Wood shaper reviews

[bella]

Hi,

I am new and would like some help from the members who have a wood shaper. Interested in rail and stiles and also raised panels. Want to get a 3 HP, 220v, single phase unit. Anyone have any recommendations especially to name brand, ease of set-up, and reliability?

Thank you,
Bella

 

[SteveColes]

Bella, the Help Desk forum is really meant for problems with the functioning of the site. SO I have moved Your Post to a more approriate forum.

Welcome to our site.:icon_thum If you haven't already, you might want to introduce yourself in the "Who We Are" forum.

BTW, I'm sure someone who knows something about shapers will be along shortly to start answering your question.

 

[b4man]

Hi Bella,
Welcome to NCWW! I'm no expert in anything however, I do have the Delta benchtop shaper and wouldn't waste my money on it again.

There will be other responses from guys with a lot more experience than I.
At least I wanted to tell you what not to buy!:no:

Barbara

 

[PeteQuad]

Hi bella, welcome to the site. I don't know much about shapers, but when I'm buying a piece of machinery I usually start out by checking out what's available on grizzly.com. It provides a good starting point regarding features and price points. Also, if you're planning to get a shaper, you might want to look into power feeders also.

 

[bella]

Thank you... what model Delta did you buy?

 

[tom hintz]

I have a few shaper reviews at the link below, including one on my Powermatic PM2700 that I like a bunch.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/index.html#shapers

 

[bella]

Thanks Tom. ..I read those earlier

 

[merrill77]

So I guess the obvious question is why not a router & table? Knowing the answer to that may help us answer your question more effectively. Most of us do rail & stile and raised panels on the router table. There is a much wider selection of bits readily available and they're less expensive. Are you setting up a production shop?

 

[bella]

Not setting up a shop but I want to make some kitchen cabinets. I have a router table but the higher speeds on the router(approx. 20,000 rpm) won't give the same results as the lower speeds on the shaper along with the other obvious features. Does anyone have any background with the Woodtek 3hp shaper with slide table?

 

[McRabbet]

Bella,

I'd like to suggest you invest in a good variable speed router like the one I have in my router table -- the Milwaukee 5625-20, a 3-1/2 HP workhorse. Our own Tom Hintz gave it a good review on his website at NewWoodworker.com. I've made lots of raised panel doors, rails, stiles and even glass doors with mine in a shop-built router table. At about $275, you will find it meets almost any demand and is much more versatile than a shaper. Router bits are generally 50-70% less expensive than shaper bits and you'll end up with a tool that will do lots more than a shaper. A router table can be as simple or complex as you want it to be and this router is easy to adjust from above the table. I have an old Rockwell-Delta medium duty shaper with a reversible motor, but I rarely use it. I can cut dados, rabbets (or in my case, McRabbets!), do roundovers, cove cuts, dovetail joints and more -- all more difficult operations on a shaper. Just my .02, but it is based on more than 30 years of woodworking.

 

[Marlin]

Get the Grizzly G1026
http://www.grizzly.com/products/3-HP-Shaper/G1026

Meets all the specs you posted and is less then $950 shipped.

It is the one I have and has PLENTY of power. I bought mine used so look to see if you can find a good used one that has been taken care of.

 

[scsmith42]

Get the Grizzly G1026
http://www.grizzly.com/products/3-HP-Shaper/G1026

Meets all the specs you posted and is less then $950 shipped.

quote]

I used to have a Griz 1026, and it was a good machine. IMO, a power feeder is a MUST with a shaper. It doesn't have to be a large one (I used this one on my 1026, and it's less than $400.00:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Baby-Power-Feeder/G4173

The power feeder will help keep your fingers away from the cutterheads, and provide for a smooth, consistent cut.

If budget is not much of an issue, consider a sliding table shaper. I replaced the 1026 with a tilting arbor, 5 hp sliding table shaper. I haven't used it yet, but I think that it will be a much better way for making panels, etc.

If you go the sliding table option, you won't need a power feeder for most panels; only if you plan on making longer boards such as trim, etc.

If you get a shaper (rather than a variable speed router), get a router bit adapter to go with it. That way you can use some of the less expensive (and more readily available) bits, as was previously recommended.

Scott

 

[bella]

Thank you. .. good input for me!

 

[Guy in Paradise]

Wood shaper use

I have the Grizzly 1026 and really like it. Get the Shaper Book by Lonnie Bird. It has a box design that fits over cutter for safety, that is just the ticket for protecting your fingers. You got to be careful with the bigger cutters, I find that plan on springboards and guides to do all of the work of keeping the piece aligned, then it will always turn out well. Good luck with your work.

 

[bella]

Re: Wood shaper use

Thank you!!!