Delta hd shaper router adapter???

[Dave Torro]

any one have good success with the 1/2" - 1/4" adapter used on there delta hd shaper? just bought one at a very good price tonight but haven't used it yet,,,,in the past i heard the shaper is too slow for regular router bits.thinking of putting a variable diameter pulley on the motor. any thoughts?

[Alan Schaffter]

I have been looking for a router collet adapter for my Delta HD shaper, but am not willing to pay what most retailers are asking.

Be careful, depending on model/vintage, the Delta HD shapers have two different spindle tapers. Make sure your collet adapter has the correct taper.

As to speed- doesn't your shaper have double sheave pulleys? Typically, with a 3450 RPM motor shaper speeds are 7,000 and 10,000 RPM which might be a little slow for small bits, but fine for raised panel and door bits. If you investigate router speeds, what you will typically see are charts with "maximum" safe RPM, not minimum RPM. You can slow your feed rate to compensate some for low RPM.

Shapers sure are quieter.

[Peter Quinn]

I would hesitate to change pulleys on the Delta shaper in an attempt to increase spindle speed beyond 10,000 RPM's. I don't think the bearings are meant or are capable of being spun at typical router speeds, and you might damage the bearings by spinning them at such a consistently high rate.

I know that shaper cutters are expensive and there is a temptation to use router bits. I have not, I have read others have done so with fair success. I got the Amana 40MM head that uses indexed HSS knives which sell for $14-$30 per set and give an amazing selection of profiles. Temptation to spin router bits in the shaper is now gone. Plus I have a decent router table that sets up quicker than my shaper for light cuts anyway.

CMT, Infinity, Logosol and several other sell similar 40mm and 50MM heads and all use the same set of interchangeable knives. One of these and a power-feed leaves me wanting for little in terms of access to affordable profiles.

Some are tempted to use router panel raisers in a collet on the shaper to save on cost. This scares me. My Delta HD shaper can make clean panels in one pass in most species, 2 passes on some harder material. Typically routers need 3-4 light passes, and the bits are designed accordingly. I worry that a shaper's torque is capable of breaking a router panel raiser over time. Proceed with caution in that instance.

[David DeCristoforo]

FWIW, I run small bits in my shaper all the time. I don't notice any particular problem with the lower RPMs. All you need to do is slow down the feed rate a little.....

[Lon Schleining]

I have to agree with David. I actually have little use for a router table since my shaper does such a good, solid job. I got the collet set up for my Powermatic shaper from Schmidt. Works great. And yes, I've run very small bits.

That said, the reason I bought the shaper some 25 years ago now, is I set up a large bit in my old (which is to say single speed) Makita router mounted under a table. Scared me enough that I shut it off immediately, bought the shaper with a feeder and router bit collet set up and never looked back.

[Dave Torro]

Thanks for the info,,, went to install it this weekend to find it too large for the spindle http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon9.gif. like Alan said there are 2 spindle sizes depending on vintage,,,will bring it back and look for the smaller size if available.