Should I Keep It?

[JRD]

A co-worker who is moving has given me an old Craftsman shaper, somewhat rusty, one bit, but it spins right up.

So here's the issue. It appears to me my Router will do just about anything I could do with the shaper, and I already have plenty of Router bits.

What's the difference, and is there a good reason to hang on to the shaper?

As Ross Perot likes to say, "I'm all ears".

Jim

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Does the spindle accept 1/4 and 1/2" collets for router bits? I bought a Taiwan made 3 HP shaper almost 20 years ago. I rarely use it as a shaper, but it's worked great as a router table.

Bill

 

[Skymaster]

Even tho you can use the shaper as a router table: a router table will NEVER be able to do what a shaper can do. A shaper ( a true ) shaper is a much heavier duty tool, can spin MUCH LARGER bits,has a commercial duty motor. Raising panels on a shaper is a easy, common, make em all day long job whereas on a router table, raised panels are AN ALL DAY JOB. :gar-Bi:wsmile:

As long as you have room I vote to KEEP IT

 

[Glennbear]

As Jack says, the motor on a shaper is much stronger than a router and can handle larger profiles or extended shaping easier. I presume the shaper is similar to mine which I upgraded with dust collection and a mobile base after this picture was taken:



If it is indeed a 1/2" spindle machine this company sells HSS cutters which are not bank breakers:
http://corobcutters.com/index.php For most work I use my router table but when shaping long material (mouldings etc.) or hogging off large profiles the shaper is utilized. :wsmile: