Anyone using grizzly 3hp shaper

[Orval Schroeder]

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting here. I have been observing the forum for a couple of years. I have been making saw dust for some time and this forum has showed me things in the past two years I never learned. Great bunch of minds here. Now to my question about my grizzly 1026 shaper. I just purchased this and I was setting it up today to run a raised panel cutter and the table inserts are not as described in the griz book. there is no 5.5inch opening, its 1 3/8, 2 3/4, 4in then I would have to take the whole insert out to make it 7inch. So my 4 5/8 cutter would have a huge opening around it, which to me is to dangerous to run.Does anyone have this shaper and if so is their insert the same way? thanks

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Orval, I don't have your shaper, however I often make table inserts to fit the cutter I'm using.

I use the largest insert that came with the shaper as a template to guide a flush trim bit in my router, to make the insert the exact outside diameter of the table hole.

I then put a 1/4" bit in the shaper, and lower the spindle all the way down, so that the new insert will fit into the table.

I then run the shaper, raising the spindle just enough to mark the location on the bottom of the insert.

I then set my fly cutter in the drill press to the correct diameter (Shaper cutter plus 1/16"), clamp the insert securely and cut out the center of the insert.

Voilla, one perfect shaper table insert for that cutter.

Normally I make them from HDPE (High Density Poly Ethylene) plastic in 5/8" thickness, and then store them with the cutter for future use.

I hope the explanation makes sense......Rod.

P.S. You could probably make them out of wood, however the plastic is very stable, and forgiving of the cutter if something goes wrong. The plastic is around $8 per square foot at a plastic supplier.

[Orval Schroeder]

Ron.
Thanks for the input, I was thinking of making an insert and now your info will be usefull. When you run a raised pannel cutter do run the cutter on top or bottom? I have read much debate on this and I just wondered what your prefered method was.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I always run it with the majority of the cutter below the table for two reasons;

1) it's much safer as most of the cutter is below the table, and if the board lifts up it reduces the amount of cut. (If the cutter is the other way, the board rises into the cutter increasing the cut, could kick back)

2) The panels are all consistent on the front, any thickness differences are on the back.

I normally take a heavy pass on all the panels, across the grain first, then along the grain, then repeat with a small final pass, same order.

regards, Rod.

[Justin Bukoski]

Buy the Shaper Book by Lonnie Bird. In it he describes a box fence that will allow you to raise the panel from above, safely and have the full insert in the table.

That is the safest way to raise a panel on a shaper short of using a power feeder.

[Orval Schroeder]

Could you tell me where I could find this book? I have looked @ rockler,hartville tool, woodcraft & grizzly. I got the shaper hand book by Roger Cliffe and Michael Holtz but they did'nt go into details about the jigs.Thanks for any help.

[Justin Bukoski]

here you go!

http://www.amazon.com/Shaper-Book-Lonnie-Bird/dp/1561581208/ref=sr_11_1/002-9691512-1287205?ie=UTF8&qid=1190757753&sr=11-1