Q.
I have to make cabinets and other miscellaneous parts for a boat manufacturer. These will be made from teak and, if my samples are approved, this will be a long term production run. I have a 3 HP shaper with a 1" spindle and a feeder. Can you advise me on: 1) type of tip; 2) spindle rpm; 3) feed rate?
A.
I suggest using cutters with tantung tips for this work, provided that you use them on natural wood only (no plywood, MDF, etc.). If you want to use stock "off the shelf" cutters on your 1" spindle, you will need to get 1" i.d. x 1.25" o.d. "T" bushings. Stock cutters come in .75 bore or 1.25 bore, and the larger cutters should be run at 7000 rpm for best results. It is important to keep the feed rate at 32-35 fpm as going too slow will cause overheating.
