Looking for shaper cutter

[Craig D Peltier]

Are there shaper cutters to make large chamfers and large coves? Bigger than you can get in router bits?

Ive seen some really good looking tops on dressers to asian inspired pieces that have these types of cuts to them.

[Darnell Hagen]

Definately

[Craig D Peltier]

Definately

Thanks Darnell. Now maybe you know of what companyt makes them or maybe a helpful link??

[Darnell Hagen]

CMT, Freud, Amana, FS Tool, all make shaper cutters, coves and champhers aren't unusual by any means.

How big are you talking? Do you have a shaper? A high powered router?

Often it's hard to justify a shaper cutter for one or two jobs. Also, tops are generally harder to bring to the tool, I prefer to bring the tool to them. I've made bases out of UHMW plastic for my router that give me a big stable base, and outboard handles give me the control to manage big bits manufacturers recommend for the table only.

[Glen Butler]

Anything you want is available from Nordic Saw and Tool. If they don't stock it they can custom make it. Custom cutter pricing is pretty much in line with their stock items. They have chamfers from 5-60 degrees in whatever width you want and cove cutters up to a 3" radius. If you can dream it, they can get it done for you.

[Mike Heidrick]

Your shaper spindle tilt?

[Dave Cav]

I have this cutterhead and cutter set:
http://www.cheyennesales.com/catalog/cmtshapersys.htm

I got it used from another member; I don't think he ever used it. Amazon also sell the sets. I have the cabinet and joinery set, which didn't come with this cutter:

http://www.cheyennesales.com/images/690_008_full.jpg

so I bought it separately because I wanted to put a large radius on some cabinet edges and couldn't find anything else. You can also buy straight cutters and grind your own radius or have it ground. It worked just fine, although you will need a full sized (Delta HD sized) shaper with at least a 3/4" spindle; 1" is better. The cutter head has a 1" bore and I am running it on a 3/4" spindle with bushings. T bushings will work, but straight bushings will work better because if you use T bushings it doesn't leave very much of the spindle sticking up above the nut. According to another thread earlier this week, it's "supposed' to be used only with a power feeder as the head is marked "MEC" which is a Euro spec for mechanical feed heads. There is nothing on the web site or with the cutter instructions about this, though, and I have (very carefully) hand fed it, although you get a better finish with a power feeder, and it's much safer.

Amazon also sells just the head with one straight cutter if you want to put your own set together.

[brian platt]

Craig,
On the chance that you don't have a shaper, there are router bits that will make large chamfer or cove cuts. I have a Freud that is almost 2.5" diameter and will cut a 1" chamfer. And they had some even larger.

A couple of qualifications, I use it in a router table with a 3 hp router, and do not take huge cuts. I would not try it in a hand held router, and you need to keep the speed down. But the large body makes it very stable for cutting smaller chamfers, since only a small part of the body is exposed.

But that said, a shaper is a better option if you have it.
Brian

[Craig D Peltier]

I have a 3hp 220v Woodtek shaper with sliding fence. Head does not tilt.
I also have the Bosch plunge and fixed based router with a table.Im not sure of Hp 2 or 3?

Darnell thanks for the help. I have to agree on the spot on , on bringing the machine to the wood not the opposite.

The size of chamfers im thinkign would be in the range of 2 inch. Coves to be shallow angle but up to 3 inch wide.

[Larry Edgerton]

Craig,
On the chance that you don't have a shaper, there are router bits that will make large chamfer or cove cuts. I have a Freud that is almost 2.5" diameter and will cut a 1" chamfer. And they had some even larger.

A couple of qualifications, I use it in a router table with a 3 hp router, and do not take huge cuts. I would not try it in a hand held router, and you need to keep the speed down. But the large body makes it very stable for cutting smaller chamfers, since only a small part of the body is exposed.

But that said, a shaper is a better option if you have it.
Brian

I disagree with your idea that it is always safer to use a large bit in a table. I do a lot of curved work that requires hand feeding and I prefer to clamp the piece to a bench and use a large router. I have bits up to 4 1/2" in diameter and prefer to have both hand on the router rather than pushing a piece into a cutter. If things start to sound at all funny I can just pull the router out of the cut. With large profiles such as we are talking about I make a piece for the other side of the router base to ride on that follows the curve so I don't have to worry about keeping the router perpendicular to the piece being worked.

With a router table you are pushing toward a cutter, and if things go wrong you have to change directions. I have found by experience that I am not as fast as my machinery, so I avoid freehand work pushing toward a cutter as much as possible.

Straight pieces, no big deal as you can use a power feed, I'll do them on a table or shaper, but for some cuts I like to move the router rather than the piece.

I'll second Nordic Tool, great service, and they build beautiful custom cutters/bits. I have a 2" radius cove bit I needed for a special app that works perfectly. No vibration at all in a hand held router. I have had them make corrigated back knives for me since and they are always perfect.

[Darnell Hagen]

Craig, here's a photo of what I use:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/DarnellHagen/P1510221.jpg

The roundover is 1" dia., the champher is a 1 1/2" 22 1/2 degree.

Variable speed is essential with big bits, they vibrate too much at full tilt. Soft start is nice, too.

The base on the Bosch is a piece of UHMW plastic, an offcut purchased cheap from a local supplier. It's actually a leftover from my old Porter Cable. It used to have handles at opposite corners, but the Boschs are low and wide enough so I took them off. I like the big base so I kept it when I switched to the Bosch.

[Craig D Peltier]

Craig, here's a photo of what I use:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/DarnellHagen/P1510221.jpg

The roundover is 1" dia., the champher is a 1 1/2" 22 1/2 degree.

Variable speed is essential with big bits, they vibrate too much at full tilt. Soft start is nice, too.

The base on the Bosch is a piece of UHMW plastic, an offcut purchased cheap from a local supplier. It's actually a leftover from my old Porter Cable. It used to have handles at opposite corners, but the Boschs are low and wide enough so I took them off. I like the big base so I kept it when I switched to the Bosch.

Thanks for photo. I have a VS router too , so this will work.

[Peter Quinn]

The size of chamfers im thinkign would be in the range of 2 inch. Coves to be shallow angle but up to 3 inch wide.

The chamfer bit might work in a router, the 3" long cove is starting to sound scary freehand. I've run an 1 3/4" R quarter round to do a full bullnose on some large countertops with a setup similar to Darnell's using a big PC speedmatic, but that happens in two passes, one from above and one from below. I like light cuts in several passes for anything that big freehand myself, and the biggest router you have is in order. I think we got the cutters from Whiteside? They do some pretty big cutters.

Have you checked out corrugated back knives for this type of thing? It can be a cheaper option than custom carbide braised cutters for the shaper. Most good tooling outfits can grind knives to your needs. I use a shop local to me, I guess Nordic would be more local to you. The head costs a few bucks up front but gives a lot of versatility. You can certainly run a pattern off of a rub collar and use a powerfeed in the mix. With the right feed pressure you can steer a template piece through the shaper while using the feeder, though there are practical limits to what you might be able to handle alone and on a small shaper.

[David DeCristoforo]

Thanx to Glen for saving me the trouble of recommending Nordic again! But you really should get their catalog. They stock large chamfers and quarter rounds for both the router and the shaper. Plus, as has been mentioned ad infinitum, they will make whatever you need if they don't stock it.

One thing to keep in mind is that very large bits in a handheld router can turn it into a gyroscope. When you power it up, it will want to rotate around and you have to keep a really good strong grip on the router.