Hello, Everyone -I was in the process of figuring out how I wanted to set up a routingstation when it occurred to me: why not just purchase a shaper? Bythe time I bought a 3hp router, purchased and/or constructed a table,purchased and/or constructed a fence, and perhaps purchased a lift, Iwould have spent as much money as a Grizzly or Shop Fox 2-3hpdedicated shaper costs.If the overall costs are comparable, is there any reason not to gowith the shaper? I already have a hand-held router, so I do not needthat flexibility. The only thing I can think of is that my currentrouter bits would be unusable in the shaper.Any thoughts?Thanks!- Josh

I guess it depends on what you're going to be doing with it. General edgeforming and decorative routing is easily done with a router as is rail andstile joints and even raised panels. However a shaper does all this and doesit better in my opinion. Its a heavier more stable machine and made for hardwork. I have both and use both but I find myself turning to the shaper moreand more these days as my collection of cutters grows. Thats another thingtoo. Router bits are more affordable that shaper cutters. Of course a routeris better at things like grooves and dados but like you said you have a handheld router you could use for these tasks. Theres my two cents........Jim

Shaper vs. Router?

Jan 30, 2004 22 Replies

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Mark & Juanita 22 years ago

You're welcome. FWIW, my FIL lives near Springfield, MO and when I'm there, I take advantage of the time to visit Grizzly. I took a hands-on look at their shapers (this was after I had bought mine). IMO, (and my opinion only), I think the Woodtek is a little better made -- the fence seems a bit better, much as I cuss at my Woodtek fence at times, the Grizzly fence seemed to have the potential to be more of a pain.

As I say, this is my own opinion, and was based only upon some time in the showroom playing with the Griz.

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John Grossbohlin 22 years ago

Some cutters have multiple profiles (e.g., two different sized radius round overs). Turning the cutter over to use some of the profiles would require running the cutter in the opposite direction.

John

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/.. 22 years ago

By Fri, 30 Jan 2004 23:06:06 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@milmac.com (Doug Miller) decided to post "Re: Shaper vs. Router?" to rec.woodworking:

Have to respond to this .sig:

Miss America contest has 50 candidates and presidential contest has only 2 or 3 -- because, quite frankly, can you imagine the bathing suit or talent contests for president?? I shudder to think of it.

Now back to woodworking: jointers rule! Ties with drill press for most used machine in my shop, even over the table saw, band saw and chop saw, and of course the router table!

/ts

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