rpm limit for Craftsman molder head
woodhacker
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
Anybody know what the rpm limit for the three-cutter Craftsman molder head is? It’s advertised as being for table and radial arm saws, but I’ve come across mentions of it being used on a shaper as well. The low speed on my shaper is 7,000 rpm. I’d prefer to run it there, as I’ve got a 1 hp stock feeder on the shaper to hold the work down and against the fence, with the work and spinning cutter hidden where it’s nowhere near any body parts.
Anybody actually using one of these on a shaper?
Replies
There is no mention of speed limits in the manual nor is there any mention of use in a shaper. Do you have a 5/8" arbor for your shaper?
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the molder head has a 3/4" bore with a 5/8" bushing so installing it on the shaper spindle would not be an issue
What is the outside diameter of the molding cutter? 7000rpm is about twice as fast as a radial arm or table saw. With a 5/8" diameter shaft I would be hesitant to run anything over 4" in diameter on a Craftsman shaper. Usually the shaper cutters for saws give max rpm in the instructions.
The Craftsman molder head is no larger that some of the panel raising cutters I'm presently using. The shapers are not Crapsman, but instead substantial 3 hp Delta and Lobo units with 3/4" spindles. I've got the instruction sheets for the molder head, and the maximum safe rpm for the unit is NOT included anywhere in these pages.
I have two about 7" dia with teeth. Both say 5200 rpm max.
I also have the single tooth model but no speed max its about the same size so I would max at the same speed.
I also have a smaller 3 tooth maybe 5" with teeth, but no speed on that, might be ok to spin faster.
I have found the table saw rpm is fast enough for a good finish. Can you slow down your shaper? maybe a pulley swap?
At 4000 rpm the tip speed is about 996 mph! Up that to 7000 rpm and tip speed goes to 1,740 mph! Thats a lot more stress. Might not be a good thing to try!
Edited 1/23/2009 7:31 am ET by USAnigel
hacker,
I have both sizes of the Craftsman three cutter molding head. The larger of mine has the rpm rating worn away, as I recall mine is as another poster stated 5200 rpm. The smaller head says 6000rpm max speed. I have used the little one on my small shaper, but changed the pulleys to slow it down.
Ray
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