Shaper - Grizzly G5913Z

[Chris Tsutsui]

So I've been looking around for a shaper for a while now and I found a guy that's downsizing his shop and wants to sell me his grizzly g5913z shaper for $1,000. He hardly ever used it.

I want to use it mostly for moulding, then maybe get a lock miter bit and panel making type bits.

I have a router table with PC 3-1/4HP, but I have to make multiple passes on some bits and was wondering if a 220V 5HP shaper can do these tasks faster and better. Eventually I can add a power feeder to this shaper and I will have a setup similar to one I used in a wood shop.

The problem is I could not find any reviews at all on this shaper, and didn't come up with anything on this forum...

Are the speed adjustments ok?

[Chris Padilla]

I'd think a power feeder is almost mandatory with a shaper but then again, I've never used a shaper.... :)

[Jeff Mackay]

So I've been looking around for a shaper for a while now and I found a guy that's downsizing his shop and wants to sell me his grizzly g5913z shaper for $1,000. He hardly ever used it.

I want to use it mostly for moulding, then maybe get a lock miter bit and panel making type bits.

I have a router table with PC 3-1/4HP, but I have to make multiple passes on some bits and was wondering if a 220V 5HP shaper can do these tasks faster and better. Eventually I can add a power feeder to this shaper and I will have a setup similar to one I used in a wood shop.

The problem is I could not find any reviews at all on this shaper, and didn't come up with anything on this forum...

Are the speed adjustments ok?

The 5913 (a 5hp, tilting spindle) for $1000 is a steal. I'd buy it in a heartbeat for that price, assuming it was in good shape. A 5HP shaper has oodles more power than a router. But it spins slower, and the bits are bigger. Will you be able to cut some profiles with one pass? Maybe. Your chances are better with a power feeder. And even better climb cutting with a power feeder.

Is a 1/4 hp power feeder big enough. Most would say "no". A 1-hp feeder is probably the standard, and you might get by with a 1/2" feeder. I have a 1/4 hp feeder that I use, but really only for profile cuts, not raising panels. Not that it coudn't do raised panels; I just haven't tried.

Good luck, and that was a great find!

Jeff

[Van Huskey]

Great price, considering the price difference from a 1/2hp to a 1hp feeder I would look at the 1hp. 1/4hp is not enough for many applications considering it is a 5hp shaper the power feeder would be your limiting factor, then again you will spend about as much on a new Grizzly 1hp feeder as you are on the shaper, but I see a lot of PF used.

[Carpenter Mark]

I'm not familiar with that machine in particular, but I have been using heavy duty and industrial shapers for over twenty years in various millwork shops and in my own shop I have three. What I can tell you is:

Shapers are much more versatile that router tables and when you start to get into corrugated and insert cutters, profiles are infinite. Having a tilting spindle is icing on the cake, with it you can run curved crowns and other moldings with straight run profiles
Shapers in that hp class have much more torque and power than the biggest router you can buy. This makes the safe and proper set up of hold-downs, guards and tooling much more important! Never try to climb cut by hand on a machine this size, it's extremely unsafe. You need a power feed to make a climb cut safely
A power feed is the way to go if you can afford it.Its the safest and best way to run moldings , raise panels, joint edges ,etc and the cut you'll get is way smoother which means less sanding. I have feeders on all my machines; for a 5hp shaper you need a 1 hp feeder to use the machine to its full capacity. Any less and the machine could overpower it. I would recommend a three wheel feeder for a machine that size, but don't hesitate if you find a deal on a four wheel .
Tooling is a little more expensive at the outset, but once you get a basic set of heads and cutters that cost goes way down per profile.
And shapers are a lot quieter than routers at a given size profile too..
Shapers are really great machine to have and if that one is in good shape,sounds like a good buy- go for it

[Chris Tsutsui]

I went there to pick it up just now but saw that the motor said 7-1/2HP. This means it's the G7215Z model - 3PH 220v/440v.

Since I don't have 3PH power in my garage, I sort of wasted an hour of my morning. :(

[David Peterson MN]

I just picked by a 5hp 3ph PM27 shaper the other day for $180. I don't have three phase either but was able to buy a RPC for $200. Don't let the 3ph keep you away from a good deal and by having the converter, it will open up a whole lot of other machine options that might not otherwise have been possible.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I'm not familiar with what an RPC is. Guess I'll have to do a search on it. It's a shame I didn't get it because I already planned on getting a 1HP grizzly feeder and mounting it because the shaper had no feeder on it before. Plus it came with a $100 arched door template kit, and two sets of grizzly shaper cutters!

I'm sure he will find a buyer for both units. It's sad that he is closing down his cabinet shop. When he went out of business he moved his tools to his neighbor's cabinet shop, and his neighbor is now going out of business and in two weeks will have an open sale. The guy I met had a nice italian sliding table saw, but that sold pretty fast at the price he had it at. Most machines were 50% off, up to 70% off regular prices.

All that's left that's worth mentioning is the 7.5HP 3PH grizzly cabinet saw, 7.5HP 3ph grizzly tilting shaper, and then there's a bunch of Ryobi, Dewalt, typical contractor tools.

The two shops going out of business are in Laguna Hills, CA. If you're interested in the shaper or table saw call (949) 419 7577. His number is on CL right now with his ads so I don't think it's innappropriate to give it out... You can tell him that Chris, the guy that found out it was 3PH and not 1PH referred you. heh

[David Peterson MN]

An RPC is a rotary phase converter. It converts 220v to 3ph power. I am not an electrician and would have a tough time explaining exactly how it works. But mine does have a small 1/4 starter motor for the larger 3ph motor/generator (but i could be wrong on the description!!!). Someone with much more knowledge could give a much better explanation.

[Scott T Smith]

I went there to pick it up just now but saw that the motor said 7-1/2HP. This means it's the G7215Z model - 3PH 220v/440v.

Since I don't have 3PH power in my garage, I sort of wasted an hour of my morning. :(


Chris, that shaper is selling for .30 cents on the dollar - a steal! I have the sliding table version of the 5 hp and it is a great machine.

RPC's (rotary phase converters) are easy to install, and you can buy one new for a few hundred bucks. My advice is to go and buy that shaper if it's still available and in good condition. See if you can negotiate the purchase of some shaper cutters to go along with it.