Router bits in shaper

[matt norton]

I am about to buy a shaper and was just wondering if anyone has had much success with using router bits in one? I know shaper speed is slower but I have used my Bosch router at lower than Max speed often with good results.. Thanks for any replys,, Matt

[Rick Christopherson]

Many woodworkers tend to run their router bits at too high of a speed, and that is why the number one question asked on forums about routers is how to get rid of the burn marks. Most router bits don't need to be run at high speed, and some can't be run at high speed. My router is hardly ever run at full speed, yet I get a good profile without burning.


So for probably 90% of your router bits, they will work just fine in the shaper. The only router bit that I own that gives me a noticeably rough finish in the shaper is the 1/8 inch round over bit.

[keith ouellette]

Grizzly sells a shaper that comes with a router bit attachment. I have used my router at slow speeds with large bits but you really need higher speeds for the small ones. Unless you are only going to use large bits like a panel raiser you would be better off with a router table. You could always get both.

[charles felten]

I use all my router bits in my shaper and I dont have any problem, In fact I have a grizzly shaper that came with a router bit attchment. very happy. I have a router table set up with a bit that I use all the time. I like the shaper because I can change bits and set up way faster than my router table, but it is a very old one,should be retired.

[Raymond McInnis]

i have a shaper/router combo created out of a 1930s-vintage delta bench top shaper. for power, i use a 2-hp baldor reversible motor, and for driving the spindle(s), i use a 2-step pulley. the pulley gives speeds of 4500 and 10000 rpm. with the 10,000 rpm i drive router bits nicely.

[Raymond McInnis]

i would add that using your shaper to drive router bits makes a lot of sense, if you're using the larger bits for making raised panels.

for routers, those big bits are only operated safely in a router table, which is in effect a shaper table.

i notice that you when get a shaper, out of preference, you use the shaper cutters with greater frequency. that is what happened for me.

[Kyle Kraft]

My shaper came with collets for 1/4" and 1/2" bits which mount directly on the spindle and router bits work fine in it. The only bits that need to run fast are 1/4" straight bits...like in the machine shop, small cutters run faster to get the proper surface speed for the material being cut.

[James Kuhn]

A friend of mine has an old Onsrud w-200 shaper that runs at 15000rpm. Makes sense coming from a company famous for routers. I remember using a standard 1/2 straight bit on some sort of collet spindle and being very impressed.

[jerry cousins]

using a delta shaper for router bits - works very well - the router table now collects the webs of cobs.

jerry