Anyone in the Boston area that can show me how to use a shaper?

[Sam Abd]

Hello,
I'm new to woodworking and I recently bought a used delta delta shaper 43-379. I was wondering if there is anyone in the Boston area that could show me how to use a shaper? I can help with your project in a return!
Thank you
-Sam

[John McKissick]

Hello,
I'm new to woodworking and I recently bought a used delta delta shaper 43-379. I was wondering if there is anyone in the Boston area that could show me how to use a shaper? I can help with your project in a return!
Thank you
-Sam

Have you tried youtube? I am in the Boston area but I don't have a shaper

[brent stanley]

Not a lot of good shaper use advice available on YouTube unfortunately. I have a couple videos talking about a few tooling options only but not about techniques. Many of the "how to" videos out there don't demonstrate good, safe techniques.

I'd get this book for starters, it's really the most up-to-date one available on tooling and techniques. https://amzn.to/2TZROn5

B

[Sam Abd]

Thank you Brent, I'm considering buying it. I'm not very good at reading and learning things. I learn more by watching and listening to someone or youtube but to your point, there isn't much on youtube about a shaper. People just show what they're making instead. I'm hoping someone nearby has a shaper!


Not a lot of good shaper use advice available on YouTube unfortunately. I have a couple videos talking about a few tooling options only but not about techniques. Many of the "how to" videos out there don't demonstrate good, safe techniques.

I'd get this book for starters, it's really the most up-to-date one available on tooling and techniques. https://amzn.to/2TZROn5

B

[brent stanley]

Thank you Brent, I'm considering buying it. I'm not very good at reading and learning things. I learn more by watching and listening to someone or youtube but to your point, there isn't much on youtube about a shaper. People just show what they're making instead. I'm hoping someone nearby has a shaper!

I hear you! The problem is, it's really a good idea to go down the right path from the very start and there are a LOT of ways to get started on the wrong path on YouTube. This is starting to get quite dated and some of the tooling used is out of date, but it's not bad. https://youtu.be/4n6yTHMBX54

B

[Sam Abd]

I was just watching this video when you posted the link funny! I think the guy in the video is missing a finger or part of it lol.

[Rob Damon]

Sometimes getting the best videos off YT is using different search phases.

"safety techniques using a shaper"

By using different phase and order of wording produces different video list.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kml_iye-Ens


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ifYuumL0k8E

[Richard Coers]

It's just like using a router in a table. Except it has a lot more power and possibly bigger diameter cutters. But with the max 3/4" spindle, you won't want to run really big cutters anyway.

[Tom Trees]

[QUOTE=brent stanley;2986621]Not a lot of good shaper use advice available on YouTube unfortunately. I have a couple videos talking about a few tooling options only but not about techniques. Many of the "how to" videos out there don't demonstrate good, safe techniques.

I'd get this book for starters, it's really the most up-to-date one available on tooling and techniques. https://amzn.to/2TZROn5

B[/QUOT
Have a look at Roy Sutton on utube and download it.
That's probably a good start good luck

[brent stanley]

[QUOTE=brent stanley;2986621]Not a lot of good shaper use advice available on YouTube unfortunately. I have a couple videos talking about a few tooling options only but not about techniques. Many of the "how to" videos out there don't demonstrate good, safe techniques.

I'd get this book for starters, it's really the most up-to-date one available on tooling and techniques. https://amzn.to/2TZROn5

B[/QUOT
Have a look at Roy Sutton on utube and download it.
That's probably a good start good luck

Yup! Take a look at my next post. :D

[roger wiegand]

I'm also in the Boston area, have a shaper, but could also use lessons in how to use it. At least one of the woodworking schools does a week long course, that would be the way to really get to know the machine. I use mine, but only for simple stuff where I can feed it with a power feeder. I'm still pretty much terrified of it and don't use it nearly as much as I probably should. I ran about 1000 feet of cherry mouldings for our house, and it was way better than trying to do it on a router table.

[Mel Fulks]

I still like the old Delta book , since all of it is relevant to basic use. One absolute rule should be "never walk away from
an incomplete set-up ". Remove all from spindle if you must adjust your radio, probably the most dangerous thing in a shop!! Failure to follow should be call for dismissal in any commercial shop.

[Sam Abd]

These are the cutters I got with the shaper. Freeborn are for making cabinets and doors I assume? Second set is for edges and beads? Those 2 long things are converting from different sizes?


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[Alex Zeller]

My neighbor who has a shop most would die for has his left pinky finger bent at about 90 degrees thanks to a shaper. Not sure why he didn't do more to have it look normal but he's kind of strange sometimes. He was making a curved handrail and something went wrong. Even seasoned experienced master craftsmen can make a mistake. Normally he would have been using a power feeder but because it was curved in multiple ways he tried by hand. If it was me I would be a little leery of just watching a video and reading a book.

Maybe you can find a smaller commercial shop and go talk to them. That's how my neighbor learned. 30 years ago he walked into one and ask if they would take him on. Being young and still living at home he said he would even forgo a paycheck, just wanted to get some hands on experience. Maybe you have free time and can find someone willing to show you.

[Sam Abd]

I'm also in the Boston area, have a shaper, but could also use lessons in how to use it. At least one of the woodworking schools does a week long course, that would be the way to really get to know the machine. I use mine, but only for simple stuff where I can feed it with a power feeder. I'm still pretty much terrified of it and don't use it nearly as much as I probably should. I ran about 1000 feet of cherry mouldings for our house, and it was way better than trying to do it on a router table.

What cutters did you use for molding? I'm also looking to use this for making crown moulding for the house.

[Jared Sankovich]

These are the cutters I got with the shaper. Freeborn are for making cabinets and doors I assume? Second set is for edges and beads? Those 2 long things are converting from different sizes?


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The first pic is the interchangeable spindles (though the bottom one is not for a delta shaper) the freeborn set is for cabinet doors, and the last us a "euro block" 40mm pin knife head. That one looks surprisingly like a limited head, but has appears to have different gibs to run without them..

[Kevin Jenness]

Sam, your first photo shows interchangeable spindles or tooling with different bore sizes. The second shows a cope and stick set for square edge cabinet doors and the third a "Euro Block" head for edge shaping with the various steel cutters, of which many patterns are available.

I think crown moulding is better milled on a moulder. (I have done crown on a shaper but don't recommend it- a powerfeed is definitely required for safety).

If there is a class available it would be worth checking out. The shaper is one of the most versatile and potentially hazardous machines in the shop and not one you want to develop bad habits on. This series on Youtube may be helpful https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=safe+shaper+operation+molzahn . I have only dipped into it but it is put out by a tech school in WI that offers a cabinetmaking program.

[Jared Sankovich]

Steve latta and Thaddeus stevens college have this series

Trigger warning :)(lockedge knives in use)
https://youtu.be/kzsNjrIyyDE

[Mike Cutler]

I'm 35 minutes south of Worcester.
I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but I would be willing to show you the basics.
We have pretty much the same machine, I have a 43-375,so I do know your machine.

[Larry Edgerton]

I would be a little leery of the set in the third picture. The knife in the head has an aweful lot of knife projection and no limiters. Limiters are a second set of matching blanks on the backside that only allow so much of a cut in one rotation so that in a grab the piece is less likely to get suck in, with your fingers. That is not a set I would feed by hand. Speaking of, if you don't have one, start looking around for a power feeder. The 1/4hp small feeders can be found cheaply[not the baby feeder] and will do the job fine on a small shaper.

Learn how to make one piece dedicated fences, split fences flex and that is how catches start.

No short pieces, certianly not until you are comfortable with the machine and not with split fences.

If something does not feel right, don't do it.

[roger wiegand]

What cutters did you use for molding? I'm also looking to use this for making crown moulding for the house.

I was making simple Arts and Crafts style moldings, most everything I did used either the Amana replaceable insert cutter or the Amana adjustable chamfer cutter. Before all cabinets became "shaker" I did a fair amount with cove cutters and door profile cutters. For small projects now I mostly use my router, getting a safe setup on the shaper takes me quite a while and isn't worth the effort. But, as I said, I really don't know what I'm doing with the machine.

[Larry Edgerton]

Before all cabinets became "shaker" .

I thought it was just me. Last seven kitchens.......

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Biggest change I had to make coming from a router table was dealing with larger cutters.
With cutters up method I had to learn to deal with what is essentially a hole in the table. Cutters more than a few inches in diameter provide no iron bed underneath to stabilize the cut. Lots of chatter.
I learned a few years later that with cutters down I could have a full cast iron bed below for the whole length of the cut. Much cleaner cuts.

[Mike Walsh]

you might want to check out North Bennet St. School in Boston. They used to offer private lessons and the quality of instructors and equipment is excellent based on my experience

[Mike Cutler]

Biggest change I had to make coming from a router table was dealing with larger cutters.
With cutters up method I had to learn to deal with what is essentially a hole in the table. Cutters more than a few inches in diameter provide no iron bed underneath to stabilize the cut. Lots of chatter.
I learned a few years later that with cutters down I could have a full cast iron bed below for the whole length of the cut. Much cleaner cuts.

Mike

I make ZCI's for the table, and fence, of my 43-375. The ZCI for the fence is more or less sacrificial. The ZCI for the table can last a long time, or until you change to a different diameter cutter. Most of my cutters are now ~4", but I still have a lot of 2-1/2" to 3" cutters. I pretty much did everything by hand feeding for many, many, years,so a ZCI was a necessity. I have a power feeder now, but I still use ZCI's. What a difference!!!

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Mike

I make ZCI's for the table, and fence, of my 43-375. The ZCI for the fence is more or less sacrificial. The ZCI for the table can last a long time, or until you change to a different diameter cutter. Most of my cutters are now ~4", but I still have a lot of 2-1/2" to 3" cutters. I pretty much did everything by hand feeding for many, many, years,so a ZCI was a necessity. I have a power feeder now, but I still use ZCI's. What a difference!!!

Other Mike:

But even with a ZCI the cutter itself is a virtual hole while spinning.
Cutters down eliminated chatter for me.

[Paul Haus]

Talk to your local VoTech or Adult Ed programs and see what is available in addition to anything anyone familiar with shapers can teach you. I've been doing woodworking on the side for probably 50 years and that includes having a shaper. Shapers are very verstile and useful tools but have both positive and negatives compared to router tables. I've used a router table before but prefer using a shaper unless you are using actual router bit. Shapers IMO don't handle the speed required for router bits but then again a router is not reversible nor can they handle cutters with the size or stacking options available with a shaper.
Just some thoughts.