by Bob Gillespie

Created on: April 13, 2010

Depending on how you look at it, there’s either no difference between a shaper and a router table or a there's a world of difference. They are identical in that they both operate by lifting a cutter or bit up through an opening in the table. The work piece is then pushed along a fence and through the cutter, creating a profile on the work piece in the shape of the cutter.

In, many other senses, however, they are not the same. The first question you might want to consider is: “Considering the type of woodcraft I do (or I am likely to do) in the future, do I require a shaper or will a simple router table do the job?” What will determine the answer to the question is the size of the profiles you want to create. You do not need to own both a shaper and a router table since many shapers can also spin router bits. However, you cannot spin shaper cutters on a router.

If you are used to operating routers and router tables, one of the first things you will observe the first time you turn on a shaper is how much quieter it is. The high-pitched whine of the router has been changed to the quieter whirr that is typical of a shaper. The reason for this is two-fold: First, most shapers turn at slower RPMs (7000, to 10,000) than routers which scream along at 20 to 25 thousand RPM. And yet, when you think about the tip speed of the larger shaper cutter as compared to the router bit, there won't be that much difference in rapidity at the actual point of cutting. Second, routers are direct drive while shapers use the less noisy belt-drive system of rotation.

Because shaper cutters are so much bigger than router bits, they are connected to the shaper differently than router bits are attached to a router. Shapers use heavy metal spindles that are firmly connected into the shaper at the bottom of the spindle. Spindles usually come in 4 sizes: 1/2", 3/4", 1”, and 1 1/4" diameters. Some machines only include one spindle but others supply two or more. There are two types of spindles: “solid” and “interchangeable.” An interchangeable spindle has a hole in the upper end which allows you to install smaller diameter spindles and even router bit collets. An interchangeable spindle can also drive shaper cutters.

Solid spindles are utilized only for shaper cutters. Cutters, spacers, rub collars and/or ball bearings are dropped onto the spindle shaft from on top and then secured with a large, provided nut. The capacity of a shaper spindle is

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