More Shaper Input: How much power?

[Tyler Lung]

I am looking for some guidance as to how much horsepower I should be after in a shaper. I want to do mostly raised panels, door frames, hardwood flooring, tongue and groove paneling, and would maybe dabble in molding. Grizz offers shapers starting at 1.5 horse power. I was looking at the 3 horse model, but does anyone have any experience with the two horse shop fox, or even the 1.5 horsepower Grizzly?

Thanks in advance

Tyler

[Jim Thiel]

...I want to do mostly raised panels, door frames, hardwood flooring, tongue and groove paneling, and would maybe dabble in molding...

I wouldn't start that list with anything less than three and a feeder.

Jim

[Mike Heidrick]

3hp shaper with 1" or 1 1/4" spindle options and 1 hp feeder.
5hp would be even better and mostlikely have all the spindle options you will ever need.

I got a 3phase Delta 5hp 43-460 model for $999 shipped brand new from amazon earlier this year so keep an eye out for deals.

1hp Delta 36-851 1hp Feeder was another $805 shipped new from tools plus.

[J.R. Rutter]

First off, you are looking for a shaper AND feeder for many of the jobs you mentioned.

If you are a patient guy, then a 3 HP and 1/2 HP feeder would be fine for doing raised panels and moulding in multiple passes. For softer woods, this combo can run full depth passes as well.

With 5 HP and 1 HP feeder, you can run single passes all day in harder woods without bogging down.

Power corrupts though - I wouldn't trade my 9.9 HP shapers at this point!

[Phil Pritchard]

I want to do mostly raised panels, door frames, hardwood flooring, tongue and groove paneling, and would maybe dabble in molding.
The T & G, edge mouldings, etc won't take that much power, the panel raising will, so I'd agree with the others - 2HP minimum, 5HP better. 2 or 3HP will mean that you need to feed a lot slower - I don't see the point in making multiple passes on a spindle moulder (shaper), it's a very inefficient and inaccurate way to use the machine. 5HP gives you the ability to use steel cutterheads as opposed to aluminium ones (the smaller motors bog down trying to spin-up larger steel heads) and that in turn allows you to consider doing larger cuts. I'd always recommend going to a spindle (shaper) with a sliding table if possible - that way tenoning becomes a possibility especially if you can get hold of Euro-style multi-cutter blocks such as this (shown mounted on a Felder):

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/felderman/007.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/felderman/015.jpg

(Photos courtesy of a British colleague of mine)


Regards

Phil

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I wouldn't start that list with anything less than three and a feeder.

Jim

Yah and a great many would say 5 HP is inadequate. Shapers, when put to good use will hog out huge amounts of stock. For that you need power.

[Tyler Lung]

Mike H.
Did you have 3 phase power in your shop, or did you convert the machine to 1 phase. ( I don't have 3 phase power.
That sounds like a screaming deal you found.