I know shapers can be run CW or CCW. I can also understand why this is desirable due to grain direction. What I don't get is aren't all cutters designed to rotate one direction (i.e. CW). It wouldn't work to run a piece thru a cutter CW then flip the shaper switch to REV and run it through the same cutter. Would it??? Do you have to buy two of the same profile cutters, one for CW and one for CCW? How's this work?
-- Larry C in Auburn WA
The cutters can be flipped over as well as stacked to some degree to create complex profiles. You wouldn't use the reversing switch without flipping the cutter and reversing the feed direction also.
-Doug
Not to mention, sometimes it's just easier to feed from one side, even on a symmetrical cutter.
Be sure and use the tabbed washer(s) under the t>
When I run cope and stick joints on the shaper, such as in making door frames; I feed the stuck molding from right to left but feed the copes from left to right.
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker (ret) Real Email is: tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet Website:
visiting my friend's shop - he does almost nothing but rp doors nowadays and I've never seen him him run anything left to right. I fact, he has about
20-25 shapers sitting around set up, and I can't remember any of them set up that way. Would you/could you raise a panel left to right (cutter on bottom) ? Again - not questioning validity - just trying to learn something new.jim bailey
Well, All cutter sets are not symmetrical. Sometimes you need to turn the cutters upside down or feed from the other direction. I have a very good set of Amana door cutters that are like this. I don't remember all the details as it has been a while since I made some doors. I used to be curious about the reverse switch myself until I ran into this situation. The set is a ovolo /square set. It gives you an ovolo mold on the outside of the door and a square cut on the back side of the door. The coping cutters are such that I need to reverse the rotation if I desire to keep the inside face of the door down. I prefer doing this as it protects my height setting on the spindle.
The shaper cutter set that I have for cope and stick doors is a Freud and when I feed the cope ends through, while they are in the sliding jig, they must be fed from left to right,
When I've done curved work, it has sometimes been necessary to flip the cutter and reverse the feed - mostly on ovolos on the inside radius, in order to keep from tearing out the grain. Curves take a lot of time in glue-up and prep and so, it is worth going to some effort to follow the grain to ensure a clean cut.
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker (ret) Real Email is: tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet Website:
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