Spindle
Moulder Handbook
Completely
revised and updated
by Eric Stephenson
Softcover
210 x 295mm
168pp
Published by Stobart & Son Ltd London
R.R.P.$46.90
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 138
The Spindle Moulder (or Shaper if you prefer the American term) is an extraordinarily powerful and versatile machine. It is also regarded as one of the most dangerous machines in general use by woodworkers.
Most of the spindle moulders discussed in this book are large. They are therefore capable of a much wider scope of work than those commonly employed by recreational woodworkers. But the principles remain the same.
The Spindle Moulder Handbook is a revised edition of an earlier (1986) smaller format book by Eric Stephenson and carries the recommendation of the (UK) Health & Safey Executive.
The Chapter headings indicate the subjects that the book covers: Machine Setting, Cutter & Grinding Wheel Materials, Face and Profile Grinding, Straight Moulding, Jigs and Fixtures, Circular Work and Attachments and Variants.
The text is clearly written and each chapter is well illustrated with many new photos and diagrams compared with the previous edition. Throughout the book there is a constant emphasis on safety.
While anyone who is serious about understanding the operation of Spindle Moulders and learning to operate them safely and efficiently will first wish to read the book from cover to cover, it is probably as a reference that the Spindle Moulder Handbook will achieve its greatest long term value.
Photos: Colour
Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction
-
The Basic Spindle Moulder
- Rotary Cutting Action
- Cutter Geometry
-
Operational Safety
Chapter
2 - Machine Setting
- The Cutterhead Arbor
Chip Limiting Cutterheads
Round-Form
Cutterheads
- Planing, Rebating & Grooving Types
- Moulding Cutters
and Cutterheads
Non-Round-Form Cutterheads
Using a Tilting Spindle
Chapter
3 - Cutter & Grinding Wheel Materials
Cutting Steels
Non-Steel Cutting
Materials
- Cobalt-Based Alloys
- Tungsten Carbide
- Diamond Tooling
-
Cutterheads
Grinding Wheels
- Regular-Grit Abrasives
- Grinding Wheel
Specifications
Safe Use of Grinding Wheels
- Truing and Dressing
Superabrasive
Grinding Wheels
- Operating Speeds
- Grinding Coolant
Chapter
4 - Face and Profile Grinding
Using a Universal Grinder
- Indexing
the Cutterhead
- Grinding Techniques
Straight Knife Grinding
Profile
Grinding
- Cutter Templates
- Chip Limiter Templates
- Grinding Wheel
Profiles
Grinding Techniques
- Grinding Pre-Formed Cutters
- Grinding
Blanks
- Finish Grinding
- Chip Limiter Grinding
Dummy Block Grinding
Re-fitting
Tools
- Using Multi-Laminate Cutterheads
- Profile Grinding Tips
Mould
Profiles
Chapter
5 - Straight Moulding
- Through-Fences
- Bar-Type Fences
- The Table
Guards
and Pressures
Overcut or Undercut?
- Setting Pressures
Thicknessing
&. Widthing
- Using an Automatic Feed Unit
Chapter
6 - Jigs and Fixtures
- Holding Devices
- Stop Moulding
- Cross-Grain
Moulding
Trimming & Sizing
- Facing Trimming
- Frame Trimming
Template
Sizing
- Machining Sequence
- Corner Rounding
- Machining Circles
Chapter
7 - Circular Work
Template Followers
- Table Rings
- Ball Bearing
Followers
- Guide Rings
Guards for Shaping
Template Types
- Full-Outline
Over-Templates
- Full-Outline Under-Templates
- Part-Outline Templates
-
Dual, Part-Outline Templates
- Multi-Level Templates
Shaping with the Grain
-
Sandwich Templates
- Two-Spindle Shaping
Cut Relieving
- Moulding after
Shaping
Curve-on-Curve Work
- Edge-Shaping
- Edge-Moulding
Stair
Handrails
Chapter
8 - Attachments and Variants
Large Table Size
Glass Bead Recovery
Rapid
Change Facilities
Sliding Tables
Window Makers
Shapers
Wood Bending