Delta Rockwell Shaper

[Joseph Tarantino]

is this a good deal?

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/tls/3378994191.html

my thought is to use this in place of a router table. or am i on the completely wrong track here? constructive advice welcomed.

[Matt Day]

It looks to be a great condition/recently rehabbed machine, with fence and all. If I were in the market I'd buy it!

[Carroll Courtney]

Echo what Matt said,the fact that it has two spindles value@75.ea, both dust doors value @60-100.ea,new bearings in the cartridge value@75,new motor bearings value@30,fence value@75,miter gage value@25 so all this adds up fast.1-2hp motor wired for 110 or 220 volt,he has done all the labor restoring.What would you spend going the 3hp router,lift,cabinet etc and then you will still wish you had a shaper.If that was near me,you would be out of luck by now.I have two shapers like this one between both these are the prices I paid for missing parts.Go get it and good luck,better be pics----Carroll

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Joseph, it looks to be in good condition however It doesn't mention that it comes with router collets, just two spindles.

You'll need a router collet to run router bits in it.

That said I have a shaper and wouldn't trade it for a router table...........Regards, Rod.

[Cary Falk]

It doesn't mention that it comes with router collets, just two spindles.

You'll need a router collet to run router bits in it.

That said I have a shaper and wouldn't trade it for a router table...........Regards, Rod.

+1 to all of this. Can you even get a router bit collet for the old Deltas?

[Erik Christensen]

I have a shaper and no router table - my shaper is one of my favorite tools but it is not without its downsides. Even with a router collet you are limited to 8-10,000 rpm in most cases vs 20,000 RPM from a router. Not an issue with large bits like panel raisers but smaller bits just do not have the edge tip speed to cut optimally. I have learned that I have to have top line bits and make sure they are very sharp to get the cut quality from a shaper that equals a router - YMMV. In addition you will find that shaper cutters are definately more expensive than router bits. The biggest downside to me is also the biggest benefit - it sheer size & power compared to a router. You do something stupid on a router table - yah you can get hurt but a shaper can throw you and your board across the shop and trash both of you in the process. It is the difference between hobbyist and industrial equipment - you need to always give it the respect it deserves and act accordingly. When I was considering the same decision you are facing I was told by many here that you should not consider a shaper without a power feeder - I think that was one of the best pieces of advice I have ever actually listened to :). A power feeder lets you do climb cuts with an incredible increase in finished cut quality in many situations and turns the shaper into a serious piece of production machinery.

All that said I still get the urge to build a router table now & then. running a few small pieces past a round-over bit on a router table would be a lot less nerve wracking than on a shaper

[Jeff Duncan]

I'm in the camp that a well equipped shop can use both. I have 3 industrial shapers that handle everything from 1/2" bits to 1-1/4" tooling and still use my shop built router table for a lot of odds and ends. So buy the shaper and when you have time build your own router table;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Stephen Cherry]

I'm in the camp that a well equipped shop can use both. I have 3 industrial shapers that handle everything from 1/2" bits to 1-1/4" tooling and still use my shop built router table for a lot of odds and ends. So buy the shaper and when you have time build your own router table;)

good luck,
JeffD

routers and shapers here as well. I have two delta hd's and they are OK for lots of things, but they are not really heavy duty. Perfectly fine for reasonably sized cutters, and it can turn cutters that a router would be struggling with.