Grizzly shapers putting a dip in the end of our stock

[Kevin Cackler]

Pretty much like the title says. We have 3 grizzly shapers. All 3 exhibit the same issue and it's about to drive me nuts. Basically, as the tail end of a piece of stock passes the cutter head, it dips (For lack of a better word) into the cutter, giving us an uneven profile. We have this problem with multiple Freeborn cutters. We have spent hours trying to square up the fence and are able to get it very very close, but still have this problem. We are using a power feeder to feed the stock, but it's still dipping into the cutter.

Any thoughts? I'm about ready to throw these things in the dump.

[James Biddle]

When you say dipping into the cutter, is the stock moving in towards cutter in the direction of the fence or the direction of the floor? First thing I would check it to make sure the angle of the power feeder isn't causing the problem. Then I would check to see it the fence halves are coplanar and the top is flat across it's length, depending on which way the stock is moving. No flex in the fence, right?

[Mel Fulks]

I've seen a number of those heavy fences that are just not straight. Some attribute that to castings that are not aged before machining. For most things I 've preferred my own shop -made fences. Many shops only use that type . I worked for years before ever seeing a factory made fence.

[Kevin Cackler]

James, yeah it's dipping into the cutter. Table is very consistently flat. My first thought was power feeder as well but I've literally spent 8 hours tweaking the power feeder angle and positioning and I always always get the stock being pulled into the cutter at the tail end.

Mel - Making our own fence was my next idea, but I wanted to make sure I couldn't make this work before going to that effort. Is there a generally accepted "best" design for shop made fences on a shaper?

[Mel Fulks]

No. And the wooden ones will,of course ,move too and often need a little shimming. But for repeated use I find the "dedicated " shop made fences easier to use. And not so danged heavy! Some use both types.

[Kevin Cackler]

Alright. Thanks for the advice. I'll go hack together a fence tomorrow and see if it helps.

[Mel Fulks]

I guess there is one common type,but just for small tooling; a piece of plywood (often with a glued on wood strip for quick re- straightening on the jointer) C- clamped to table top.

[Darcy Warner]

What are you making? Large cut?

Face cut? It happens on some shaper work.

[Kevin Cackler]

What are you making? Large cut?

Face cut? It happens on some shaper work.

We mostly experience the issue on our edge profiles (cabinet doors) and on our stile cutter. Our panel raising cutters have a one piece fence mounted to the cast iron and the fence goes below the cutter so that keeps the panel from being pulled in. I think we tried to come up with a similar set up for the edge profile cutters but for some reason couldn't make it work.

[Darcy Warner]

We mostly experience the issue on our edge profiles (cabinet doors) and on our stile cutter. Our panel raising cutters have a one piece fence mounted to the cast iron and the fence goes below the cutter so that keeps the panel from being pulled in. I think we tried to come up with a similar set up for the edge profile cutters but for some reason couldn't make it work.

It's just the nature of shapers, you butt your pieces you feed? The cutter will want to suck material into it a little.

Best I can offer is a long board screwed to both fences and push it into the cutter to create a 0 clearance fence set up.

[Bill Dufour]

Set the fences flat and run it over the jointer to make them parallel. Then adjust for depth of cut.
make sure the power feeder is pushing stock into outfeed fence not the infeed.
Bill D

[Kevin Cackler]

Now that's not something I've tried yet. That seems like a really easy way to get them in line with each other and compensate for that goofy cast iron

[Justin Ludwig]

Outboard fence, outboard fence, outboard fence.

[Bill Dufour]

Now that's not something I've tried yet. That seems like a really easy way to get them in line with each other and compensate for that goofy cast iron

Make sure the attachment bolt heads are tight and well below flush before jointing

[J.R. Rutter]

Outboard fence, outboard fence, outboard fence.

Amen, amen, amen.