router or shaper

[woodmannie]

Was just wondering on the main difference between a router in a table and a shaper. I need to do some angles for swords and am looking for the best buy. Thanks all for the help.

[Lou_williams]

A router mounted in a good table can do most of the things that a shapper can do. The shapper is a very heavy duty tool that has a much larger moter a large shaft that can take large production type cutters. They rotate a slower speeds than a router which has advantages and disadvantage. Most shappers are only effective with good jigs to keep the operator safe..

Shapper cutters cost more (in general) than router bits. But they last longer and are easier to sharpen.

If you need to build a few of things, You have a good router and table to mount it in, buy bits that should work and spend your money on jigs for safty. If you are going to do lots of raised panels or make a house full of trim molding, or need to have some custom shape then spend the money for a shapper.

Hope this helps.

[Burt]

Grizzley has a 1 1/2 Shaper for about $400. A good router table and router will cost pretty close to the same amount. My advise if you don't have a router, is to get a good router that will handle a 1/2" shank bit. Mimimum would be about a 1 1/2 Router. I'd prefer to go with a 3 horsepower. It will do almost anything that you want to do including raised panel doors. The router is more versitle.