Times UP - I need a 3hp shaper - recommendations please

[Sam Murdoch]

After all this time I say UNCLE. I need a 3HP shaper for an upcoming project (80+ hard maple cabinet and pantry doors) that will require repeatable, accurate and solid results way to join rails and stiles on all these doors. I will certainly find other uses for the shaper though I have resisted making the commitment to owning one. I have no solid idea yet as to where I will stand this new machine in my very small shop. Might be a use and sell deal if I can't find a spot to store in between rollouts to use.

I'm expecting to spend $1,500.00 +. I have looked on CL in ME and MA for a used shaper but can only find 3HP JET (at nearly new cost) or smaller shapers. I'd rather buy new in any case, for the warranty, especially if there is a consideration that after this job I would sell it.

• Recommendations for the best I can buy in that price range.

• Grizzly, Delta, Jet, Laguna - any others? Are they basically all alike with minor refinements or differences?

or the WoodTek 2HP from Woodworker's Supply?

• Don't have room for a 5HP - barely can make room for the 3HP - will definitely be on a mobile base.

• Don't really have any desire to spend that kind of money on a router lift set up.

• 240V expected

• I already have some heads and insert knives from the old days

Please and thank you for any feedback. I appreciate your time.

Any one have one for sale Me, NH, MA ???


Cheers, Sam

[Darcy Warner]

Better budget for a feeder as well.

[Cary Falk]

I'm not a shaper expert by any means but a good fence to me is everything. I started out with a Grizzly G1026. The fence adjustments always were a pain and the spindles were also. When I went to upgrade I looked at PM, Jet, Laguna, , Baileigh and Grizzly. The upper models of the grizzly didn't look like thy had a much better fence then I already had. I lusted after the PM2700 but it was too much money. The Jet JWS-35x3 had a fence very similar to the PM2700. I also didn't care for the fence design of the Baileigh. I liked the Laguna Pro Shaper 5hp, but I was worried their CS. I ended up going with the Laguna because Woodcraft was having a sale, they are currently having 10% now, and it was cheaper then Jet and PM. The Laguna is really a close copy of the PM. The manual is obviously a copy of the PM with some things changed. There are pictures of the PM fence in it and it talks about adjustments that are not available on the Laguna.

I am very happy with the Laguna. The spindle and fence are easy to adjust. It also has a lot of other nice features. I posted a bunch of pictures on here when I got it. I am not trying to steer you to the Laguna. I am just giving you a reference. I normally don't recommend Jet because I think they are overpriced but Jet JWS 35x3 might work for you.

[David Kumm]

I think your budget is low for what you are trying to do. Hard maple in quantity will take forever with the multiple passes a 3 hp shaper will take. You are spinning big cutters and it is worth some mass to the quill and a good feeder. 3 hp is fine for hobby work but a 5 hp with a good fence and shaper is more in the 4K range. Dave

[David Eisenhauer]

I agree with what David K says in reference to budget, but I was able to use a 3hp Weaver set up (one shaper only, not the four shaper setup recommended) specifically to turn out raised panels for cabinet doors, furniture case sides, etc in my very small commercial shop for many years. I did not have a power feeder, due to shop size constraints, but I made lots of raised panel doors out of harder woods such as pecan in a one-pass operation that worked well. Slightly softer woods went quicker, harder woods went slower. I used steel cutters. Certainly 5hp and a power feeder (especially) would be desirable, but sometimes you have to go slower.

[Sam Murdoch]

You don't think that a rail and stile cutters set will go through 3/4" stock in one pass - all 4-1/2" wide stock? No raised panel work - just ply panels.
I simply cannot house a 5 hp machine or a power feeder, so the 3HP are my only options. I know there is a compromise but this would be the hardest work I will ever put it through (or put through it).

[brent stanley]

You don't think that a rail and stile cutters set will go through 3/4" stock in one pass - all 4-1/2" wide stock? No raised panel work - just ply panels.
I simply cannot house a 5 hp machine or a power feeder, so the 3HP are my only options. I know there is a compromise but this would be the hardest work I will ever put it through (or put through it).

Hi, I'm going to take a different position that some others. I have made many many oak and maple kitchen doors with my 2HP Wadkin Bursgreen shaper. I feed the machine on one end and My wife grabs them on the other end and we do hundreds of them that way with no problem. The real problem with a lower powered machine is if you're panel raising. I raise panels on mine, but two passes at the lowest speed for sure, so that will hit your production. If you're not raising panels that often (or don't expect to) you can get away with the smaller unit. I have a 1700 pound 7.5HP shaper too that I can use when needed, and even though it is well made, the smaller machine is just so much easier to use and dial in. I use the small one whenever I can.

If space is a concern and you're not panel raising in the immediate future AND there's even a slim chance you'll end up in a bigger shop in the future (providing room for a larger machine) get the smaller one because you'll end up keeping them both.

p.s. Just noticed your last post where you said you weren't panel raising on this job!

[David Eisenhauer]

Certainly you can stick and cope 3/4" material in one pass with a 3hp unit sans power feeder. I have done it for years. I just don't know whether or not a $1,500 setup will do the job as I have not looked into shaper and cutter prices for many, many years. I spent an amount more than that 30 years or so ago to get what I called then an entry level small shop setup. IMO, the Weaver jigs were the game changer and I believe they were employed by owners of other branded machines when they could be adapted to the jigs. Any shaper can have a stacked or solid shaper cutter installed on the shank (protruding from a fence) and spun up to speed for material to be passed across the cutter. For stick and coping, the jigs to SAFELY hold and control the material for a consistent result in the material is what is a main requirement for a commercial setting.

[Patrick Walsh]

There is a decent SCMi unit local to me in Mass on craigslist. Im sure you have seen it by now. Im pretty sure its a three phase machine though. A VFD could be a option. I put one on my slot mortiser and it was pretty simple and im a dummy.

I would not want to cope and stick without a power feeder and sliding table. You could get the Aigner small workpiece holder for the rails if a slidng table is not in the cards. I also would not want to be bothered by anything without a decent fence.

I have a Felder F700Z and i need another machine as having just one shaper is a pain in the rear. My Felder is just fine dont get me wrong, its nothing special but it is also not a $1500 20 year old Delta or Powermatic with a junk fence. It does what i need. I payed $3000 for it used from a hobby shop where it had seen very very little use.

My second machine will need to be a step up. By comparison to true commercial machine, Martin, SCMI, It is a pile of sheet metal junk. Point is i would not purchase a $1500 setup. You should be able to get a decent used power feeder for $500 give or take.

[brent stanley]

Good point. Don't be turned off by a 3 Phase unit as long as it's 2## volts, because a VFD is a great addition to a shaper. Infinitely variable speed with no belt changes, reverse and motor braking. All great things.

[David Kumm]

A Felder 700 or older 7 series is a pretty good choice for an all around mid sized shaper. You may not need one that sized now but if you do other projects - passage doors for example - you will quickly wish for a little more capacity. I made a lot of stuff with a little 3 hp Seco which was pretty decent for it's price. When I got the Felder F7 I thought it was a huge step up and cut down the time spent and the sanding needed big time. Now the Felder seems small compared to the capacity of some other machines. I've a SCMI T130 slider and a Martin T21- both less than 4K. If this is your last shaper project, don't spend more than you need- most shops outsource cabinet doors, but if you find like shaping, you will outgrow the smaller machine in a hurry. I've got 5 now. Dave

[Mel Fulks]

Over the years I've had to use some real small shapers for that ,and the ones with 10,000 rpm worked ok with carbide sets, the ones with just 8000 did not.

[Sam Murdoch]

I've had the big shop with ALL the equipment - shaper gangs, sliding TS, CNC , wide belts - you get it. Now it's just me in a shop that will never be expanded (by me). I have learned over 30 + years to work well with less when needed but this one job is too much for my current set up. I don't want to walk away for the cost of a shaper. Much bigger than I am asking about though and the #s and/or the space considerations don't make sense - even for a long time client. I'm not farming out the work nor renting a bigger space for a month.

I agree with the power feeder advice so will factor that in. Just thought that we could discuss the pros and cons of the few models selling under $2,000.00.
I will continue to look for used but still not interested in anything bigger. In this case size really matters.

Thank you for the feedback and info so far.

[Sam Murdoch]

Over the years I've had to use some real small shapers for that ,and the ones with 10,000 rpm worked ok with carbide sets, the ones with just 8000 did not.

That's a valuable bit of info Mel. Thanks.

[Darcy Warner]

Just order the doors and drawers