Used shaper - did I make the right choice

[John Ziebron]

Although I still like and use the router table I made 40 years ago I was thinking of adding a shaper to my collection. I had never owned or used a shaper before and decided to look for a used one since I figured I don't have the projects (at least at this time) or longevity left to purchase new.

After about a month of looking on CL a couple of shapers came up for sale. Each were being sold for $200. One was a 1HP Jet that came with a fair assortment of cutters and the other was a 2HP Woodtek that came with a 5" Freud ogee panel raising cutter and a couple of AMT slot cutters. I did some research and decided to go for the Woodtek.

The fellow I bought it from was the second owner and only had it for about a year just to make some new kitchen cabinet doors. Although he did not mention this in his ad, I discovered when I went to look at it that it was a sliding model, the WK-2AL. The unit was in very good condition for it's age and all the spindles and tools came with it. I sometimes try and talk the price down on CL items but didn't have the heart to do it this time.

I had to clean the unit up a little and re-adjust the sliding table to be flush. The wood fence pieces were not in too good a shape and after taking them off and checking the machined surfaces I decided they could be a little more precise for parallel and squareness. I am fortunate to also be a metal worker and machinist and have a small surface grinder which corrected all the issues. The location I chose for the shaper wouldn't require it to be on casters (probably for the best in this case) but I did make bottom platform which adds some weight and allows for easy leveling. Surprisingly, the cabinet bottom flange did not have any holes for leveling feet.

The seller didn't have the manual but I was able to find an electronic copy on line. My earlier research said the manual was not very good and it turns out they were right. Thankfully, there are some good instructional YouTube videos.

I actually haven't used it yet. In fact, I still have to make some wooden fences for it. But it is now in it's "final" resting place and hooked up to my DC. Let me know if you think I made the right choice.

[Rick Potter]

Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on a very good buy. You couldn't even buy a router lift for that price.

[Carl Beckett]

I actually haven't used it yet. In fact, I still have to make some wooden fences for it. But it is now in it's "final" resting place and hooked up to my DC. Let me know if you think I made the right choice.

'It depends...'

The choice to just buy one and see whether it is useful is great imo, as long as you have the space and time for it. If it doesnt play out you just resell it.

I did the same. Actually bought two shapers, one was not for the shapers but for the cutters as I learned used shapers are cheap and plentiful and cutters not so much. I kept it a few years, almost never used it, and then sold it and made a few $ in the process. I now have an all-in-on with a shaper that I am going down the same path on, but none of the cutters fit the spindle on the new machine so onto CL they go.

My experience: Cutters are expensive. You might want to read up on feeders as a complement for safety and quality purposes. Another expense (more than the shaper!)

So it will be interesting to see how it goes for you. For smaller stuff I still have a workhorse of a router table and like it. I want to find/mount a feeder on the shaper (as much for safety as anything). And am looking for a rabbeting cutter or slitter or combo profile insert head for the shaper. But it has been a while and I still have used the shaper function very little....

[Mike Cutler]

John

Yes, you made the right choice.
With exception, you will find that a router mounted in a table is no substitute for a shaper. The exception being small radius work with templates. A router bit is much smaller in diameter, than the smallest shaper cutters. They do however make router bit adapters for shapers.
I am going to say upfront, that 5" diameter panel raiser cutter is probably about the limit for that machine. That's a big solid piece of metal spinning, with a lot of energy at the outer circumference.
As for cutters, I would venture to say that in a small home shop setting, the majority of the use will be straight cutters and glue joint type cutters. Add in a rebate head with scorers and you're probably set. Cabinet profiles would be an individual preference.
To cut a lot of cost for cutter heads down, and facilitate profile edge work, invest in an insert head. CMT, Amana, Infinity, Freud, etc, all make an insert cutter head system. The CMT is an aluminum head which reduces the energy required to spin the cutter block,.. For a small home shaper this can be important. These companies also have insert panel raising cutter systems also, should you ever want to go that route. Some of these come as "starter sets", if you will, that include an insert selection of common profiles, glue joints, straights.
If you got that machine for $200.00, and it spins, regardless of the cutters it came with, you did very well. You were right in my opinion to pass on the 1HP machine. HP is your friend with respect to the shaper.
I just bought my first power feeder after using a shaper for many years without one. I still haven't actually used it, but am looking forward to it.

Here is a link to probably the best video on the net for using a shaper without a power feeder. Lots of safe solutions for working "manually".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n6yTHMBX54

Here is a link to one of the worst videos. It's surprising these guys still have all of their finger tips.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb3JdPx50Y4

[brent stanley]

Hi John, I think you made out just fine for a small machine. The sliding table is a real bonus!

The small combi head from Whitehill Tools is perfect for smaller machines as it combines (for cosiderable cost savings!) a multi-profile head that takes replaceable knives with the other most heavily used cutterhead in the shop.....the rebate block. It's also a MAN rated chip-limiting style which meets the strictest European safety standards for tooling.

The rebate block is a shear-cut style for very clean cuts with spurs for clean inside corners. The limiter head takes the most commonly available 40mm knives but also their 55mm knives in hundreds of profiles off-the-shelf or custom knives can be ground for you. You can also buy a set of 5 knives from them for a discount, but unlike other companies, you can choose the profiles you want so you don't end up with knives you never use.

I own one and use it all the time, so fire off any questions you might have,

Brent
B

[Richard Coers]

I've owned several shapers over my 45 years of woodworking. When I ran a small pro shop, they were only used for raised panel cutters. I did a ton of custom work, and found the price of tooling not a good value for the short runs. All cope and stick were done on a big router table. I detest running a router bit in a shaper. The shaper just doesn't have the spindle speed to get a good quality cut with a cutter designed to run at 20,000 rpm.

[brent stanley]

I've owned several shapers over my 45 years of woodworking. When I ran a small pro shop, they were only used for raised panel cutters. I did a ton of custom work, and found the price of tooling not a good value for the short runs. All cope and stick were done on a big router table. I detest running a router bit in a shaper. The shaper just doesn't have the spindle speed to get a good quality cut with a cutter designed to run at 20,000 rpm.

Richard were you getting custom brazed for each short run? That will get expensive in a hurry.

Now a days with the Euroblock style head you can get knives for less than the cost of a good router bit that will give you better results often than a router bit.

https://onlinesupply.ca/Drilling-Cut...cutters?page=2

I usually use Whitehill steel because the quality of grinding and steel is much higher, but the cheaper knives above certainly have their role in the industry.

B

[Mike Wilkins]

You did good. I also recently added a shaper to my shop to supplement my router table, but have yet to fire it up. I am in the process of expanding my shop size.
After checking various suppliers, I find that the shaper cutters are more expensive than what I paid for my shaper.
And you got a sliding table as an added bonus; great for end grain and tenon cutting.
Enjoy!!