Thinking about a Shaper!

[Michael Pfau]

Hello all, I have been thinking about getting rid of my router table, and stepping up to the 3 horse Delta shaper. With the shaper accepting 1/2 shank router bits, i won't be leaving a router table behind, but yet being able to do alot of work with shaper bits. I am looking for anyone who stepped up to a shaper, and regreted it. Any input would be appreciated.!

[Bill Stoffels]

I went to a 1 hp Jet shaper and wished I got a 3 hp, but not disappointed the 1 hp works fine. much better than the "%$##&*^" router tables I had used

[Richard Wolf]

Stepping up to a shaper is a great thing, you will find alot of uses that you may not have thought of.
The problem is, if you have the room, you really may need both. The shaper will turn at 10,000 rpms, a lot slower than your router at 25,000 rpms. I only use my larger router bits in the shaper. I also find the router table a little faster to set up for short runs.

Richard

[Russ Massery]

I agree with Richard completely, I've had a shaper for years now. But did eventually buy a router for table use mostly for the smaller bits. But for rail & stile and raised panels an shaper is hard to beat.

[Perry Holbrook]

I haven't had much luck spinning router bits with a shaper. When I bought a 2HP unit from Bridgewood, I thought I may be able to use it as a shaper and router table. The couple of bits I tried didn't do too well. The shaper just can't spin them fast enough, at least this one can't.

Perry

[lou sansone]

I use router bits most of the time in my 3 hp shaper without any problem. Sure the bigger shaper cutters are nicer, but for a lot of the small moldings I do the router bits are fine

lou

[Dev Emch]

Good question.
First of all, a 3 HP delta is most likely the venerable HD which is an icon. Been around forever. Runs at what 7000 and 10,000 RPM. Now, most router bits that do complex things are adapted from shaper cutters in the first place. Cope and stick sets and panel raisers for example. This group of router bits are designed to be used ONLY in a table and then at about 10,000 RPM with absolutely no more than 15,000 RPM. This type of bit can work pretty good but its still a router table at heart. Shapers and the ability to work as a shaper dictate the ability to remove massive amounts of real estate in a single pass. Anint gonna happen with a router bit!!!! They are designed from the get go to nibble their way to perfection in multiple passes. To truely utilize a shaper for what a shaper can do requires cutlery designed for the shaper. I avoid using router bits if at all possible.

Now certain operations like blind dados are best done using a router bit. But for cutting tenons, cutting mouldings, doing cope and stick work, etc. etc. etc., nothing is going to beat a nice shaper cutter with an appetite. You can use router bits in a pinch and if you do, take it easy and you will be fine. But in the long run your not saving money. A router bit has to do in multiple passes what a shaper cutter can do in one. So you will wear out the router bit two three or four times faster as you would a shaper cutter.

And what you should strive to get first and foremost is the following. 1). An adjustable insert based groover for your most popular grooves. 2). A good insert based rebate cutter. One with knickers on top and bottom. Then everything else is gravy. The groover and rebate cutters are amongst your most popular shaper cutters.

Hope this helps..

[Charlie Plesums]

I had to get rid of my router table when I got my shaper...no room for both.

I use my shaper as a router table with bits as small as 1/4 inch roundover. I forgot today, and tried 3/16 inch roundover, and then moved it to the hand-held router... the 10,000 rpm of the shaper was too slow.
At 1/4 inch, the shaper cutter is better, but the router bit is ok. At 3/8 or 1/2, the shaper is fine... almost as good as the router table.

I just cut some 1/2 inch 14 degree sliding dovetails, and the monster shaper fence made up for the rough going at the slower speed with the router bit. But as I get to the bigger bits, the heavier shaft, 5 (real) hp motor, etc. of the shaper really pay off.

Recently I couldn't get the profile I wanted in a shaper panel raiser...the supplier was out of stock, and talked me into using the same profile in a router bit. The advantage of the shaper cutter was obvious! Much faster cuts and smoother result with the shaper. Yes my large router bits work at least as well as they did in the router table, but the comparable shaper cutters work much better.

[Rob Russell]

Make sure you plan on a power feeder for the shaper. IMO it's almost a required safety item. It also allows you to climb cut safely which is not something you can do with handheld stock.

[Steve Clardy]

3 hp powermatic shaper
5 router tables.

You really need both as stated above.
Don't shed the router table yet

[Charlie Plesums]

Make sure you plan on a power feeder for the shaper. IMO it's almost a required safety item. It also allows you to climb cut safely which is not something you can do with handheld stock.
Rob, I am surprised that you feel the power feeder is that important. I have a power feeder, but I only bother to use it maybe 1 time in 10 that I use the shaper. I would not consider a climb cut by hand, but I don't do that many climb cuts.

For panel raising and end-cuts of rails I use my slider. For stiles, I use a hold-down push stick under the steel "featherboard." For small moulding, I mill a larger board, then cut the moulding off. For larger mouldings, like crown moulding, I appreciate the power feeder.

[John Renzetti]

Hi Charlie, I'm with Rob on the need for the power feeder. I'll try to use it as much as possible. The down side is the setup time, especially if you have to set it perpendicular to the fence. The biggest problem I've found with some feeders is that the slowest speed might not be slow enough. I think the slowest speed on the Steff 3 wheel was just a tad too fast for some types of wood. I have a 4 wheel 8 speed Inver now that has a slow speed of around 10fpm. For cutting styles or counter-profiles I've been using a small workpiece holder from Aigner. Rides up against the shaper fence-safe fast and no chipout due ot the backer that's integrated into the holder.
take care,
John

[Brian Buckley]

John,
Can you please tell me the part number for the Aigner holder?

Thanks

Brian

[John Renzetti]

John,
Can you please tell me the part number for the Aigner holder?

Thanks

Brian

Hi Brian, How are you doing? The Aigner part number is 214 287 000 293. It's called the Countermax and is on page 4 of the Martin USA on line catalog for Aigner. Price is $149. Felder also has it for about the same price, they call it the work piece holder 01.0.019. On the Martin USA site you can click on the image and get an idea how the thing works.
take care,
John

[John Weber]

No problems ditching my router table. I use the shaper for most everything now. I still have the router table and used it once in the last year. Power feeder is a nice addition. I had to wait about a year to get my feeder.

John

[tod evans]

michael, you asked for folks who regretted stepping up to a shaper.....not i ! years back i did as you are now and went with the delta unit, got a 3-wheel feeder too....i was sold right away but i didn`t run router bits in it. as time went by i wished for more power,(immagine that), and as others have stated a more adjustable feeder. now i feel that 9hp is the minimum acceptable motor for a shaper and a good 4-wheel feeder or even a track feeder is nice. as always there`s no substitute for cast iron and horsepower so jump on in.. oh-yeah- the shaper is the cheap part, tooling is what gets `ya......02 tod