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The first pic is the interchangeable spindles (though the bottom one is not for a delta shaper) the freeborn set is for cabinet doors, and the last us a "euro block" 40mm pin knife head. That one looks surprisingly like a limited head, but has appears to have different gibs to run without them..Originally Posted by Sam Abd
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Sam, your first photo shows interchangeable spindles or tooling with different bore sizes. The second shows a cope and stick set for square edge cabinet doors and the third a "Euro Block" head for edge shaping with the various steel cutters, of which many patterns are available.
I think crown moulding is better milled on a moulder. (I have done crown on a shaper but don't recommend it- a powerfeed is definitely required for safety).
If there is a class available it would be worth checking out. The shaper is one of the most versatile and potentially hazardous machines in the shop and not one you want to develop bad habits on. This series on Youtube may be helpful https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...ration+molzahn. I have only dipped into it but it is put out by a tech school in WI that offers a cabinetmaking program.
Last edited by Kevin Jenness; 01-27-2020 at 5:11 PM.
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Steve latta and Thaddeus stevens college have this series
Trigger warning(lockedge knives in use)
https://youtu.be/kzsNjrIyyDE
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I'm 35 minutes south of Worcester.
I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but I would be willing to show you the basics.
We have pretty much the same machine, I have a 43-375,so I do know your machine.
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I would be a little leery of the set in the third picture. The knife in the head has an aweful lot of knife projection and no limiters. Limiters are a second set of matching blanks on the backside that only allow so much of a cut in one rotation so that in a grab the piece is less likely to get suck in, with your fingers. That is not a set I would feed by hand. Speaking of, if you don't have one, start looking around for a power feeder. The 1/4hp small feeders can be found cheaply[not the baby feeder] and will do the job fine on a small shaper.
Learn how to make one piece dedicated fences, split fences flex and that is how catches start.
No short pieces, certianly not until you are comfortable with the machine and not with split fences.
If something does not feel right, don't do it.
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I was making simple Arts and Crafts style moldings, most everything I did used either the Amana replaceable insert cutter or the Amana adjustable chamfer cutter. Before all cabinets became "shaker" I did a fair amount with cove cutters and door profile cutters. For small projects now I mostly use my router, getting a safe setup on the shaper takes me quite a while and isn't worth the effort. But, as I said, I really don't know what I'm doing with the machine.
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I thought it was just me. Last seven kitchens.......
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Biggest change I had to make coming from a router table was dealing with larger cutters.
With cutters up method I had to learn to deal with what is essentially a hole in the table. Cutters more than a few inches in diameter provide no iron bed underneath to stabilize the cut. Lots of chatter.
I learned a few years later that with cutters down I could have a full cast iron bed below for the whole length of the cut. Much cleaner cuts.
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you might want to check out North Bennet St. School in Boston. They used to offer private lessons and the quality of instructors and equipment is excellent based on my experience
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Mike
I make ZCI's for the table, and fence, of my 43-375. The ZCI for the fence is more or less sacrificial. The ZCI for the table can last a long time, or until you change to a different diameter cutter. Most of my cutters are now ~4", but I still have a lot of 2-1/2" to 3" cutters. I pretty much did everything by hand feeding for many, many, years,so a ZCI was a necessity. I have a power feeder now, but I still use ZCI's. What a difference!!!
"The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)
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Other Mike:
But even with a ZCI the cutter itself is a virtual hole while spinning.
Cutters down eliminated chatter for me.
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Talk to your local VoTech or Adult Ed programs and see what is available in addition to anything anyone familiar with shapers can teach you. I've been doing woodworking on the side for probably 50 years and that includes having a shaper. Shapers are very verstile and useful tools but have both positive and negatives compared to router tables. I've used a router table before but prefer using a shaper unless you are using actual router bit. Shapers IMO don't handle the speed required for router bits but then again a router is not reversible nor can they handle cutters with the size or stacking options available with a shaper.
Just some thoughts.
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