Are Table Mounted Routers Replacing Shapers for Smaller Work?

[Curt Rowe]

I've just go back into woodworking after a decade or so. I wanted to use my Inca shaper with a 1 1/4" spindle to make some window moldings. When I found the profiles I wanted in the Amana catalog, they were 1/2 or 3/4 inch bore. I don't have any other spindles nor does it appear that the 1 1/4" spindle can be removed from the Inca. I'm not about ready to buy a second shaper. What I did notice was that the Amana catalog had 186 pages or router bit as opposed to 42 for shaper cutters. Are people moving to table mounted routers to do light duty molding? I have a very nice heavy duty Festool router, but no table for it. Since I'm working out of my garage, I'm trying not to bring in any new equipment if can make do with what I have. I have another shaper cutter catalog that has the cutters I need, but I haven't ordered from them in over twenty years and I haven't checked to see if they are still around.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I make a lot of picture frames on a router table. If I had to do it again, I would go with a shaper. The router works very well, but I believe that the shaper would be better able to handle the volume that I put through. There are adapters available to use 1/2 shank router bits in shapers. I don't know if there is one for your shaper, though.

[Max Neu]

I don't think router tables are replacing shapers, I think it's more companies like Amana and Freud cater more to the hobbyist crowd.I do this for a living, and everything I do is on an industrial sized shaper.I don't even own a router table(or need one).

[Peter Quinn]

Amana is a funny company. They sell very good router bits, lots of CNC cutters, some very large euro shaper heads in 1 1/4" bore, and a pile of value line cutters mostly in 3/4" bore. Odd mix. Hobbiests and small shops may get by with router bits, I sure use a lot of routers in my work but mostly freehand. The router table is in no way a replacement for a good shaper. I've made sash on a router table with an Amana cutter set, it works, much easier on a shaper. The 3/4" bore shaper is very popular in this country, so Amana and others service that market, but 1 1/4" cutters are certainly available from other manufacturers, generally more expensive due to larger diameter and more complicated multi head stacks.

[Loren Woirhaye]

It depends on the type of work you do. I just sold a 3hp shaper. It was good-looking and single phase so I got a good price for it. Bought a Tannewitz JS with the cash. I knew I could pick up a heavier 3 phase shaper for a few hundred bucks any time I need one, with a little notice of course.

A router table and overarm router work fine for me at present. If I were making more than occasional small mouldings I'd want a shaper. The larger diameter swing of a shaper cutter has advantages in later sanding.

If you're gung-ho to make a bunch of raised panel doors I think a shaper will get you to a stainable surface quicker when you consider the sanding time.

My shop is cramped and I have a lot of machines. The shaper wasn't getting used.

[Curt Rowe]

It's good to hear 1 1/4" shapers are still being supported. I found my old catalog. It had exactly what I wanted, but their website redirects to another company out of state so I presume they're out of business. Can anyone recommend a good online source for 1 1/4 bore shaper cutters? I got my Amana cutters from toolstoday.com, but they only appear to sell Amana.

[Loren Woirhaye]

MAGNATE makes/sells shaper cutters with 1.25" bore. http://magnate.net

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Curt, I'm not downgrading from a shaper to a router anytime soon.

Have you looked at HSS insert heads? I use those the most, a pair of knives is the cost of a router bit, so it's pretty economical........Rod.

[Curt Harms]

It's good to hear 1 1/4" shapers are still being supported. I found my old catalog. It had exactly what I wanted, but their website redirects to another company out of state so I presume they're out of business. Can anyone recommend a good online source for 1 1/4 bore shaper cutters? I got my Amana cutters from toolstoday.com, but they only appear to sell Amana.

I know nothing about their shaper cutters are but I have some router bits from Woodline and they seem to me a step up from the run-of-the-mill Asian import. Woodline sells insert heads with 1 1/4" bore. It does appear that most of their one piece shaper cutters are 3/4" bore.

http://www.woodline.com/p-2428-indexable-head-with-13-profiles.aspx

[Ronald Mancini]

A shaper table is usually big enough to mount a feeder on, and a feeder improves safety, reduces labor, and makes better cuts. No can do with a router. Try to tongue and groove a 6 in/10 ft board on a router.