# Mighty Big Machining Tools



## ducdon (Jan 21, 2019)

Someone was asking in another thread what could be done on a shaper that could not be done on a milling machine.   This video is of a planer first cousin to the shaper. Can't  think of any milling machine that can handle a 30 foot long work. 






Check out the lathe in the background when the camera moves to the other size. It's a big baby too.


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## Everett (Jan 21, 2019)

Watching that machine, or a shaper, is mesmerizing.  Thanks for sharing!


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## DPittman (Jan 22, 2019)

Wow!  Watching that planer/shaper is kinda soothing! I wonder what a shop like that makes on a daily basis with such huge machinery.


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## historicalarms (Jan 22, 2019)

ducdon said:


> Someone was asking in another thread what could be done on a shaper that could not be done on a milling machine.   This video is of a planer first cousin to the shaper. *Can't  think of any milling machine that can handle a 30 foot long work.*
> 
> 
> 
> ...



   Actually there is one right here in Ab., Blackfalds to be exact.  I'm going from memory here as its been 5 or 6 yrs since I was in his shop, Has a rotary table that must be 20 ft wide and a head travel 20 or 30 ft up & down from the table and the column/head can travers 40 or 50 ft from the table. The table has a small movement ability if I remember right but most of the adjustable movement to accommodate very large work pieces is accomplished by moving the column...That's his "big mill", he has 2 of  what he calls his "small mills" as well...One of them had a complete D8 track frame (rollers & front idler complete) mounted on the table the day I was there.
   Now for his "biggest machine". He has lathe that the bed is about 65 ft long, the chuck is 8-10 ft in dia., the tailstock is 8 ft high & wide & the "center" is 3 ft in dia., Kerry told me the HP of the electic motor but I for get now what it was but size-wise it was a least 6 ft in dia and at least that long  (hate to even pay the "start-up power bill" for it). The day I was there he had a turbine shaft from some power generating station chucked up in it. It was about 40 ft long & at least 36 " in dia ( I think he said it weighed 180,000 lbs.).

     He imported both machines "used" from Germany ( the company there was having "bigger" machines installed). He knows of two other shops in N.A. that have as big machines, one in Cincinnati and the other in California.


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## ducdon (Jan 22, 2019)

historicalarms said:


> Actually there is one right here in Ab., Blackfalds to be exact.  I'm going from memory here as its been 5 or 6 yrs since I was in his shop, Has a rotary table that must be 20 ft wide and a head travel 20 or 30 ft up & down from the table and the column/head can travers 40 or 50 ft from the table. The table has a small movement ability if I remember right but most of the adjustable movement to accommodate very large work pieces is accomplished by moving the column...That's his "big mill", he has 2 of  what he calls his "small mills" as well...One of them had a complete D8 track frame (rollers & front idler complete) mounted on the table the day I was there.
> Now for his "biggest machine". He has lathe that the bed is about 65 ft long, the chuck is 8-10 ft in dia., the tailstock is 8 ft high & wide & the "center" is 3 ft in dia., Kerry told me the HP of the electic motor but I for get now what it was but size-wise it was a least 6 ft in dia and at least that long  (hate to even pay the "start-up power bill" for it). The day I was there he had a turbine shaft from some power generating station chucked up in it. It was about 40 ft long & at least 36 " in dia ( I think he said it weighed 180,000 lbs.).
> 
> He imported both machines "used" from Germany ( the company there was having "bigger" machines installed). He knows of two other shops in N.A. that have as big machines, one in Cincinnati and the other in California.


Hmmm! That sounds like a place that might be worthy of a shop tour???


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## ducdon (Jan 22, 2019)

I had heard there was a big Planer on a farm near Cochrane.  Guy apparently bought it for near scrap value and installed it in an equipment shed. Once in a blue moon when he got a job for it he would hire one of the instructors from SAIT to go out and run the job.


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## kevin.decelles (Jan 22, 2019)

like I said in the other post, when I get mine going, lawn chair, beer, eyes closed, smelling the chips.........


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## Tom O (Jan 22, 2019)

Lol if you can smell the chips they’ve landed on you!


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## Janger (Jan 29, 2019)

ducdon said:


> Hmmm! That sounds like a place that might be worthy of a shop tour???



@historicalarms any chance there? Do you know the guy well enough to ask?


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## historicalarms (Jan 29, 2019)

I will ask in the spring...he likes to shoot geese on my land in the fall so I might have an inside chance LOL.  Ive known him for over 40 yrs but he will be down in Phoenix for the winter and I know he wouldn't want to have his "crew" interrupted without him being there.


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## Dabbler (Jan 29, 2019)

We could schedule it for a summer meeting (??)


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