shaper cutter opinion

[Terry Therneau]

I need to make a half dozen passage doors, all odd size (or I would just buy them). I have the shaper (Felder K770S professional), 30mm and 1.25 spindles, and a comatic power feeder. I'm not likely to make more interior doors again I need to get a cutter. Two options are Grizzly C2185 ($285 + shipping) or a set of 4 knives and 4 limiters from Whitehill for my 55mm combi head (223 pounds sterling = $301, including shipping). Another is an Amana head for $321, but it doesn't look that different than the Grizzly.

Which would you choose?

Terry T.

[Mike Kees]

Terry what profile are you looking to produce ? I assume rail and style doors of some sort. I have made doors for small run jobs with my Euro block and knives from Amana. I have a outfit in Nova Scotia that custom grinds knives for unique profiles. Oella Saw and tool could do the same thing. This would be the cheapest way to get the job done. The cutterblocks are in the $100 dollar range. Stock knife profiles run about $15 a pair. Amana and CMT are two brands ,the heads can be purchased in aluminum or steel versions. I would go steel. These heads are 40mm high and would be similar to your Whitehill but with far cheaper tooling.

[Terry Therneau]

These will be passage doors, standard 1 3/8 thickness, standard door profile. cutter.jpg The pin spacing on the 55mm Whitehill head is the same as on 40mm heads (near as I can tell), but I can't find this profile in any of the "stock" collections. When I got the head I was told that knives are inexpensive, but in practice I don't seem to find what I need. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place? (It's been a nice rebate head, though).

[Greg Quenneville]

I am a Whitehill fan, but have also purchased from Dave at Oella Saw in Baltimore*. And will do again. The Whitehill knife + limiter cutters seem like a better idea to me than a head without limiters, even with the power feed.

I had a couple of Felder inserts that really weren't as good as Whitehill.

*Dave at Oella supplied a set of 6010 handrail knives and a nice Schmidt serrated head. Flawless results in oak. Very happy.

Finally…I had to make 25 six-panel passage doors in cedar before I got a shaper. I used Infinity router bits and was very happy with the results.

Greg

[Michael Todrin]

Hot Knives can grind that profile for you if you have the Amana head already. Prices are reasonable.

[Jared Sankovich]

I would be inclined to go with whitehill given the 3 options.

Every domestic supplier of custom ground 40mm knives seems to just use the amana blanks.

[Mike Kees]

Terry if the choice came down to the Amana or Grizzly set I would buy the Amana. They are better quality overall. You could resell the tooling on that auction site after the job is done if you are sure that you will not use them again. I have never used Whitehill ,I do really like the idea of the combination head. By the time I found out about them I already had a couple rebate heads as well as Euro blocks from Amana. My earlier suggestion was based on a cheaper way to accomplish a one time job. The buy a set and use then resell idea could work out good financially as well.

[Jeff Roltgen]

Here's an option tailored to your exact dilemma:
https://rangate.com/cuttershare
Their tooling is outstanding. Customer service equally so.
jeff

[Mike Kees]

Jared are the Whitehill knife/limiters made from higher quality HSS ?

[Jared Sankovich]

Jared are the Whitehill knife/limiters made from higher quality HSS ?

That is my understanding.

[Greg Quenneville]

Jared are the Whitehill knife/limiters made from higher quality HSS ?

Yes, they are. They also do many profiles in a high grade carbide option.

I am envious of the Rangate cutter share option. (North America only) Their tooling is held in high regard by some pretty fancy woodworkers.

[Jared Sankovich]

Here's an option tailored to your exact dilemma:
https://rangate.com/cuttershare
Their tooling is outstanding. Customer service equally so.
jeff

Their door set doesn't do an ovolo. It's limited to reversible profiles. (Ogee, PG, cove and bead)

[Joe Calhoon]

Jared are the Whitehill knife/limiters made from higher quality HSS ?

Mike, the Whitehill is good 5mm thick HSS. The standard euroblock cutters are poor quality 4mm steel but some grinders such as Hot Knives will make cutters for these in good quality 5mm HSS. The 5mm will fit in the euroblocks.

[Jared Sankovich]

These will be passage doors, standard 1 3/8 thickness, standard door profile. cutter.jpg The pin spacing on the 55mm Whitehill head is the same as on 40mm heads (near as I can tell), but I can't find this profile in any of the "stock" collections. When I got the head I was told that knives are inexpensive, but in practice I don't seem to find what I need. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right place? (It's been a nice rebate head, though).

The 40mm knives are about $14 for a stock profile. That unfortunately is not a stock profile.

The 50mm stock knives are slightly more.

This is the only passage door "stock" profile
#098/9
318_n_690.098.jpg

#522/3
386_n_690.522.jpg

[Jared Sankovich]

Mike, the Whitehill is good 5mm thick HSS. The standard euroblock cutters are poor quality 4mm steel but some grinders such as Hot Knives will make cutters for these in good quality 5mm HSS. The 5mm will fit in the euroblocks.

Good to know hot knives uses something better. I still think corrugated is better (for custom grinds) but having options is good.