# Lantern tool for shaper



## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

My Rhodes 7” shaper came with a little stubby lantern tool holder. The lantern is a larger diameter than my unused lantern holders from the South Bend holders so I’ll have to make a Lantern tool holder if I want to use the extensions tool hold the tool bits. Actually, I figured I rough shape two lanterns.. shaper and lathe.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

This began because I wanted to use an Armstrong # 39 on my shaper. I found a 41 in my tool collection. Not sure where I got it from.... but it’s a 3/4” thick shank. I really need a 3/8” shank. That’s a #39 Armstrong. These things are way overpriced on EBay. So... time for modifications of the 41 and a lantern tool holder for a 3/8” shank.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

After face 3/8” milling a flat spot and drilling pilot holes I milled the 3/8” slot to depth.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Here’s mock up.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Welded and done. I reused the bolt and nut from the #41 and made the lantern tool holder long enough to accommodate a 3/8” x 1-3/8” tall bar since that’s the size of this bar in my scrap pile. It’s a pretty damned hard bar.....definitely not 1018 nor 4140 steel.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

I know that the bar is longer than needed. I plan on cutting it down to make a boring bar tool holder for the shaper. Similar to the Armstrong #46. Just want to make sure I have optimal lengths of each before I just whack the bar in half. And I don’t want to make more than one cut because this steel is tough on my bandsaw blade. It’s hard steel.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Here’s the Armstrong #46 which will be next. I need something like this to do internal splines, internal keyways, etc...


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## Martin W (Mar 29, 2020)

That is some great work Tim.
Cheers
Martin


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

FWIW, AN ORIGINAL #41 Armstrong holds a 5/16” x 1/2” hss blank. I’m using 5/16” square hss blanks because that’s the size of old rex aa and aaa hss blanks I have on hand. I am using a stainless steel 1/8” x5/16”x 1-1/2”  spacer to use the same bolt off of the #41


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Thanks Martin. I know I’m a bit slow. It took me a few days to do this. I was thinking that tool and die makers much be incredibly skilled and efficient to do their jobs. I’m in awe of their skill levels every time I’m in the shop and getting aggravated at the amount of time it’s taking me to do a simple job as above.


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## C-Bag (Mar 29, 2020)

Tim9 said:


> Thanks Martin. I know I’m a bit slow. It took me a few days to do this. I was thinking that tool and die makers much be incredibly skilled and efficient to do their jobs. I’m in awe of their skill levels every time I’m in the shop and getting aggravated at the amount of time it’s taking me to do a simple job as above.


I've been struggling with exactly the same feeling. I have to keep reminding myself I don't have the setup, materials and experience a good toolmaker has. Everything is on the fly and engineering to stock. I have also contemplated making something like the #46 but I think if it ever comes down to it I'll make a threaded shank with a shoulder that can bolt into my #39 holder. It kills me several years before I got my Atlas 7b I was in a local antique store and amongst some lathe tool holders there was a #46 minus a bar. I remember picking it up and thinking what the heck is this for? Don't remember the price but I didn't buy it of course.


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## francist (Mar 29, 2020)

I was (well, maybe still am , just not aggressively) on the lookout for a #39 holder as well for my 8” Peerless shaper. They don’t show up very often for me. I mistakenly bought an Armstrong #40 NOS with unused cutter and in the box yet but I don’t have the heart to modify it. I think it would still be too big anyway. So far I get around it.

Nice job on making yours, Tim.

-frank


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Frank. In my opinion. It’s not too hard to do what I did....use the hardened bolt which holds the hss bit from the #40 and make a new arm 3/8” thick to fit into the lantern. I was first thinking about making a new clapper which would accept a bigger lantern but went the above direction.
The hardened bolt has a square slot. It would be a pain to make a square hole and then harden a new bolt. For you, you’d end up with a tool using 1/4”x 1/4” square hss  bits. Which is a #39. Just a small shim under the hss bit.
Most of these Armstrong tool holders are designed for rectangular hss tooling. That’s just real hard to find nowadays. Easier to locate decent used square  1/4” to 3/8” hss quality tooling on eBay
This way is better since now I can use all my 3/8” tool blank holders collecting dust which go with my South Bend lathe. Plus the already ground 3/8” hss tooling. The other lantern in first picture is for the South Bend. I may never need to use it but it’s nice knowing I have it in can that rare case arises in which a lantern tool will work better.  And in all honesty, the second lantern decision was really because I screwed up and cut the first lantern.... for the shaper, too deep. The diameter was no longer any good for the shaper. Lemonade from lemons. 
  Anyway  I’ve got a lot a lantern tool holders. And at least now I can use them. Sometimes there’s an oddball job where they fit the bill. 

******.   ******
and yeah C-Bag.... that’s what I tell myself. I spend half my time looking for stuff..moving one tool over to use the other....etc. 200 square feet is just a tiny workshop. Drives me crazy.


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## f350ca (Mar 29, 2020)

I built one a while back Tim. Rather than clamping the bar as Armstrong did mine is cut down and a nut pulls it up tight from the back. I've made a couple of bars now, smaller to fit smaller bores. Rather than file out the square hole for the cutter I made it elongated and use collars to cover the radiused ends.








Greg


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## Aaron_W (Mar 29, 2020)

I've had the same thought. I recently got an Atlas shaper with just the lantern tool post, no holders. Lathe tool holders aren't too bad, but the shaper tool holders are kind of ridiculous. Nice to see make your own is definitely an option.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Here’s where I got the inspiration.... the below link on a tool holder build. And yeah Aaron. Crazy prices for the shaper tooling. 
     I was first going to make one of these. But decided to work off of this and modify my #41. The 41 isn’t changed. Who knows, the day may come where I get my 2000 square foot building plus a bigger shaper. Then the #41 can just be put back together.

Shaper tool holder build.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Greg, that’s my next attachment I’m making. I really want that one more so I can do internal keyways and teeth or splines. In fact, didn’t show any pics but did make a couple of the parts for that.
   Ps... good looking pup in you avatar Greg. I just love big dogs. Definitely my best friends. I never met a dog I didn’t like. Unfortunately, I Can’t say the same for people.

  And Greg, I like the idea of collars.  That’s perfect.


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## f350ca (Mar 29, 2020)

Thanks Tim, she's my constant shadow.
If there is such a thing as reincarnation some of my friends want to come back as my dog. Friday she rode on the back of the ATV about 50 kms into a lake to go ice fishing, then yesterday got out for the first ride of the year in the motorcycle sidecar. Just about froze, but it had to be done.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Decided to finish drilling the lantern for my South Bend. First centered it, simply a scribe dead center at base and eyeballed it with a square. Then center drilling a series of starter holes with counter boring starting drill. Then with 1/8” bit through holes. Then finish the holes with 15/32” drill bit. Then finish a slot using a 5/16” end mil starting in the center and once a clean slot all the way through to finish length, I widened the slot to a 3/8” diameter.... nibbling each side to finish dimensions.


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## Tim9 (Mar 29, 2020)

Next... into the lathe to center drill and tap for 3/8” locking bolt.


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## C-Bag (Mar 30, 2020)

f350ca said:


> I built one a while back Tim. Rather than clamping the bar as Armstrong did mine is cut down and a nut pulls it up tight from the back. I've made a couple of bars now, smaller to fit smaller bores. Rather than file out the square hole for the cutter I made it elongated and use collars to cover the radiused ends.
> View attachment 318639
> 
> 
> ...


I remember seeing this several years ago and somehow the collar solution didn't sink in. That totally solves that problem so you don't have to cut a square hole for the HSS cutter. Love it!


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## Tim9 (Mar 30, 2020)

Yep C-bag, a collar is such a brilliantly simple answer to a complicated problem of square holes. I like it too.

PS Greg....you really nailed it with the collars. I’m going to try to remember that idea. It really shines for square hss tooling.
And I totally get bringing the pup with you everywhere. My pups have been riding shotgun with me for 30 plus years. First was “Radar”....he lived till 14 y/o...and then Java just passed at 16 y/o.
   My new one, “ Banshee “ is a total scaredy-cat. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Maybe she just needs more confidence so I’m working on that with her. And Java and Radar were both bottle fed rescue’s.
  So that may be part of it but they were naturals riding shotgun and in the car. This poor baby I have now is so scared of everything. She was trembling last week when the garbage truck was outside at 6:00 am. So this morning we went out again to watch it go by.  She was pretty good today. Not cowering behind me like last week.

anyway....she’s my 70# 6-month old baby scaredy-cat....and we’re working on building her confidence. But she is work.


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