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Bridgeport shaper...what does it do?

plastikdreams

Diamond
Joined
May 31, 2011
Location
upstate nj
So I've heard of the Bridgeport shaper attachments, not sure what they do though or how it attaches...can someone shed some light on this?
 
Jeeze reading that makes it seem as though it's pretty much a toy.

I have one made by Republic Lagun and it is sure no toy.I have done internal splines in 4140 several times with no issues. You can't be stupid about it though, it won't do a full depth spline in one stroke you know. I have a blind internal spline to do in the next couple of months in 4140 or 300M if I come across the proper size drop.
 
They aren't as beefy as any shaper over 7"-8", but they don't take the floor space and they can make use of the X and Y table movements and any rotary table you've got. I had a 10" shaper but have now sold it because the (Beaver) mill and its slotting head can do any thing the shaper can do, and with the rotary table I can cut splines as well.
 
That's pretty cool. Like I said earlier I never really knew what they did or how they worked. I doubt I'll ever run into one but it's cool to hear about different things. As said, there was a time that this was the only tool for the job.
 
The "E" was more a slotter. Pounding into the heavily supported tables and knee, it got it done.
The fixture to mount an "E" head was larger than mount of an "M" head or high speed head. It would fit the tang but it is as large as the "J" head .
 








 
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