Outfitting a Delta Shaper

[Mike Stelts]

I'm the new owner of a Delta 3Hp shaper (43-375), feeder, and 30 cutters, picked up at an estate auction. I cleaned it up and made my first cut tonight. Wow. A fancy pattern went through cherry in one pass without burning. I'm ready to match trim in my 200-year-old house without using hand planes (or the router table). Now that I'm hooked, I'm looking for opinions on where to buy cutters and whether there's a place to get replacement table inserts and feeder wheels.

Thanks.

[Bill Dufour]

Watch ebay. You can get a lightly used cope and stick set with 3/4 bore for under 100. More professional types will say buy a tool block and then knife sets to match. Fully expect to pay more on cutters then you paid for the machine. Think about a vertical panel raiser rather then a regular horizontal type.
Bill D

[Jared Sankovich]

What are trying to make (that will dictate cutter suggestions)

Western roller for the feeder wheels

[Mike Cutler]

I'm the new owner of a Delta 3Hp shaper (43-375), feeder, and 30 cutters, picked up at an estate auction. I cleaned it up and made my first cut tonight. Wow. A fancy pattern went through cherry in one pass without burning. I'm ready to match trim in my 200-year-old house without using hand planes (or the router table). Now that I'm hooked, I'm looking for opinions on where to buy cutters and whether there's a place to get replacement table inserts and feeder wheels.

Thanks.

Mike
I have the same shaper. Like you, I purchased mine with quite an assortment of cutters, which I'll probably never use.
Most of the cutters I have purchased came from Amazon. I've been using the Amana brand cutters. I buy 1-1/4" cutters and use a T-bushing adapter. There is very little demand for used 3/4" cutters, and there are many more options, and suppliers, available in 1-1/4" cutters.
If you're just starting out, look at infinity and Amana line of aluminum "euro block" cutter systems. They're really nice and the rotational mass of aluminum versus steel, will compliment the smaller motor size and power of your shaper nicely.
The feeder wheels can be replaced by any number for sources. Western Roller has replacement for just about every feeder.
The table insert you'll have to find on eBay. There are often folks that buy used machines and break them down, and sell the parts. To be honest though, you'll probably find that the inserts are off the table, more than on, during use. I use a ZCI with mine.
You're going to find that there a world of difference between a router table and a shaper.
Congrat's on your new shop addition.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Mike, you'll like having a shaper, try to find "MAN" rated cutters which provide increased safety through reduced incidence of kickback. This can be through body design or the use of chip limiters ahead of the knives.

The three cutters I use the most are

- a 125mm carbide rebate head for rebating, tenoning and pattern copying.


- an adjustable groove for slotting, my set is reversible and can cut both sides of a tenon in one pass

- a 40mm "Euroblock" with chip limiters and HSS knives for profiling.

Regards, Rod.

[Mike Stelts]

Thanks for the Western Roller tip, Jared - you saved many hours of searching.
Does anyone know where to find table inserts?

After searching Sawmill for "shaper" yielded almost no hits - I learned to use Advanced Search and found a trove of information. I was wondering why nobody wrote about shapers . Much more reading to do...

Since I already have 29 cutters and at least as many spacer and shims, I was interested in a quality supplier of basic carbide shapes. My first project is matching exterior window trim. For this one, I'm missing the right size round-over that can inset, cut the inside corners. It looks like the common router names are the way to go - Freud, Amana, Whiteside, others?

Regarding Rod's Euroblock suggestion, I now understand there are two options:
1) Build profiles from the carbide profiles I have, buying what's missing
2) Buy a Euroblock and the knives that match the profile I need

I still must test the panel raisers to learn if one matches interior doors. What's the advantage of vertical panel raisers?

[Bill Dufour]

A vertical panel raiser is a lot less scary when running. It can also be used to champher a edge like to form a drip edge. But the board has to stay tight against the fence and not tilt or it will show. hard to do with a bigger panel. If you have a 1+1/4" spindle not really a problem.
Bil lD

[Mike Stelts]

Thanks, everyone. I ended up typing my previous response for so long that I didn't read all your responses. I'm all set, unless someone has a suggestion:
Rollers - Western Roller
Inserts - Don't worry about it (and I'll sand out the chunks in what I have).
Carbide cutters - Amana, buy 1 1/4"
Euroblock - Infinity, Amana, also Whitehall (from separate post)
Panel raiser - Look at vertical options

[brent stanley]

Thanks, everyone. I ended up typing my previous response for so long that I didn't read all your responses. I'm all set, unless someone has a suggestion:
Rollers - Western Roller
Inserts - Don't worry about it (and I'll sand out the chunks in what I have).
Carbide cutters - Amana, buy 1 1/4"
Euroblock - Infinity, Amana, also Whitehall (from separate post)
Panel raiser - Look at vertical options

Hi Mike, welcome to the land of shapers! I'm going to suggest that you'll want to opt for smaller diameter blocks with what is a very light machine. The smaller Euroblock Rod suggests is a great option though even it will be capable of more of a cut than your machine should be doing IMO. Not a problem, you'll just have to be disciplined about taking two passes with larger cuts. I always suggest the small Whitehill combi block because it's a 40mm euroblock (using knives available in North America ) as well as a shear cut rebate block for much less than the price of individual blocks, with no compromise in performance.

[Mike Stelts]

Thanks for the Euroblock advice. I didn't recognize that 3Hp is small in the "land of shapers". I was overconfident after it breezed through this piece of cherry with nary a burn
Attachment 441148.Attachment 441147

[Jared Sankovich]

Thanks for the Euroblock advice. I didn't recognize that 3Hp is small in the "land of shapers". I was overconfident after it breezed through this piece of cherry with nary a burn
Attachment 441148.Attachment 441147

Its not so much the hp, but the overall heft under the table. The issue is trying to run a head too big for the machine. Staying in the 3.5 to 4" diameter range max od will keep the shaper (and you) happy.

The delta HDs may be small in the world of shapers but they are still a huge step up from a router.

[Mel Fulks]

Agree there is little demand for the old 3/4 bore cutters. Although once, at a yard sale ,a guy demanded I take them for
free . I refused. But I've only used work place shapers. So spin 'em if you got 'em.

[Joe Calhoon]

That was my first shaper when I started in 1976. It is a light shaper but capable for a lot of things. Especially restoring old houses for yourself.
they work best with the small 3 wing cutters. Using larger cutters will eat the bearings.
i would suggest finding the old Delta book “Getting the most out of your shaper”. Look on eBay

I made my first window sash on that using the Delta stub spindle. I would never consider building windows like that now but you have to start somewhere. I see a lot of these old cutters and such on EBay and the OWWM.

[Alex Zeller]

I know this is against the popular opinion but I wouldn't shy away from 3/4" cutters. I guess you could look at it like "I may sell them down the road" and people don't want 3/4" cutters but I look at it like this. 1 1/4" cutters will fit a larger shaper, if I was to upgrade. However if I did upgrade I would most likely sell my 3hp shaper and extra cutters would make selling it that much easier. 3/4" are cheaper and they play well with a 3hp motor.

If you've never had one learn how to use the powerfeeder. Once you do you'll love it. It's probably the safest addition to a shaper.

[Mark Bolton]

My advice is, other than falling on some too good to pass up cutter buys, dont buy anything until you have a dedicated need for it. Far too many want to buy a few "starter" cutters and so on, none of which will do what you really need them to do when you need them. Buy tooling as you have a specific use. Scanning ebay or auctions can land you a ton of 3/4" bore tooling that if you have the cash to burn, and the cash to send them out for re-sharps, may be worthwhile if the price is right. But other than dirt cheap steal deals I would just invest in a small euroblock or corrugated type head that you can buy cheap knives for or have specific knives ground cheap, and keep your money in your pocket.

Dont over-rate this "MAN rated" goofiness either. You have a feeder. Unless your going to be hand/MANually feeding parts (which you will never do unless absolutely necessary having the feeder) you will never need it. Is it fine, sure, would I pass up some good tooling at a dirt cheap price? No. We landed a pile (like 40 cutters) that we will never use at the last auction for $20. Some need re-sharp, some are fine. I dont run 3/4 bore.. so they all went away.