Shaper Cutter Recommendations

[Larry Fox]

I am making another kitchen and am looking for some recommendations for decent shaper cutters for the panel raising and for the rails and stiles. I see there is Amana, Infinity, Freud, etc but have no experience with any of them (except Freud and then only with blades). I would prefer a panel raiser where I could then back-cut the panel to have the panel be flush with the front of the rails. Separate back cutter is fine.

Any experience (good or bad) with the Freud 2+2 cutters? I would like to minimize profile sanding - especially on the cross-grain cuts - if possible.

While price is somewhat important I would say that a cut that reduces the sanding would trump the cost.

If it helps, I can use 1/2" , 3/4" or 1" bore cutters.

Thanks in advance for your time . . .

Larry

[Joe Chritz]

I am thinking that any of the name brands are all about the same in the 3/4" bore variety. I have a couple Freud raised panel cutters, a few from MLCS and one of the Katana brand MLCS rail/stile sets. All seem to do a job about and beyond a router shank bit of the same profile.

I would suggest looking seriously into the insert tooling set. The different profiles are nice but the HSS knives are sharper and do a great job. I think FREUD makes a good set of those.

Joe

[Peter Quinn]

The Freud 2X2 cutters work very well, particularly in the cross grain. I've only used the 1 1/4" bore, but I'd imagine they would work fine bushed to a 1" spindle. I like to spin the bigger diameter for a cleaner exit, though on a panel raiser this may be marginal. The amana's work pretty well also, a very good cutter for the money. Freeborn is good too, but at a jump up in cost. My favorite is my Freud rp2000 insert head. This knives are very sharp, the head does a great job that looks sanded when finished, it's a good value IF you will use the different profiles, if not a dedicated three wing may make more sense.

[Jeff Monson]

I'll second Joes suggestion on the insert cutters. I bought a few amana panel raising and rail/style cutters, they do work fine but now I'm limited to my profiles. If I had to do it over again I would look into insert tooling, most likely would be the freud RS and RP sets, they are spendy but I'd be done buying profiles. Also the replacement inserts are not that bad on price.

[Chip Lindley]

My first-ever raised panel cutter was a Freud 2+2. Cuts were smooth as glass! Only drawback to Freud RP cutters, using their back cutter, is that only spacers are provided; the back cutter is not recessed for use with a ball bearing. This is not a deal breaker unless arched-panels are being made. I much prefer a ball bearing rub collar for curved work. Best of both worlds would be inclusion of another brand of recessed back cutter such as Freeborn or Amana with the appropriate rub bearing.

[Larry Edgerton]

I second the RP2000........

[David Prince]

Amana and Freud are good. Spring for the extra cost and get ones that have shim adjustment so that you aren't just stuck with certain size cuts.

[Larry Fox]

Thanks for all the good info guys - lots of good stuff here. A lot of what I am seeing calls for a 1 1/4 spindle. I guess I will have to get some bushings to adapt to one of the spindles that I have.

[Philip Rodriquez]

I have the Amana steel insert cutters. IMHO, this is the way to go.