Building a Shaper experiences-

With a triangular ram, you actually don't need complicated ways. They can simply be slider plates. Something like brass/bronze plates (or CI if you want), or HDPE might work.You can save money by making them thin plate for the contact surfaces (since they don't have to be particularly accurate other than consistent thickness) that are easily swappable.
 
I was thinking of doing the shaper in quarter scale = 10.5" stroke or maybe fifth scale=8.5" stroke. At quarter scale the ram would be approximately 4" on a slide, not too bad. The problem I see if you go too small of scale, is welding the inside corners at #23,24,25, it's going to be hard . On the sliding surfaces, the Formica idea would probably still work or maybe some other type of modern material as mentioned by ErichKeane ,( I researched that you can buy strips of 1/8" thick Formica or use 1/16" thick). It appears that a member i.e. #37 is the carrier for the Formica strips on the upper contact surfaces and the lower is fitted to the base of the machine. One thing that isn't shown or mentioned in the description is a way to adjust the clearance to the ram on the sliding plates. Although maybe the oil nozzles as shown could be the adjustments for clearance?

I have been studying this patent for many years, trying to gain more knowledge on it and thinking about how to build a scale model of it, but also using more modern ideas. It is great that some others might have similar fascination on this metal shaper.
 
To add, it appears that Cincinnati only made a few of these shapers and one was shown at a machinery show, probably to gage interest. I think that by the time it was shown, shapers where already obsolete.
 
I am back at it with this Cincinnati idea again, now that I have been studying modern motion control systems. I am going to build a simple model using drawer slides, a brushless motor driving thru a belt to the ram screw, with a magnetic positional encoder on the main ram screw, and a microcontroller. I hope it works, crossing my fingers!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top