Shaper: Bore size question

[Dave]

What is the advantage/disadvantage of buying bits with 3/4" vs 1 1/8" bore sizes (if any)?

[bridger]

buy the bits that fit your shaper.

bigger bits fit bigger shapers, which have more power, more capacity on the table, etc. this is one case where bigger is better, assuming you have a need, space, budget, etc.

[Doug Miller]

Cutters ("bits" are for routers) with a 3/4" bore fit 3/4" spindles, cutters with a 1 1/8" bore fit 1 1/8" spindles. So buy cutters that fit the spindle(s) that are available on your shaper.

The 3/4" cutters will be substantially less expensive, and easier to find.

If your shaper will handle both sizes of spindle, but the only spindle you have for it is the larger one, you'll save a ton of money in the long run by buying a 3/4" spindle. It won't take very many 3/4" cutters (maybe a single rail-and-stile set) before you've saved enough on the cutters to recover the cost of the spindle.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

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[Wilson]

[jo4hn]

I have the same shaper. Many 3/4 cutters come with a bushing to 1/2". mahalo, jo4hn

[Joe Wells]

Does the 1/2" bushing work OK in practice? I'm restoring a 1/2" shaper and I'll be getting into tooling for it soon...

[Andy Dingley]

Here in Europe we'd call that machine (with a shaft) a spindle moulder.

What we call a "shaper" is like a big router with a fixed table. There's a collet of 1/2" to 1" diameter, and it will take router cutters with shafts. They run at slower speeds than routers though.

Are such machines found in the US ? What are they called ?

[Eddie Munster]

Well a lot of selection is 3/4 bore. Just look around. Pretend you are cutter shopping for some type.

John

Joe Wells wrote:

[jo4hn]

[snip]

I have never had a problem with the 3/4 bushed, not even with the three shape cutters. But of course, I am a hobbyist user. mahalo, jo4hn

[Dave]

I am looking at the Shop Fox shaper line. The 2HP says it comes with

1/2" and 3/4" spindles, while the 3HP come with both those as well as a 1". Now all the cutters I've looked at are either 1/2", 3/4" or 1 1/4" bore. So a couple of follow up questions: 1) Are the 1 1/4" bore cutters, meant for the 1" spindle? Or, is there such a thing as a 1" bore cutter that I haven't run accross yet? It seems strange to me that the woodstock catalog I have lists 1 1/4 cutters, but they don't list a shaper with a 1 1/4 spindle.

2) If 3/4" is plenty good for the hobbist, as suggested in prior responses, should the 2HP be OK, or should I go with the "more power option" for a few $$ more (always my inclination, whether I need it or not!)

BTW: Anyone have a Shop Fox shaper? If so, what do you think of it?

Thanks,

Dave