Thanks for the warning guys!

[James Baker SD]

I was experimenting some more my one shaper cutter (mentioned in the previous post with that name) tonight making some sample moldings for a large picture frame to see how they look.

Those who recommended a power feeder because a shaper has a wicked kickback certainly knew what they were talking about. Since I had been warned I was standing well to the side and pushing with a long push stick. I was startled but unhurt, but my sample was certainly destroyed.

Weird way it happened, something I never would have anticipated (that's how you usually get hurt isn't it). I was using a bull nose cutter, leaving a small untouched lip on the outside edge of the frame molding. Infeed and outfeed fences were in line since part of the wood was not changing in thickness. The Delta shaper fence is a ribbed aluminum design and my decorative lip was at the perfect height and perfect width to slip right into one of those ribs. Suddently my outfeed fence was no longer supporting the workpiece as it left the cutter head and you know the rest of the story.

Think there is definitely a power feeder in my future.

James

[Van Huskey]

Glad your safe and sound, I still think ICBMs could be launched from shapers!

[Mitchell Andrus]

ShaperStop
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[Chip Lindley]

James, I'm glad that Warning Shot went over your bow! No harm done.

Consider using an outboard fence for running mouldings. A spring-loaded infeed fence or wheel holds the stock solidly to the outboard. This way the piece stays equidistant from the cutter head at all times. The outfeed fence half can be adjusted out to just a sliding fit, to guide the finished moulding width between itself and the outboard fence. I use this method exclusively for making straight rails/stiles with a groove and profile on one edge. Here's a pic of my Weaver jig:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...5&d=1226435410

A power feeder wouldn't hurt, but until recently I've done all work by hand.

[Jay Runde]

Here's a pic of my Weaver jig:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...5&d=1226435410


Your link is working....

[Steve Bracken]

Your link isn't working....

Fixed that for ya :D

[Peter Quinn]

James, I have that same fence and I know what you are talking about. There aren't too many stupid things I haven't done at least once as far as machinery is concerned, and bad shaper set ups are no exception. Let me be the first to say [COLOR="black"]DRY RUN WITH THE POWER OFF IS A GOOD IDEA[/COLOR Turn the cutter so it doesn't project beyond the fence or even remove it, and slide the wood along its intended path just to see how things go. This works with a feeder for many set ups too BTW.

]The problem with the hand feed on a shaper is that you aren't strong enough to hold on to the work piece when something unplanned happens. It can seem like child's play one second, like a big friendly router table, then feel like a NASA launch the next second. I'd recommend some hold downs and some feather boards at least, and a cutter guard is a good call too.

On even a 3HP router table, except for small parts, if things get weird I can bury the work into the cutter and stop the tool with an over load. Not my first choice ever, but it can be an option. You can not stop a 3HP shaper, and you should not try. You must maintain complete control over the work at all times as it passes the cutter, and "Standing way back with a long push stick" is unfortunately clearly not a way to do this. But neither is "choking way up and pushing down hard" as this could lead to a condition called "GUY MISSING DIGITS SYNDROME". My supervisor at work is missing 3 fingers from a single shaper mishap on a curved piece. One second your left hand is guiding work on the out feed side, next second your wife is driving you and your bloody nub to the hospital as you wonder "where did that kickback land?". A shaper kickback often takes the left hand along for the ride, and its a short unpleasant ride.

So do work safe and TRIPLE CHECK all set ups BEFORE pushing the green button. I hope I don't sound like a jerk, but I'd rather that than see a post of your former fingers. It could end your piano career quick! Follow all the rules and its a relatively safe and very effective tool. Break them and, well, you've seen what happens there first hand.

[James Baker SD]

Hi Peter:

All sound advice that I will take to heart. Unfortunately, I did most of those things and got the kickback anyway. Had 3 feather boards (magswitch) holding the workpiece against the fence, 1 feather board holding it down against the table. Guard over the cutter was in place.

I did the "dry run" but with the raw workpiece and everything seemed fine. Outfeed fence supported the workpiece nicely as I pushed it by. The problem was how the shape I was creating mated with the groves in the fence. The curved area of the workpiece did not touch the fence anymore, only the uncut lip was there to guide it.

On the first practice piece I made (when I was so pleased and posted the first thread), the lip rode dead center on a solid portion of the fence and everything went smoothly. I changed the size of the workpiece last night (original looked too thin when placed against the art print) and this raised the height of the uncut lip to exactly the height of one of the grooves in the fence and the lip was just a shade narrower than the groove. The springiness of the feather board located past the cutter pushed the workpiece into the outfeed groove tilting the workpiece and the cutter head just grabbed it.

Being a beginner with shapers, this is not an issue I even considered on that run, but now that I know the final shape of the piece can play games with you, I will think thru that possibility every time.

I am looking at power feeders right now; anybody want to make recommendations?

As per my piano career, a table saw took care of that 20 years ago. Brilliant surgeon gave me the finger back (even bends and moves), but there are no nerves left in it to sense position (over the keyboard) and I hit a lot of wrong notes.

James