shaper advice needed

[Art Ransom]

. Thinking on upgrading my Delta router/shaper to a 1 1/2 HP shaper that will handle 1/2" router bits and possibly a powerfeeder. Looked a Jet and Grizzly, Griz is $300 less and apparently their quality has gone way up in the last few years. The Griz with 1/4 HP power feeder will run about $1000. Only reason I a looking at the powerfeeder as I was told that it would give me cleaner birdmouth joints and they are the main reason I am considering getting a shaper. Any suggestions?

[George]

I use the Hitchi router and the LV birdmouth bits, hand fed, of course.

Table size on one of those little guys - I have the Delta they grew out of - is pretty skosh for effective power feeding, IMO.

[Phisherman]

[aswr]

Art<

If I was planning on running router bits I would buy-or build a router table and using the Porter-Cable 7518 3 1/4hp router, a router lift, and a small stock feeder. This way you will get the rpm's needed, the control needed, and the finish needed. Good luck, Mike

[Duane Bozarth]

I concur w/ those who recommend routers for router bits--unless they are large diameter the tip speed isn't sufficient. I got the Delta r/s to be able to have it for a small machine for use as the second machine when the shaper is in another setup that isn't ready to be taken down and find it too slow for most router bits, unfortunately.

RE: the Griz shapers I've been tempted but haven't actually seen one to compare. Depending on your time frame and location, shapers come up on eBay fairly frequently and a fair fraction when I was last watching regularly seemed to be single phase though the majority of larger (PM

27's, etc, that I was particularly watching) were 3-phase.

The larger the table, the better, particularly for power feeding.

Unless you're getting into production, I'd think a heavy router w/ a well-built table would still be more cost-effective.