top when cutting inlays with the Unique inlay cutting attachment for those machines.
On the Taper Shaper I got from you years ago, I made an offset center for the tailstock to do the same thing.

Amazing that someone would lower that tailstock like that. Hmmm...

Willie- That looks like a nice clean Taper Shaper!
The only other thing I can think of is that part of the machine is not OEM. There are some knockoffs out there. I don't know if their center height is the same or not.

edit- Sure looks OE though.

Robin Snyder

Hi Robin ... yes it is a nice clean unit.

I could order a replacement post from Unique Products but I think a shim will do the job for now. It just kinda made me think as to why it would be that way.
Someone had it modified for some reason.

Willee