Shaper w/Router Bits: Good Idea or Recipe for Regret?

[Steve H Graham]

I'm looking to upgrade my Harbor Freight welding table, and I am cheap. Guy near me is advertising a Powermatic shaper with the spindle and motor removed. Cost: $100. This thing has a 30" by 40" cast iron table with a T-slot, and weld spatter does not stick to cast iron, so I am tempted.

Question: is a shaper with a router bit adaptor an acceptable substitute for a router, or is it a headache? I could see myself getting a real welding table in the future and converting the shaper back to woodworking use, but if it's a bad tool for router-type jobs, I would not want to bother.

I don't think I'll ever have much interest in big shaper-type jobs.

[Steve Mathews]

My experience has been that weld splatter still sticks to cast iron but not as much compared to steel. After using the shaper table for welding I doubt you will want to use it for a shaper again unless it is surface ground. For an improved and almost ideal welding table I'm considering the cast iron fixture plates made by Fireball. They can be assembled to whatever size table needed.

https://fireballtool.com/universal-c...fixture-plate/

[Steve H Graham]

The Fireball Tools plates look great, but a set for a small table would cost $1680 plus shipping. That's with no legs or casters. I would end up spending over $2000.

For that kind of money, I could have a Fabblock table plus legs and casters, plus a lot of clamps and stuff.

Either table makes the $100 option look good.

I wonder why anyone would remove all the moving parts from a shaper. I think they'll have a hard time selling the empty cabinet.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Steve, I have used router bits in a shaper and they work OK, especially if you get a shaper with a high speed spindle in the 15 to 17,000 RPM range.

That said, the router bits don't work anywhere near as well as shaper cutters do in the shaper.........I think it would make a nice flat welding bench however.........Rod.

[Steve Mathews]

I wonder why anyone would remove all the moving parts from a shaper. I think they'll have a hard time selling the empty cabinet.

There's (empty cabinet) the lower half of your table.

[andy bessette]

...is a shaper with a router bit adaptor an acceptable substitute for a router...

No. The shaper will not spin fast enough.

[Michael Todrin]

If you got a router lift and a router it would be a fantastic router table. A cast iron router table top is a lot more than $100.

[andy bessette]

...A cast iron router table top is a lot more than $100.

I made mine from an old table saw top and some 3/4" aluminum square bar.

[Jeff Duncan]

No. The shaper will not spin fast enough.

Sure it will. In fact it's even better for larger diameter bits that get kinda hairy on the router. For smaller bits, (think anything small enough you could use a laminate trimmer), definitely not ideal, but it will still work with a slower feed.

For the record I have a router table and use one of my shapers with bits as well. The whole 'shapers won't spin fast enough' is a myth perpetuated for reasons I don't understand.

good luck,
JeffD

[Mike Cutler]

I'm looking to upgrade my Harbor Freight welding table, and I am cheap. Guy near me is advertising a Powermatic shaper with the spindle and motor removed. Cost: $100. This thing has a 30" by 40" cast iron table with a T-slot, and weld spatter does not stick to cast iron, so I am tempted.

Question: is a shaper with a router bit adaptor an acceptable substitute for a router, or is it a headache? I could see myself getting a real welding table in the future and converting the shaper back to woodworking use, but if it's a bad tool for router-type jobs, I would not want to bother.

I don't think I'll ever have much interest in big shaper-type jobs.

Jeff
I am assuming that the motor and spindle are part of the price, but that they're just not currently installed??
Either way, for a $100.00, I don't see how you can go wrong. Worst outcome is that you end up with a large, flat, metal surface. You can't make a surface that size, that cheap.
Yes, a shaper can spin a router bit. Larger router bits run at 10,000-12,000 rpm. A shaper runs at this speed. Smaller bits can be used, but you have to get a feel for feed rate. They're designed to run twice as fast as a shaper. They do work though.

[Mike Kees]

I have to agree with Jeff. I have a 3 h.p. Steel City shaper that I use with a euro block head ,a rebate head and router bits. It is a problem solver to be able to use all the different tooling and router bits on this machine. Just cut slower,sure don't miss the noise of a router. Steve that old shaper would make a great welding table,I am using an old Unisaw like that right now.

[johnny means]

Router bits need high RPMs for clean cutting. Feeding slower does not negate the effect of slow spindle speeds. Three inch panel raisers may work alright, but regular sized bits will be almost useless.

[Edward Dyas]

I'm looking to upgrade my Harbor Freight welding table, and I am cheap. Guy near me is advertising a Powermatic shaper with the spindle and motor removed. Cost: $100. This thing has a 30" by 40" cast iron table with a T-slot, and weld spatter does not stick to cast iron, so I am tempted.

Question: is a shaper with a router bit adaptor an acceptable substitute for a router, or is it a headache? I could see myself getting a real welding table in the future and converting the shaper back to woodworking use, but if it's a bad tool for router-type jobs, I would not want to bother.

I don't think I'll ever have much interest in big shaper-type jobs.

Weld splatter can roughen the top of cast iron. I think you would be unhappy with the results of a router adapter in a shaper. A shaper turns at a lower rpm than a router so it would be like running a router at half speed.

[Jim Andrew]

I use my Freud rail bit in my Grizzly shaper with an adapter. Then I use the matching cope cutter in my router table. Do use the slowest speed on my feeder, and the shaper can be speeded up, as the Grizzly is variable speed.

[Stewart Lang]

I also disagree with the whole myth that the shaper spins too slow. I frequently use 1/16" and 1/8" roundover router bits on my shaper and they work great. If you're having problems with the router bits on the shaper, it's because they're not sharp, probably because you're using a cheap bit. I'll take a sharp, slow-spinning bit over a dull, fast-spinning one any day.

Whiteside bits are awesome. Have them sent in and sharpened by a company like Ridge Carbide, and they'll cut like butter at any speed, even better than new.