Coping on shaper: miter track or fence guided

[Bobby Robbinett]

At work the other day we were discussing ways to improve our coping process for making cabinet doors. We have always used cope sleds that register off the fence. Now we have a sliding table shaper that we want to try and utilize instead of a sled that follows the fence. The shaper came with a sled like thing that bolts to the sliding table and is adjustable. We intend to add a pneumatic clamp to it. All of our cope cutters match so we purchased several 1.25” spindles that will be preloaded for easier change overs.

I do have a few questions and could use some help getting it setup. First off, how is setting the fence different for using a sled versus a sliding table? I would assume that the fence needs to be dead on parallel to the sliding table. Or is the fence necessary at all? Could the fence be removed and just use a stop on the infeed side?

[Kevin Jenness]

I use a short stop block attached to the fence, that way the fence has to be only roughly parallel to the sled or sliding table travel and I still have the dust hood surrounding the cutters.

[brent stanley]

I don't do cabinet doors very often, but I still consider the Aigner contermax jig a very easy jig to justify. I have some videos of it in action on my IG but there has been discussion of it here. It benefits from a modification but works ok as it comes from the factory. Joe and Mike D from the forum have posted on it here.

B

[Joe Calhoon]

A bump block attached the the fence is a good system. Using the fence only even if close to parallel you will get variation and runbbing.
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