Replies

1. 
   gweisenburge | Jan 03, 2003 05:20am | #1

   Get the heaviest, most powerful feeder, with the most wheels that you can afford. Variable speed isn't necessary.

   Namaste,

   Gary

   http://gwwoodworking.com/

1. 
   riverr1 | Jan 03, 2003 08:06pm | #2

   Thanks Gary. I take it there is no guideline of how much power is needed for the work being done? I get my new shaper this weekend. A 3 hp GI. Is there a chance of getting to big of a feed for the shaper? I wouldn't want to tear up cutters because the feed was too big for the machine. At that point, I could have spent less of the feed. I will be hitting some of the local used machinery dealers for the feed. They seem to run about half the price of new and maybe this is just a perception thing, but many seem heavier duty then what is offered by the typical woodworking tool companies.

   Don

1. 
   gweisenburge | Jan 04, 2003 02:42am | #3

   I've used small, fractional horsepower feeders, and they bog down when shaping with large diameter cutters, like panel raisers and trim profile cutters. They slow and then recover in the beginning of the cut, leaving a foot or so of less than perfect results. A more powerful feeder won't do that, or maybe I should say that it does, but I can't detect any poor results.

   I use a 3-phase, 1-hp, 4-wheel feeder on my shaper and tablesaw.The powerhead plus it's stout arm and stand weigh almost 150 pounds, so the pressure applied to the workpiece is substantial enough to keep it against the table and the shaper fence. Lighter feeders have lighter abilities. It's more than powerful enough for a continuous rate of feed with any shaper cutter I've used. Four wheels mean the first wheel grabs the workpiece well before the cutter, and the fourth wheel continues to feed it well after. Another advantage is that I can remove a wheel to create a space that straddles the saw blade when ripping narrow stock.

   The key word here is "more." As with computers, I try to buy tools and machines that are bigger and more powerful than I think I now require, hoping I'll not have to upgrade in the foreseeable future.Namaste,

   Gary

   http://gwwoodworking.com/

2. 
   jako17 | Jan 04, 2003 07:03am | #4

   Don I agree with Gary but the words too big of a feed worry me .Feed rate has to be a function of many things :

   1 speed of cutter head

   2 diameter of cutter

   3 hardness of stock

   4 depth of profile being cut

   5 quality of finish required

   to mention a few.You can over feed by hand too  but with 3hp you probably won't do it twice and get away unhurt. Sorry if I

   stated the obvious but I felt it is an important detail

                              Good luck Jako

1. 
   gweisenburge | Jan 04, 2003 07:48am | #5

   Jako is correct, feed rate should be based on all the factors he mentions. However, I didn't mean to imply that you need a big feeder to feed faster, but that a consistent feed rate is important. In fact, I set mine on dead slow (about 4-6 fpm) for most shaping, and especially to make the final pass. The problem I've experienced with small feeders, besides their light weight, is that they slow down in the beginning of the cut and can take a foot or so before they recover to a more consistent rate of feed. More powerful feeders don't do that, no matter what the rate of feed.

   Namaste,

   Gary

   http://gwwoodworking.com/

   Edited 1/3/2003 11:49:20 PM ET by Gary

1. 
   riverr1 | Jan 04, 2003 08:53am | #6

   It was first suggested I get the biggest I could. No offense, but I kind of take that with a grain of salt now. As I said I was looking at used feeders. Heard of Yoder, alturia and others I don't remember. I get the feeling 10 hp and hydraulics aren't necessary! ;-)

   But the things you bring up are exactly why I asked. Seems that such a small machine and the nature of wood, I'm not going to be zooming stock through at a couple of hundred feet a minute. Basically it sounds like a good 1 hp feed will do just fine.

   Found a nice used re-saw bandsaw while looking also. Only $1500! But, it needs a pit under it and the blades are 5 and 6 inch. Geeesh, you know what they cost! haha

   Thanks, Don

2. 
   jako17 | Jan 04, 2003 07:07pm | #7

   Gary

    It sounds like you have a Delta  4 wheel 8 speed ? If so have you found that there is excess play in the horizontal to vertical joint on the support post? I found that the vertical key is either undersize or the keyway is large.Delta 's answer was thats the way they are made ,use a piece of pipe on the tommy bar and reef harder!!! I am making a new key by hand as machine shops want to charge 20% of the feeder.

1. 
   riverr1 | Jan 04, 2003 07:31pm | #8

   Jako,

   Is what you're describing unique to your machine, or is it typical with the Delta? By the wording of your post, you could be asking about or discussing this issue. thanks.

   I'm thinking about the General International 340c. 1 hp, 3 roller. The front and rear roller are adjustable for curved pieces. Weight is 152 lbs.

   Don

   Edited 1/4/2003 11:36:12 AM ET by Don C.

1. 
   jako17 | Jan 04, 2003 11:40pm | #12

   Don

      I was wondering if others had the same  problem. It is only a guess but  I suspect that  almost all power feeders made in Tiawan are made in the same factory and contarary to what  the manufacturers claim; have the same quality control issues .However power feeds are really low tech so maybe it does'nt matter.It just infuriated me that Delta could not do better.Using pipe to tighten the clamps seemed like a poor answer. Without using the pipe, the feeder  was swinging about 3/4", and I run a lot of 3/4 stock on edge .This changed the toe in angle radically

                                        Jako

2. 
   gweisenburge | Jan 04, 2003 07:41pm | #9

   Jako,

   Mine is a Felder powefeeder with 4 mechanical speeds x 2 electronic = 8. Although the Felder may be machined better than your Delta, I still use a pipe to tighten the three clamps on the post, and I think that's the case with most feeders. Namaste,

   Gary

   http://gwwoodworking.com/

1. 
   riverr1 | Jan 04, 2003 07:58pm | #10

   Gary,

   Is the feeder an integral part to the Felder with predetermined mounting, or is it an option?

   Don

2. 
   gweisenburge | Jan 04, 2003 08:13pm | #11

   It's an option, mounted on a swing away bracket on the back of the machine. It stores below the level of the table.Namaste,

   Gary

   http://gwwoodworking.com/

3. 
   Glendo | Jan 06, 2003 07:57am | #13

   I've got a Steff 2030. I believe it's 1/2 HP. It's never balked at anything I've run through it on my shaper. It weighs about 100 Lbs. As far as shapers go bigger is better to a degree, but if you want to use it on other machines weight is also a consideration. 4 wheels are also better than 3, but 3 nice sticky after market wheels are definately better than 4 standard wheels with poor traction.If you buy used, new wheels will help alot. Using a surface lubricant on your shaper table also improves performance greatly

   Glendo.

1. 
   riverr1 | Jan 06, 2003 08:12am | #14

   Glendo,

   Thanks for the tips and advice. Pursuing this started out as a want thing, but from what everyone has said, it's pretty much a need thing. Against some other advice, I think I going to look for a 1/3 to 1/2 horse feed. Heck, the table of the shaper isn't even big enough for some of the 1 horse 4 wheelers I've looked at.

   Don

   BTW--Where does someone get info on the feeder you have?

   Edited 1/6/2003 12:14:19 AM ET by Don C.

1. 
   Rich | Jan 06, 2003 09:59am | #15

   I have a Felder f34 1hp 3 wheel Power Feeder (BTW Steff Magie makes them for Felder). I’m by no means an expert but I have some experience with power feeders and though I would just pass along something I read In the “ShaperHandBook” by the late Roger Cliffe. He says if you ever intend to do any climb cutting on the shaper you should have at least a 1 hp feeder or more.

2. 
   Glendo | Jan 06, 2003 10:54am | #16

   Laguna Tools. I purchased my feeder from them some time ago and at the time I was perfectly happy with there service. I'm certainly happy with the power feeder. I can not vouch for LT as I haven't purchased from them in years.

   Glendo.

   Edited 1/6/2003 3:23:35 AM ET by Glendo