Clapper lock for slotting with a shaper

[threesixesinarow]

My shaper is great for a lot of stuff but finishing cuts and internal slotting have been difficult because the clapper is small and light.



At last I added the single tapped hole I needed to copy the spring Artful Bodger restored to his Logan to make the clapper reseat more reliably. But first I used the hole to lock the clapper by screwing down a square nut milled with a step to make up the difference in height from the clapper box.



This probably shortens tool life but it made cutting keyways in bores easy and chatter free—the slot and cutter here are 1/8” wide.





Here are my slotting tool holders-the short one replaces the tool post and the long one fits my simplified copy of Art Volz’ multiple angle holder.

[DIYer]

Thanks threesixesinarow! We've added your Clapper Lock to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: threesixesinarow's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Clapper Lock by threesixesinarow

tags: shaper, lock

[DIYer]

Thanks threesixesinarow! We've added your Slotting Tool Holders to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: threesixesinarow's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Slotting Tool Holders by threesixesinarow

tags: tool holder

[Toolmaker51]

My shaper is great for a lot of stuff but finishing cuts and internal slotting have been difficult because the clapper is small and light.
...Here are my slotting tool holders-the short one replaces the tool post and the long one fits my simplified copy of Art Volz’ multiple angle holder.

Long ago, my first gig often placed me at a heavy 24" G & E shaper. Mostly made Vee'd spot-welding jaws for wire. Whatever grade of copper, was tough and abrasive on HSS bits. We had two clappers, standard of course, the second one fitted with a die spring and restrained by a through bolt to base. It allowed tool retract on backstroke and snap into cutting position immediately. Base had 2 bearing balls in pockets. One insured clapper base was positioned fully to one side [even though minimal clearance] of the box. Other did same but front to back and not spring loaded mating first, then side to side action occurred. That 2nd clapper and box were shopmade who knows how long ago.

[threesixesinarow]

Long ago, my first gig often placed me at a heavy 24" G & E shaper. Mostly made Vee'd spot-welding jaws for wire. Whatever grade of copper, was tough and abrasive on HSS bits. We had two clappers, standard of course, the second one fitted with a die spring and restrained by a through bolt to base. It allowed tool retract on backstroke and snap into cutting position immediately. Base had 2 bearing balls in pockets. One insured clapper base was positioned fully to one side [even though minimal clearance] of the box. Other did same but front to back and not spring loaded mating first, then side to side action occurred. That 2nd clapper and box were shopmade who knows how long ago.

Thanks, Toolmaker51,

Those clappers may have weighed as much as my whole shaper! My locking screw is 8-32.

Still, I imagine the clearances are the same and I do use it for tough materials, so the arrangement you described will be just as useful and having now made the first extra hole it should be easier to add to mine.


On the other hand, I haven’t used this thing as much as I thought I would, at least on the shaper.

[Toolmaker51]

On the other hand, I haven’t used this thing as much as I thought I would, at least on the shaper.

I'm glad my suggestion might help you. I've done toolwork a l-o-n-g time, as many have; it's hard not to learn every day.
Lol. The use of 'this thing' goes back farther than any of us. Set-ups in planers & shapers are tough without one. And usefulness goes beyond tool height, including adjustable 'gauge block' under a sine bar. I use mine often with an indicator as a secondary height gauge.

If you think clapper of your machine is small....get a load of these!
https://www.google.com/search?q=hand...nt=firefox-b-1

http://www.vintageprojects.com/machi...tal-plans.html

[threesixesinarow]

The use of 'this thing' goes back farther than any of us. Set-ups in planers & shapers are tough without one. And usefulness goes beyond tool height, including adjustable 'gauge block' under a sine bar.

I do use it (like here as a “pianer gauge”) but not as often as I should! I think it’ll be a lot easier to use on the shaper now, though, with the new clapper spring, and the attachments I see in pictures don’t look hard to make.



My shaper’s about the same size as the smaller Perfectos.


I think the one here is a bit smaller, though: https://www.chipmaker.ru/topic/49309...st__p__1655649

[threesixesinarow]

Clapper return spring