Shaper questions

[Todd Burch]

I have an old shaper (Rockwell/Delta, reversible model), but have not used it much. It has a slight "howl" to it when it runs that sounds like it could use some bearings in the spindle. A fellow woodworker came over and listened to it and we ran some stock through it successfully, so it cuts OK, it's just a little noisey. It has a 1/2" spindle, and is pretty old technology. With it came a lot of cutters of misc. profiles, all rather small.

I've only really used a shaper once. A few years ago, I make some jigs and produced about 10 adirondack chairs worth of parts with another friends nice 5hp Felder with power feeder and sliding table and indexed carbide cutter. Very smooth, very good cuts, a pleasure to use.

So, my questions.

What's a shaper's place in a custom shop? For raised panels, I have a nice router table with a few different profiles with a Hitachi M12V router. For rail and stile bits, same situation - 1/2" shank bit-sets that do a pretty good job.

Is a shaper the better tool for raised panels and/or rails and stiles?

Where else might a one-man shop find uses for a shaper?

If planning for a shaper acquisition, what features would one put in the must-have category? Reversible? Tilting? Sliding table? Minimum HP? Power feeder? Other?

I've read reference (woodweb) to using a shaper to edge-joint boards efficiently. How is this done? Is it better than a jointer?

Thanks, Todd.

[Bobby Hatfield]

Todd, the shaper will do many millwork jobs in the shop. I use my three Griz shapers for rail/stile and panel raising for cabinet and house doors. Set up takes a little time but is worth it on a large job. Custom milling for odd doors like the attached pic of a sample is possible also. If production is required a shaper is a necessity to run all day making milled parts.

[Kevin Post]

If production is required a shaper is a necessity to run all day making milled parts.

I agree with Bobby... Most of the time my shaper sits idle but when facing a big job there is no alternative. I've used it to make flooring, stair parts, mouldings, raised panels and entry doors.

I have a 3HP Delta and I'm afraid to use it without a feeder. The feeder also yields a better quality cut. I use the router table more that the shaper because it's easier to set up and I have more router bits than I have shaper cutters.

-Kevin

[Pat S]

I think the biggest advantage of a shaper over a router table is the ability to use a stock feeder with a shaper. I have never heard of someone hurting themselves using a stock feeder. I have my jointer behind my shapers so I can swing the feeder around and use it for that also.

[Von Bickley]

Todd,

I have a friend that has a cabinet shop and he uses his routers for his stiles and rails. His shaper is used primarily for raised panels.
You will also get better results with a power feeder.