Shopsmith Forums

I recently purchased a used mark v and i'm thinking about getting a shaper attachment. Will this do a quality job without the speed increaser? Thanks!

I have used the shaper with good results. Slow the feed rate and you'll be fine. Alec

mrautotech1 wrote:I recently purchased a used mark v and i'm thinking about getting a shaper attachment. Will this do a quality job without the speed increaser? Thanks!

Short answer - Yes it will do a quality job.

charlese wrote:Short answer - Yes it will do a quality job.

Give me the long answer, how does the shaper work without either the speed increaser or the double tilt feature to get the motor under the table?

paulmcohen wrote:Give me the long answer, how does the shaper work without either the speed increaser or the double tilt feature to get the motor under the table?

It works well but necessitates a slower feed rate. You can also improve cut quality by taking shallow cuts and 'creeping up on' final pass. Pay attention to direction of feed. If you go at it wrong - you'll pay!mad::(

Without the reversible motor, the double tilt configuration doesn't do much for you. Just my humble opinion.

paulmcohen wrote:Give me the long answer, how does the shaper work without either the speed increaser or the double tilt feature to get the motor under the table?

Paul,
I have used the shaper with my 500 Goldie (for molding) and with my PowerPro. To fabricate the molding with the Goldie, I set up in the drill press position and worked off the top of the table using a sacrificial board clamped to my rip fence using the speed recommended for the shaper. I feel I had excellent results. At that time, the mid 60's, I wasn't aware that the shaper had limitations.
Within the past month, I set up my former 500 now updated to a 520, with the PP, in the horizontal drill press position. My son is building replacement shutters for a mid 1800's building and needed to put a bead down one edge of the boards he is using. The boards ranged in width from about 8" to about 14". Again using the table top and adjusting the rip fence and the quill (for the fine adjustment) and running the PP at 9500 rpm in reverse mode we cut the beads using the shaper.
I guess the shaper can be used as you suggest (below the table) but in the situations I have used it, it hasn't been necessary. Additionally, in virtually every case where I have used it I have only used a select portion of the cutter blade. This is a major advantage of a shaper since by selecting different portions of the blade you have a number of different profiles you can realize from one shaper profile.
I hope this helps.
Dick

paulmcohen wrote:Give me the long answer, how does the shaper work without either the speed increaser or the double tilt feature to get the motor under the table?

I've only used the shaper with the standard 1990's headstock. Have not yet used it with the PowerPro. Contrary to danger issues I had no problems. I used it with the shaper fence and straight pieces, therefore there was no rub collars involved. Made several picture frames and as dickg1 using a couple of depth settings got very interesting designs.

I also used the stick and cope cutters to make real nice panel frames.

As for speed of cut, I didn't know any better that there was a speed limitation. Just mill at the speed the tool cuts. That's good advice for any wood cutting tool.

I am really lost, I don't have the shaper and never purchased it because I thought I needed the speed increaser. Now I get an email from Shopsmith talking about using it with the Router chuck and a 520 and I am lost. Plus Dusty's comment about reversing added more confusion.

So is the shaper used above or below the table, every commercial shaper I have seen has the motor below the table.

On a PowerPro with the motor below the table do you need to run the motor in reverse? Did the speed increaser reverse the motor when it was used under the table?

I am going to the Shopsmith Lowes demo next weekend and want to get the parts for the Shaper and want to understand what I need (and about what it is going to cost to get a shaper). I was assuming at least the double tilt upgrade and a shaper fence plus the new Ball Bearing Rub Collars and the cutters I want.

Or is there another option? If the double tilt is not required for the Shaper what is it for?

paulmcohen wrote:I am really lost, I don't have the shaper and never purchased it because I thought I needed the speed increaser. Now I get an email from Shopsmith talking about using it with the Router chuck and a 520 and I am lost. Plus Dusty's comment about reversing added more confusion. Just ignore Dusty. He is confused too.

So is the shaper used above or below the table, every commercial shaper I have seen has the motor below the table.

On a PowerPro with the motor below the table do you need to run the motor in reverse? Did the speed increaser reverse the motor when it was used under the table?

I am going to the Shopsmith Lowes demo next weekend and want to get the parts for the Shaper and want to understand what I need (and about what it is going to cost to get a shaper). I was assuming at least the double tilt upgrade and a shaper fence plus the new Ball Bearing Rub Collars and the cutters I want.

Or is there another option? If the double tilt is not required for the Shaper what is it for?

There is no need to reverse direction.

Paul,
I have used the shaper with my Goldie (above the table) in the vertical drill press mode without the speed increaser which I do not own. I have used the shaper with my PowerPro (in reverse, above the table) in horizontal mode. I could not have used my shaper below the table with my Goldie since the capability didn't exist and I do not now have the double tilt option for my PP. Used properly, the shaper is an extremely useful and versatile tool. It is not a router bit.
I hope this helps.
Dick