router or shaper

[beav39]

what are the pros and cons of these two     is a shaper a better bet then a router    all input welcome    thanks       scot

[pineywoods]

That's sorta like asking which is better, a carpenters claw hammer or a 5 pound sledge hammer.. Depends on what you need to do. I have both. For most jobs a shaper is the best deal, more power, less vibration, smoother cut, etc. But it's kinda tough to get a table top through a shaper..and you can do free-hand stuff with a router that would be just about impossible with a shaper. For starters, I'd say get a good heavy-duty router and half inch shank bits. Mount this in a router table. After you use that for a while, you'll see the need for the shaper...

[Texas Ranger]

Uh huh, got both, one cannot do the other, and both are handy, IF you do a lot of wood working.

[chet]

Same here, got both. Da shaper is one of my best buddies    but sometimes a router is the only way ta get'er done.
on da half inch bits. Get a collect chuck for yer shaper, then you can use all yer router bits on either machine.

[srt]

As others have suggested, I'm going to suggest you first buy yourself a nice router, and a set of 1/2" shank bits.  The sets that are commonly sold at woodworker's stores and might contain about 20 bits would probably do very nicely as a start.  If you want to make cabinet doors (3/4" thick), you can also purchase a bit set that will interchange and do both the rail and style cuts on the doors.  You don't need the most expensive bit set.  There's significant data scater about which bits are really the best anyway.  A set similar to the 20 piece set offered by woodcraft would probably do you fine. 

I have had good success with the Porter Cable 693LRPK, which is a reasonable powerful router kit with both a fixed and a plunge base and collets for 1/4 and 1/2 inch shanked bits.   I grab that router for 90% of my router jobs over my larger and smaller router.  Unless you're trying to pattern route 1 1/2" thick corian, I think it will do most jobs well, is very adjustable, and isin't so stinking heavy.

A shaper is a wonderful tool, but I'm guessing that your projects will not absulutely need a shaper at this time.  Even when you own a shaper (or three), there will be times when a router is the tool of choice.  For instance, putting a rounded or ogee edge on a shelf.  I would grab the router.  Even running stick and rail for a door frame is pretty easy on a router.  No need for a fancy router table with crank up height adjustment etc.  Just take a scrap of 3/4" plywood, or Melamine coated particle board, cut out a hole for the bit to go through, screw or clamp down a temporary wood fence, and you have a router table.  I make these make shift tables all the time.  You can also use your tablesaw and it's fence as a router table.

No matter which you decide to buy, first do your self a favor, and research a bit about router or shaper kickback.  Learn what it means to "climb cut", and how to start a cut without having the piece thrown across the shop.  When used in a router table set up, feather boards, finger shields, and a little paste wax are your best firends.  They just might save your fingers too!  Paste wax is cheap and a can will last for years.  Finger boards and finger shields can be made from scrap.

[beav39]

thanks srt good advice any links you know of about kickback?thanks again      scot

[srt]

Glad you felt some help from my babbling.

Sorry, but I got most of my instruction from my dad and FineWoodworking magazine.   Dad was real good, but he's gone now.  FWW magazine is still around, and a very good publication if you can stand what some refer to as "elitist woodworker's attitude".  They have had excellent articles on tool safety.

I'd google "router kickback", "tablesaw kickback", and "shaper kickback" and read several articles, watch a few youtube videos.  Read from several sources.

Kickback is the same thing, but some of the causes are different on the different machines.

In my opinion, not having proper control of the wood going through a machine is where most woodworkers loose fingers.  I still have all of mine, but not understanding the physics that can cause problems in a tablesaw got me a trip to the emergency room and a nice scar and tender spot on my thumb that I'll wear until I get carried by 6.

[karl]

ditto on everything srt said...

[beav39]

im not a novice woodworker i have a 18 in planer(woodmaster)a grizzly table   (big one)assorted other tools just never run a shaper    does the power feed take away some of the kickback on a shaper    thanks for all the info guys its been very helpful     scot

[srt]

Yes Scot, a Properly Adjusted power feeder will be a big help in preventing kickback, ensuring a consistant finish on the product, relieve operator fatigue, and will allow for "climb cutting".

Kickback on a shaper has never occurred to me, and I think it's probably more common on tablesaws than routers or shapers.  However, if it did occur, and my hands were near and pushing toward an unshielded cutter, or if the piece of wood was launched into someone, the results could be disasterous.

There's a 4 X 8' door made of 1/2" maple plywood skins laminated onto 1" strips that goes into the finish room in the shop.  It's 17 feet from the table saw.  I once launched a small piece of wood hard enough to break through the first layer of 1/2" maple plywood.  Control is key.  Sometimes knowing when you've lost control and letting go while jumping back is necessary.  However, the first point of taking the time to control is a much more valuable skill than knowing how to jump back fast.

If I'm running something pretty tricky to hold onto, a trick I'll often use is to get the machine all set up, and adjusted by trial runs on scrap.  Then, I'll rotate the cutter so none of the cutter edge is projecting into the path of the wood (sometimes, I have to actually remove the cutter).  Then I'll set my fingerboard(s) and guards and run the piece through with the shaper turned off.  This allows you to do all steps but actually machine the wood.  Lets you check out the "slop" in your hold downs/fingerboards, as well as your hand over hand/ push stick control of the piece going being machined.  If you find there's something uncomfortable while running this mock-up, there's nothing lost and you can take steps to ensure you have more control.   This isin't always possible, as sometimes you have the outfeed fence adjusted to take up the void created by the machining of the workpiece, but when possible, it helps.  Double sided tape (the good stuff from a carpet store) is a big help with pattern shaping and routing when nails or screws would leave unacceptable holes. 

Here's a book I have that goes into some good detail. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-The-Shaper-Book-by-Lonnie-Bird_W0QQitemZ390025348940QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Nonfiction_Book?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116


Unless you're stupid, which I don't think is the case, when you first fire up a shaper with a nice raised panel cutter mounted in it, your respect will be commanded by the machine.  A nice sweet running delta unisaw that sometimes seems to hardly make any significant noise or vibration can lull one into thinking it likes you, and wouldn't harm a flea.  Not true!