Do you have a shaping head for a mill?

F

Flynth

Registered
Registered
Joined
Dec 27, 2017
Messages
310
I would like to ask those that have (or had) a shaping head attachment for their (universal) milling machines. How often do you use them and for what tasks? What cool stuff can be done using one that woukd be a lot harder without?

I'm asking, because a number of years ago I came across a shaping head for a universal mill of another make, but it looked like I could adapt it fairly easily to my mill (a German Heckert Fw250). I bought it for the cost of scrap. So now I'm trying to judge if its worth investing the time to adapt it, or will it spend all time sitting unused in a corner.

I have a vertical milling head for my mill and I do use it occasionally, but it's a third of the weight of the shaping head. I have a small wheeled platform it stays on when not in use. When I want to put it on I bring it next to the machine, I hoist it to a wooden beam above. I lift it, then I drive the table underneath and lower it. It weights about 40kg (88lbs) and it's about maximum weight I'm comfortable handling with just a rope and my own strength.

If I make an adapter plate for the shaping head it will weight 120kg (260lbs). I have an engine hoist for working on cars, but getting it into my cramped workshop is a pain. (likewise an A frame crane). So it will be a major endeavour to install that shaping head. Possibly not worth it to cut a single keyway. I might as well file it, or shape manually on a lathe (as shown on YouTube).

Therefore I decided to start this thread. What cool stuff do you use your shaping head for other than cutting a simple keyway? (this head has a stroke length of 5in).
 
Fred had a BP with the slotting/shaping head on the back. I worked for him for 10 years, never saw anyone use it.
Having said that, getting rid of a tool is a sure way to find a need for it.
 
I have a bridgeport slotter on my mill. Actually, I had to buy an old wells index mill to hold the slotter :) The mill is mostly a table as I have a much better manual mill and a CNC mill,

The slotter gets used maybe once a year. I'd sell it but how else can you do an inside spline? Also square and hex holes are piece of cake. Odd little inside dovetails on guns are another use.
 
If I had one, I'd set it up. I've had need of slotting gears/pulleys etc.. I have a small broach set, but sometimes it's too small and I don't do it enough to really justify a larger one. Instead I end up doing it on the lathe or mill shaper style. I am even building a strong-arm shaper kit, slowly. :)

Inside drive features would be nice to be able to make. Pockets that need sharp corners etc.. I don't think it's worth buying one for what they go for, at least for me, but if I did that stuff more it might be.

Knowing my luck, I'll finish the hand version, find I do it a LOT, and still wind up buying something. :)
 
MrWhoopee said:
Fred had a BP with the slotting/shaping head on the back. I worked for him for 10 years, never saw anyone use it.
Having said that, getting rid of a tool is a sure way to find a need for it.
Click to expand...
Indeed :)
Karl_T said:
I have a bridgeport slotter on my mill. Actually, I had to buy an old wells index mill to hold the slotter :) The mill is mostly a table as I have a much better manual mill and a CNC mill,

The slotter gets used maybe once a year. I'd sell it but how else can you do an inside spline? Also square and hex holes are piece of cake. Odd little inside dovetails on guns are another use.
Click to expand...
I didn't think of little dovetails. It is a very useful tool for that.
ttabbal said:
If I had one, I'd set it up. I've had need of slotting gears/pulleys etc.. I have a small broach set, but sometimes it's too small and I don't do it enough to really justify a larger one. Instead I end up doing it on the lathe or mill shaper style. I am even building a strong-arm shaper kit, slowly. :)

Inside drive features would be nice to be able to make. Pockets that need sharp corners etc.. I don't think it's worth buying one for what they go for, at least for me, but if I did that stuff more it might be.

Knowing my luck, I'll finish the hand version, find I do it a LOT, and still wind up buying something. :)
Click to expand...
OK, you've convinced me of its usefulness

However, after pulling it out from it's place behind the surface grinder and putting it back I decided a crane is definitely a prerequisite.

I have an A frame crane I built for my welding area. If its not too tall I'll move it so I can use it for milling machine attachments.
 
It's not going to be that easy... The machine uses an interface like this:
Compress_20230305_011949_9407.jpg
An existing vertical head for this machine:
Compress_20230305_011949_9740.jpg

While the shaping head looks like this:
Compress_20230305_011950_0024.jpg
Compress_20230305_011950_0309.jpg
After removal of that top piece it looks like this:
Compress_20230305_012241_1494.jpg

So I need to make an adapter ring and some sort of an arbor to drive it. I imagine what it already has could be driven by my iso40 spindle directly, but the adapter plate will move it about an inch forward so it'll not reach. Making an arbor that has iso40 on one end and a matching shape to the photo on the other should be the easiest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top