Educate me on Shapers

[Jared Sankovich]

Jared

If those are your cutter heads, I'd ask how you like that Amana spiral jointing head. I've been looking at getting one. Some real world feedback would be appreciated.

It works great. Leaves a really nice finish, grain direction isn't big concern. Overall I'd give it 4 out of 4.

I just wish it came in a taller 100 to 125mm version

[Nick Lazz]

I have the 5HP Powermatic 27S ... I believe it is 7000 and 10000 rpm
I think the combi head is a definite must for me. Adjustable groovers I assume you are referring to the two piece heads with spacer.. I would be interested in those as well as a panel raiser.

[Nick Lazz]

Chris - check public auctions. I've used www.publicsurplus.com, there may be other options in your area. I bought my shaper from a school and won it in an auction. It was a few years old, but was never used. I purchased a powerfeed seperately.

Nick

[brent stanley]

I have the 5HP Powermatic 27S ... I believe it is 7000 and 10000 rpm
I think the combi head is a definite must for me. Adjustable groovers I assume you are referring to the two piece heads with spacer.. I would be interested in those as well as a panel raiser.

Hi Nick, most of the adjustable groovers are two-piece, but some are three and yes they use shims and spacers to fine tune the groove width. I have a wobble saw for thinner grooves as they are much cheaper but can still be MAN rated and perform just fine for most work, though I will be getting a three-piece adjustable groover before too long. They are a more refined tool.

Let me know if you have any questions about the combi heads. I have and use both almost every day. Jack Forsberg who is on SMC said to me the other day his Combi head hasn't been off his shaper in ages!

B

[Nick Lazz]

I have tons...just not sure what they are yet!

Here's one: If you were starting from scratch with my shaper, I assume you would get the 125mm combi head with 1-1/4" bore. What inserts / knives would you get for that head that are must haves?
Which adjustable groover would you have to have?

I'm just curious what you use the most or what you may have found was useful that may have surprised you...I also want recommendations.
Thanks!

[brent stanley]

I have tons...just not sure what they are yet!

Here's one: If you were starting from scratch with my shaper, I assume you would get the 125mm combi head with 1-1/4" bore. What inserts / knives would you get for that head that are must haves?
Which adjustable groover would you have to have?

I'm just curious what you use the most or what you may have found was useful that may have surprised you...I also want recommendations.
Thanks!

It's tough because the larger head is the most versatile and capable for sure but you'll have to ask around to see if your machine has the heft to run a 125x50mm steel block as I've never seen your machine in person before. The larger one will let you run thicker steel for more complex profiles but also being a larger diameter, some say will produce a better cut though that's not universally accepted.

The smaller one is great and you can run the very commonly available 40mm knives that are readily available from CMT, Dimar etc but also the 55mm knives that Whitehill sells which of course gives you more profile but significantly will often give you room for both cope and stick on one knife. The nice thing about Whitehill is for both options you can get the head with 5 sets of knives for a discount, but Whitehill lets YOU pick the knives instead of telling you what you want like a lot of companies do.

If you mate the combi with a matching bearing you have a great template cutter.

As for which knives to get with it......that's a tough one. I'd suggest a knife with 4 roundover radiuses (radii?), a glue joint cutter, a bull nose, one with a couple different beads and maybe one with t&g for mission doors but it'll depend on what you're going to get up to.

Cheers
Brent

[Jared Sankovich]

I have yet to find one profile I use more than others (short of specific moulding runs)
20181229_095751.jpg

[brent stanley]

I have yet to find one profile I use more than others (short of specific moulding runs)
20181229_095751.jpg

I know what you mean, it's hard to say. If I had to pick one it would be my knife with four different radii on it because it's sort of like four knives in one!

B

[Mark Bolton]

My personal experience has been that its bad to try to anticipate "the best" profiles. You may get some straight, chamfering, round over, coves, that can fit a few different options with height and cutter exposure but its just best to buy cutters as you specifically need them. Inevitably you will buy a knife that you think will be handy and youll have cash tied up in the drawer than never or rarely gets mounted. With shipping nowadays its nothing to have a new profile in the shop in a few days.

[Jared Sankovich]

I know what you mean, it's hard to say. If I had to pick one it would be my knife with four different radii on it because it's sort of like four knives in one!

B

Actually now that you mention that, I have a knife with 8, 10 and 12mm bull nose profiles. It gets used for dominos and quirk beads. Likely my most used profile.

[Van Huskey]

It works great. Leaves a really nice finish, grain direction isn't big concern. Overall I'd give it 4 out of 4.

I just wish it came in a taller 100 to 125mm version

Byrd has 4" versions and Amana makes that huge one over 7" tall.

RE the Combi head does it allow you to use the 40mm Euro block knives WITHOUT limiters? I have a bunch of these.

[Jared Sankovich]

Byrd has 4" versions and Amana makes that huge one over 7" tall.

RE the Combi head does it allow you to use the 40mm Euro block knives WITHOUT limiters? I have a bunch of these.

Yeah the 4" diameter are plentiful, I just wish the amana 68mm version was a bit taller.

The whitehill head needs blanks/spacers to work if you don't run the limiters.

[Nick Lazz]

It's tough because the larger head is the most versatile and capable for sure but you'll have to ask around to see if your machine has the heft to run a 125x50mm steel block as I've never seen your machine in person before. The larger one will let you run thicker steel for more complex profiles but also being a larger diameter, some say will produce a better cut though that's not universally accepted.

The smaller one is great and you can run the very commonly available 40mm knives that are readily available from CMT, Dimar etc but also the 55mm knives that Whitehill sells which of course gives you more profile but significantly will often give you room for both cope and stick on one knife. The nice thing about Whitehill is for both options you can get the head with 5 sets of knives for a discount, but Whitehill lets YOU pick the knives instead of telling you what you want like a lot of companies do.

If you mate the combi with a matching bearing you have a great template cutter.

As for which knives to get with it......that's a tough one. I'd suggest a knife with 4 roundover radiuses (radii?), a glue joint cutter, a bull nose, one with a couple different beads and maybe one with t&g for mission doors but it'll depend on what you're going to get up to.

Cheers
Brent

My machine is 5hp....anyone know?

I assume it would.

[brent stanley]

Byrd has 4" versions and Amana makes that huge one over 7" tall.

RE the Combi head does it allow you to use the 40mm Euro block knives WITHOUT limiters? I have a bunch of these.

Hi Van, yes, they come with slugs you can insert in the limiter slots if you want. Many of the safety aspects of the head will be null if you do that of course so the manufacturer wouldn't officially recommend it.....

[Van Huskey]

Yeah the 4" diameter are plentiful, I just wish the amana 68mm version was a bit taller.

The whitehill head needs blanks/spacers to work if you don't run the limiters.

I should have been more clear, Byrd makes a 3" OD version with a 4" cut so it is a little larger diameter but not much.

Looking at the Combi head it appeared that you would have to run something on the other side of the cutters just wasn't sure if they had spacers for it or if it did indeed require an actual limiter. Thanks!