Older versus relatively new Delta shaper which one to keep

[Eric Mink]

I now have two Delta shapers, one might be from the early 80s 3 horsepower 3/4, 1/2" spindles and a half inch router bit adapter.
The other Delta "industrial" I just picked up is from around 2005 also USA made. It uses a different type of spindle it has a five horse Weg motor and a 1 1/4" spindle. It also has a much better micro type adjustment for the fence sides. I would need to get a few smaller spindles if I kept this one. I honestly don't have that much use for a shaper but I want to grow into it's use for a hobbyist. Is this newer Delta a keeper?

[Phillip Mitchell]

Maybe post some photos if you became a contributor or at least share the model numbers so one could google to compare. On what you are saying I would keep the 1 1/4” spindle machine if forced to choose between those 2 existing ones. All of my tooling is 1 1/4, though and I tend towards overkill / heavy iron. Better fence adjustment is *always* better and preferred for the shaper.

[Greg Quenneville]

I have a Felder full combo, but I also have an older Italian 10 hp shaper with 1 1/4 spindle. I need to get rid of it for space reasons, but I sure will miss it. I do like the beefiness of bigger tooling.

[mike calabrese]

Shapers are serious machines and demand serious attention to method and safety that is why after 50 plus years of woodworking I do not have one.
You suggested you are a hobbyist that could mean a lot of different things even that you may be quite humble. A shaper is typically a machine you don't expect to see ina hobbyist's shop.
Have you considered selling both and instead get a 3 + HP soft start variable speed router and a decent router table to hang it on. I have built a ton of stuff with such a router and the bit selection is virtually endless.
Here is just an example of the level of routers I am referencing .
https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=001+3-1%2F4+HP+Dual+Mode+Precisi&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Myself I have a 3 1/4 HP Hitachi and a DIY router table pictured below among with sone tapered table legs I recently made. Just saying I have a found a good router and table can handle a bunch of woodworking requirements.
calabrese55
510418

510419

[Bill Dufour]

Is the big machine three phase?
Bill D

[Eric Mink]

The three horse is a 43 375 and the five horse is a 43 454 both single phase. I haven't even used the three horse yet but I picked up the five horse a few days ago. It seemed to be too good of a deal I just wanted the fence. It just stinks that the spindles and router bit adapters don't fit the five horse machine. I have been collecting woodworking tools and upgrading for probably 30 years now and for some reason I felt I wanted a shaper. I have a router table with a half horse router in it. I like my old Delta tools .

[Eric Mink]

Those routers are more than I paid for the three horse and a bit less than the 5 horse unit. I have a 20 yr old Freud router in a homemade router table.

[ray grundhoefer]

Keep the one with the better fence. I got rid of by 3 hp shaper with a crappy fence and upgraded to a delta invicta with a much better fence 3 years ago . WAY BETTER

[Eric Mink]

The obvious choice seems to keep the five horsepower one with the better fence. I was just concerned about it being such a late model Delta that maybe they were considered junk compared to the older ones. Time to look for a power feeder now for safety.

[Jared Sankovich]

I thought the obvious answer was to keep both, I don't like having less than 2 and preferably not less than 3 shapers.

If you don't want two, then the late model will likely be a better machine. It should be a solid spindle (not Replaceable) so if you have 3/4 tooling you either need to upgrade to 1.25 or find a complete quill from a different machine. If you upgrade to 1.25" tooling keep in mind that machine was really designed for as a 2hp 3/4 spindle with 2"-3" 3 wing cutters (the quill is the same on all delta HDs) so don't go crazy on tooling diameter.

[Eric Mink]

It is a removable spindle. I want to get a 3/4 spindle and maybe a router bit adapter for it. I only have so much room in my basement shop. The older one will go.

[Jared Sankovich]

It is a removable spindle. I want to get a 3/4 spindle and maybe a router bit adapter for it. I only have so much room in my basement shop. The older one will go.

I didn't realize they changed to a removable spindle at the end of the production run. Looks like the 3/4 spindle (part 43-807) is long discontinued and out of stock. You could buy the 1" and have it machined.
https://www.renovoparts.com/43-808-1-inch-spindle/

Or have the 1.25" spindle you currently have turned down to 3/4.

[Bill Dufour]

I wonder if Grizzly et al. made/makes spindles that fit your machine.
Bill D