Question
I am looking at buying a three horse power shaper with a power feeder for making my raised panels. For the past five years I have used a router table for this. My business is growing by the day and the router is getting worn out, again. I have made several hundred doors with it and its time to move up.
The shaper has available a router bit collet for using router bits. Will the big raised panel router bits work well with a shaper or should I forget about them and purchase actual shaper cutters. Also, what other benefits can I expect from moving up to a shaper? I build about ten kitchens a year along with entertainment centers and built-ins. What shaper would you buy?
Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor G:
If you just want to raise panels buy the cheapest one. Get one with 1.25" bore and get the shaper cutter to match. I’d recommend an insert type head so you can run MDF panels or solid wood just by changing the inserts. I use a Byrd insert, but there are many others.
If you also want to do the cope and stick I'd get one with a slider also although you could use a coping sled. Only some of the more expensive shapers spin a router bit at fast enough rpm to be useful for all your work. You’ll get a better cut/product with the larger cutting circle of a 1.25" bore shaper cutter (also usually have a 3rd wing).
I don’t like the way the plywood stains. I use 3/4" combicore oak and birch plywood. The reason for the shaper is because the Dewalt 3 hp routers i use need to be rebuilt every couple of years. Plus I would like to expand my production by making more of my own moldings. I may be a small operation but my many, very happy customers think what I do is very special.
There is nothing worse than having to change spindles all the time. I have a 4HP +/-, 3/4" spindle shaper that I bought 4 years ago when I moved from a router table. I hate even turning on the router table now.
I bought nothing but 1.25" cutters for it and I use tee bushings to make up the difference (my spindle isn’t changeable).
I did this so when I upgrade my shaper to a larger model (I’m sure this will happen) I can do everything with a 1.25" spindle and I won’t have to change the spindle at all. I have friends in the trade that have 3/4", 1" and 1.25" cutters that they built up over the years and they always moan about changing out the spindles. I hoped to avoid that. Remember they are going to last a long time compared to router bits.
Introducing a T bushing in the assembly will at the least double this play. With accurately machined bushings and quality tools this should be negligible, but if there is no compelling reason to use a bushing, then why go there?
The smaller diameter tools are a better match for this caliber of machine as well. Not to mention the price difference as others have pointed out between the small and large cutters. The point regarding moving into a larger machine is valid but based on the text of the original post this seems unlikely for the near future. If he does move up at some point it would make more sense to keep this machine as a second given its small footprint and initial investment.
I still have all my cutters and they look like ill have them for a long time yet. Who said he had enough SF for 2 shapers? Also, I never had any problem with T bushings. I got two long sets and a short doubl-end (long set has one short and one long) with this combination I have never been stuck. I do all custom stuff from storms to kitchens and entry doors. So I have tried lots of things on it.
As for the bore size it really depends on what you’re doing. The larger bore allows you to use bigger cutters down the road. I believe you also get a cleaner cut from the larger diameter cutters, but of course you pay more too.
I have three shapers currently shoehorned into my 2k square foot shop, though the only spindle I've used to date is the 3/4". I don't really do bigger stuff so haven't invested in any larger cutters yet
The deals are out there if you’re patient. Shapers are pretty simple for the most part, make sure the spindle has no play in it and it looks like it's been taken care of. My experience has been good in that most of the used machines I've bought required less work than the new ones. And with used shapers you'll usually get either a feeder for a low price, or cutters thrown in, or sometimes both.
