Shaping

The difference between a plain edge and shaped oneis often enough to elevate the beauty and elegance ofthe simplest project. The shaper not only makes itpossible to embellish otherwise square, plain edges,but it also has practical applications as well. Amongother things, you can form the parts of a drop leaftable joint, do drawer joints, make a tongue-and-groove joint, shape half-round or curved moldings,and so on.

The Mark V becomes a very efficient shaper when itis in the drill press mode and equipped with thespecial shaper accessories (Figures 9-1 and 9-2). Theshaper insert should always be used to providemaximum support for the work around the cuttingtool. For fence shaping the shaper fence is secured tothe table. Both fence boards are adjustable endwiseand front to back, so the opening for the cutters canbe kept small for safety. The infeed board is screw-adjusted for depth of cut. Pins that are screwed intothe shaper insert are used for pin shaping.

SHAPING SAFETYWarning: Before using the shaping accessory,read and understand the following safety instruc-tions:

There are two major factors to consider about thesafe operation of the shaping accessory: the speedand the sharpness of the cutter. Remember that thefaster the speed and the sharper the cutter, thesmoother the cut.

Danger Zone—The danger zone extends 3" out fromcutter in all directions. Work cautiously and slowly,especially when shaping against collars. Working thisway will not only keep your hands safe, but will alsoincrease the quality of your output.

Guards for the Shaper—Shaper guards must beused for all shaping operations. The fence guard ismounted on the shaper fence and the feather board guard is mounted to the quill when fence shaping. Thefeather board guard is adjustable to accommodate various thicknesses of stock. A feather board is used tohold stock up to 6" wide against the fence.

Figure 9-1. The accessories used for fence shaping are:(A) shaper fence, (B) fether board guard, (C) shaperinsert, (D) shaper arbor and cutter and (E) dust chute.

Figure 9-2. The accessories used for pin shaping are:(A) circular shield and brush, (B) pins, (C) shaperarbor and cutter, (D) shaper insert and (D) dust chute.

The circular shield and brush assembly is mounted on the quill when pin shaping. The shield is adjustableto accommodate various thicknesses of stock.

• Wear proper eye and ear protection.• Always use the shaper insert.• Wear a dust mask or connect a dust collection system to the dust chute. Keep the dust chute

mounted to the shaper insert even if you do not have a dust collection system. The chute guardsthe cutter below the table. You can collect dust and chips in a trash receptacle positioned beneaththe table.

• Tuck long hair under a hat or tie it up. Do not wear ties, gloves, jewelry or loose cloth-ing. Rollsleeves up above your elbows. Wear nonslip footwear.

• When mounting cutters and collars, make certain that the tongue washer is correctly installed anddirectly under the hex nut and that the nut is tight. Also that the arbor setscrew is tightenedagainst the flat of the spindle.

• Be sure the cutter(s) is positioned with the cutting edge facing to the left.• Listen for chatter or signs of looseness at start-up. If you hear, see or suspect problems, turn off

the power and unplug the machine. Correct any problem before proceeding.• Keep cutters clean, maintained and sharp.• Operate the shaper at speeds between "U" (4400 RPM) and "Fast" (5200 RPM).

Fence Shaping• When edge shaping, always use feather boards to guide the workpiece.• When shaping the end grain of stock 2" to 6" wide, use your miter gauge with safety grip to

control the stock, and keep the feather board guard in place to protect your hands and hold thestock down. Do not shape the end grain of stock less than 2" wide.

• Always feed the workpiece from left to right against the rotation of the cutter. Otherwise a kick-back will occur.

• Use a push stick to feed a narrow workpiece. When it is necessary to push a workpiece under-neath the feather board guard, use a long piece of scrap wood.

• Avoid taking deep cuts. If the amount of material to be removed is substantial, make more thanone pass. Set the fence to make a partial cut and then readjust the fence accord-ingly to reach thefinal shape.

• Cut with the grain.• Do not stand in line with the workpiece being fed. In the event of a kickback you could be hit.• Feed the workpiece slowly. Use extra care in shaping workpieces that contain figured grain or

knots, as these may cause kickbacks.

Pin Shaping• Always feed the workpiece against the rotation of the cutter, left to right in front of the cutter,

right to left if cutting with the rear of the cutter. Otherwise a kickback will occur.• Always use at least one push block to help control the workpiece. Use two if possible.• Always use the left starter pin. Use the right pin whenever possible.• Hold the workpiece firmly against the left starter pin and feed the workpiece slowly into the

cutter.• Internal shaping, i.e., the shaping of the edge of a hole or small opening (less than 6" in diameter)

in any shape, should not be attempted.

SHAPER CUTTERSAttempting to maintain a complete assortment of cutters can be expensive. A careful selection of from tento twenty shapes (Figure 9-3), picked for the type of work you do, is adequate. With a basic assortmenton hand, you can always add a new cutter as the need for it arises.

Probably the most practical type of shaper cutter for home workshop use is the three-lip shaper cuttershown in Figure 9-4. This type of cutter is available in a great variety of shapes: some are combinationcutters, others have a profile that will produce a particular shape such as a tongue or groove. Othershaper cutters come in sets so mating parts can be cut (Figure 9-5).

The shaper arbor holds standard shaper cutters and collars (Figure 9-6). The arbor is locked firmly inplace by securing its setscrew against the spindle's tapered flat. The collars are used for depth-of-cutcontrol and for cutter spacing. The cutters and collars are secured to the arbor with a nut. Be sure the nutis tight before starting the operation.

When positioning for cutter height, make the major adjustment by raising or lowering the table. The finalsetting is made with the quill feed lever. On shaping operations, especially at high speeds and on hard-woods, quill extension should be held to a minimum.

Figure 9-3. Three-lip shaper cutters are vailable as combination cutters, full-profile cutters, or insets that form the matingparts of a particular joint. *Warning: Always use the fence assembly when using these cutters that remove the entireworkpiece edge.

It is not usually desirable to use the full shape of the cutter to form a molding. How one versatile cutter isintended to be used is partially described and shown in Figure 9-7.A wide variety of shapes can be made by changing one or more of the following:

• The depth of cut, which is adjusted by moving the table or the fence or by using collars.• The height of the cutter in relation to the work, which is controlled by the table or the quill feed

lever.• The position of the work when making the pass.

Figure 9-8 shows a few shapes formed by a single cutter; in this case a combination cutter that can beused to shape a bead or two sizes of quarter-round was utilized. Some of the shapes were cut in a singlepass, others required two or more passes, but the same cutter was used every time.

The important thing to remember is that not all cutters are intended to cut their full-profile shape, eventhough they can be used that way. Most of them are combination cutters.

Collars come in various sizes and are used to control the depth of cut and to position the cutter. Asshown in Figure 9-9, they may be set over, under or between cutters. Be sure to position the keyedwasher so it seats correctly in the arbor slot. Never set up cutter/collar assortments that don't allow thearbor nut threads to be fully engaged.

Figure 9-4. Examples of three-lip shaper cutters.

Figure 9-5. Examples of cutters thatshould be purchased in sets. At thetop, tongue-and groove cutters. Theothers are mating cutters for thedrop leaf table joint.

Figure 9-6. (A) The shaper arbor and (B) various collars.

Since the collars lock on the arbor together with the cutters and turn at the same speed, there is thepotential, when the workpiece bears against them, of scoring or even burning the workpiece. Keep thecollars clean, smooth, and free of knicks and burrs. When cutting, hold the workpiece against the collarswith just enough pressure to maintain contact.

CUTTER STORAGEThree-lip shaper cutters should be respectfully cared for. They are an investment, and they work bestwhen they are clean and sharp. They can be kept in the plastic cases they are packed in, but selecting thecutter you want will be more convenient if you make the case shown in Figure 9-10. It will hold up to 30cutters, or you can use some of the dowel posts for storing the collars. Use gummed labels near each postto identify the cutter. Construction details for the case are shown in Figure 9-11. Cutters should becarefully cleaned before storage.

FENCE SHAPINGWhen fence shaping the width of the stock determines the position of the stock and the shaping accesso-ries used:

Figure 9-7. Combination cutters cando various jobs. (A) Here a quarter-round and cove cutter is used toround off the edge of a workpiece.(B) The same cutter is shownforming a cove.

Figure 9-8. One combination cutter, in this case a bead and a quarter-round,can produce many shapes. Some forms are done with one pass, others requiretwo or more passes.

Figure 9-9. Collars are used above, below,even between cutters as controls for depthof cut and, when doing pin shaping, toprovide bearing surface for the workpiece.

Figure 9-10. This shaper cutterstorage case hold up to 30 three-lip shaper cutters.

Figure 9-11. Construction details of a shaper cutter storage case.

• Stock less than 1" wide, use the feather board guard, onefeather board on the infeed side and an additional featherboard on the outfeed side, secured in the table slot (Figure 9-12A). Use a push stick or when it's necessary to push stockunderneath the feather board, use a long piece of scrapwood.

• Stock 1" to 2-3/4" wide, use the feather board guard and afeather board secured in the table slot (Figure 9-12B).

• Stock 2-3/4" to 6" wide, use the feather board guard and afeather board secured in the table slot with C-clamps(Figure9-12C).

• Stock over 6" wide, use the feather board guard and a pushblock (Figure 9-12D).

You can remove the entire edge of the stock or only part of it (Fig-ure 9-13). It depends on the cutter you are using and the shape youwish to produce. When only part of the edge is cut away, the sur-faces of the fence boards must be on the same plane (Figure 9-14).The workpiece moves across the cutter and receives the samesupport from the outfeed board as it did from the infeed board.

When the entire edge of the workpiece is removed, fence alignmentmust be adjusted to suit the depth of cut. You can do this by offset-ting the outfeed board (Figure 9-15). Once the work has passed thecutter, the position of the outfeed board must compen-sate for thechange in the stock's width.

Figure 9-12. The width of the stockdetermines the setup.

Figure 9-13. Shaper cuts can remove partof or the entire edge of the workpiece.Note: Depth of cut exaggerated for clarity.

Figure 9-14. When removing part ofan edge, align the two fence boards.

Figure 9-15. When removing an entireedge, offset the outfeed board.

Figure 9-16. The drop leaf joint isused to extend the size of a table bymeans of hinged outer leaves.

Use a feed that is slow and steady. A slow feed allows the blades of the cutter to work longer over agiven area of the wood and this produces smoother cuts, while allowing the cutter to work withoutchoking. Of course, this can be overdone. Judge feed speed so the cut progresses smoothly withoutstraining you or B the cutter. Try to work so you are cutting with the grain of the wood. When you mustcut against the grain, use an even more conserv-ative feed speed.

Some shapes are attained by making two or three passes. Reposition the workpiece and the cutter afterthe first pass to provide the additional cut that completes the form. Operations like this are best handledby first sketching the shape required on the edge of the stock, then selecting cutters that will fit thecontours of the form.

Drop Leaf JointThis popular joint (Figure 9-16), is used to extend the size of a table by means of leaves that are hinged toa fixed center section. The drop leaf joint, or "rule joint" as it is sometimes called, is preferred over asimple butt joint because of its neater, more professional appearance.

Figure 9-17. One cutter of the dorp leaf set is used to formthe table’s edge. It isn’t necessary to form the shoulder tothe cutter’s full depth.

Figure 9-18. The second cutter is used to form the edgeon the drop leaf.

Figure 9-19. Using a 1/4” blank cutter to form a grooveexaclty centered in the edge of the stock.

Figure 9-20. The same cutter is used to form the tongue.The shape is the result of opposing rabbet cuts made onthe same edge.

With the special set of cutters, you can shape the edges of both the table and the leaf so they will matchperfectly. The table edge is formed as shown in Figure 9-17. The shoulder doesn't have to be as wide as itis on the cutter; this will be dictated by the thickness of the tabletop and controlled by the height of thecutter in relation to the workpiece when making the pass. The full radius, however, should be formedsince it will have an impact on the appearance of the joint when the leaf is raised. Figure 9-18 shows aleaf edge be-ing shaped.

Tongue-and-Groove JointThis joint is frequently used when joining boards edge-to-edge. The mating forms can be shaped byworking with the set of cutters, one to form the tongue, the other the groove, but it's also possible to doboth parts of the joint by working with a single blank cutter; it depends on the thickness of the stock. Forexample, if the stock is 3/4" thick and you have a 1/4" blank cutter, the work can be done as follows:

Set the height of the cutter to form a groove exactly centered in the edge of the stock. Organize theshaper fence so the groove will be as deep as the cutter is wide; then make two passes, the second oneafter the workpiece has been turned end-for-end (Figure 9-19).

The tongue is formed as shown in Figure 9-20. Once the cutter height has been adjusted, it's just a matterof forming opposing rabbets on each edge of the work-piece. Make the first cut. Do not make a change indepth of cut. Then turn the workpiece over and make the second cut. Be sure the tongue that results willbe a nice sliding fit in the groove.

Stopped CutsFigure 9-21 shows examples of stopped cuts made by using stop blocks. Stop blocks, spaced to suit thecut length, are clamped to the shaper fence as shown in Figure 9-22. Brace the end of the workpieceagainst the infeed stop block and then swing it slowly into the cutter until its edge is snug against thefence. Make the pass until the workpiece butts against the out-feed stop block. Turn off the machine andlet it come to a complete stop. Carefully pull the trailing end away from the fence.

Figure 9-21. Examples of stoppedshaper cuts.

Figure 9-22. The length of the cut is controlled by stop blocks clamped to theshaper fence.

You can do this kind of work onpieces that are too long for thestandard shaper fence by makingspecial long fence boards like thestandard fence boards.

Slim MoldingsWarning: Trying to form slimmoldings by working on narrowpieces of wood is a dangerouspractice. To make slim moldings,shape the edge of a large workpieceand then, working with either ahollow-ground or carbide-tippedsaw blade, cut off as much as youneed. This technique is also valu-able because it enables you to formmoldings you would otherwise haveto buy (for example, half-rounds);and you can form the moldings inwhatever kinds of wood youchoose, an option not availablethrough commercial supply houses.

Figure 9-23 shows the start of suchan operation using the nosing cutterthat is part of the flute and nosingset. After the edge is shaped, thehalf-round is removed by sawing(Figure 9-24).

Shaping Cross GrainCross-grain cuts are seldom assmooth as those made with thegrain. To get the best results, use avery conservative feed rate andkeep the workpiece movingsteadily. If the cuts are deep, makemore than one pass, adjusting thecutter after each pass until theshape is fully formed. Warning: Ifthe workpiece is not wide enoughto have sufficient bearing againstthe boards, use the miter gauge andsafety grip to secure the workpiecewhile making the pass (Figure 9-25).

Figure 9-23. The nosing cutter of a flute and nosing set of cutters is used here toround off the edge of a workpiece.

Figure 9-24. When the edge of the workpiece is sawed off, you have perfecthalf-round moldings.

Figure 9-25. Unless the workpiece is wide enough to provide sufficient bearingsurface against the fence boards, make all cross-grain cuts with the miter gaugeand safety grip.

If you are shaping a square corner,always make the cross-grain cut first.The second cut, made with the grain,will remove the slight blemish that isinevitable at the end of cross-graincuts.

When you must shape all four edgesof a workpiece, do the cross-graincuts first, then the final cuts with thegrain (Figure 9-26).

PIN SHAPINGWorkpieces that are circular or havecurved edges are done by pin shaping.This is a special procedure madepossible by mounting collars on thearbor and using the shaper insert equipped with pins.

The collars, the pins and the table provide the bearing surfaces forthe workpiece. The cutter may be over the workpiece or under it.You can use more than one collar of the same diameter to guideagainst thick stock. Warning: The important factor is the contactarea between the workplece and collars (Figure 9-27). A smallamount of contact area (less than half the collar thickness) is notadequate; always organize for maximum collar contact so the workwill have good support.

Since the collars turn with the cutters, they can score or burn theWork unless they are kept smooth and free of gum, dirt, or dust.When you bear against them, use only as much pressure as youneed to maintain the contact.

The cutters will function whether they are over or under the work-piece. The cut is easier to see and, some operators feel, is easier tocontrol when the cutter is on top. Warning: If the workpiece istilted up at any time during the pass, the cutter will dig into it.Positioning the cutter under the workpiece is the safest way tooperate. Also, slight accidental lifting of the work during the passwill do no harm.

Basic ProcedureThe major factor to consider when pin shaping is the initial contactof the workpiece with the cutter. Warning: The workpiece, ifmoved directly into the cutter without support, will be kicked back. This is where the pins come into play.

Figure 9-26. Make the cross-grain cuts first when shaping all four edges ofa workpiece.

Figure 9-27. Collars control thedepth of cut. Always be surethere is enough bearing surfacebetween the workpiece and thecollars.

Start the pass by bracing theworkpiece against the pin atthe left of the cutter. Withthe workpiece firmly againstthe pin, slowly advance it tocontact the cutter until it issolidly against the collars.Once the cut is well started,you can swing free of theleft-hand pin and allow theworkpiece to bear onlyagainst the collars (Figure9-28). Toward the end ofthe cut, you can allow theworkpiece to be supportedby the right-hand pin.

Circles and Irregular CurvesStart shaping the edge of acircular workpiece by bracing itsolidly against the left starter pinand then advancing it slowly toengage the cutter. After theworkpiece bears firmly against thecollar, you can choose to maintainthe pin contact as you turn theworkpiece clockwise (Figure 9-29) or swing it clear so only thework-to-collar contact is main-tained. You can continue in thismanner to complete the pass or,at the end of the cut, allow theright-hand pin to support theworkpiece.

Irregularly curved edges, such asthose on fancy picture frames,wall plaques, free-form tabletops,and so on, are shaped much likecircular pieces except that youshould judge when to acceptsupport from the left-hand pinand when to allow the workpieceto bear only agianst the collar(Figure 9-30). Always start bybracing the workpiece against the

Figure 9-28. The workpiece is first braced against the left pin and slowly advanced tocontact the cutter.

Figure 9-29. The pass can be made with the workpiece against the collar.Move the workpiece slowly in a clockwise direction.

Figure 9-30. The left-hand pin comes into play when shaping irregularedges. Be very cafeful when shaping small radii and sharp corners.

pin. Work slowly and carefully, especially when you must turn a sharp corner. Warning: Keep your ahdnson the outside edges of the workpiece so they will be away from the danger zone.

Slim, Curved MoldingsTo safely work on slim, curved moldings, you must follow theprinciple that was described for slim moldings: shape the edge of a workpiece that is large enough to besafely handled (Figure 9-31). Obey the rules that apply to pin and collar support for the workpiece. Afterthe shaping is finished, use a scroll saw or bandsaw to remove as much of the edge as you need (Figure 9-32).

Figure 9-31. You can shape slim, curved moldings by working on the edge ofstock large enough to be safely handled.

Figure 9-32. Use a scroll saw or bandsawto cut off the part you need after thecurved edge has been shaped.

Figure 9-33. Cut ou t and contour all inside edges firs. The workpiece is fed ina counterclockwise direction. Be especially careful with hand placement. Aftercompleting the inside contour, cut the outside contour and shape it.

Inside Edge ShapingShaping a rabbet on the inside perimeter of a circular picture frame to accommodate the glass is a typicalexample of inside edge shaping (Figure 9-33). The workpiece is placed in position before the cutter isextended for depth of cut. The workpiece is braced against the right-hand pin and then swung into con-tact with the cutter until it bears solidly against the collar. It is then rotated counter-clockwise so the passis made against the direction of rotation of the cutter (Figure 9-34).

This kind of work doesn't have to be limited to forming rabbets for glass in circular frames. By workingthe same way, you can add decorative internal edges on circular workpieces.

Special TechniquesFor production runs on specially shaped pieces, it is good practiceto create setups that provide accuracy while allowing you to worksafely. The ideas that are shown in Figure 9-35 are diagrammed justto demonstrate how fixtures can be used.

The fixtures may be cut to shape on a scroll saw or bandsaw,sanded, and then clamped to the worktable to serve as guides whenfeeding the work. Quite often it is possible to use the scrap materialfrom a cut piece as the guide. For example, the scrap piece from acircular cutout might make a good guide for shaping the edge of acircular workpiece. This idea, of course, calls for very careful initialcutting.

Figure 9-34. You can shapeinside edges as shown.

Figure 9-35. Here are examples ofspecial fixtures you can make whenyou have many similar workpieces toproduce. Fixtures must be designedto suit the work you are doing. Thepositon of the fixture determines howfar the cutter penetrates theworkpiece. The fixture control areamust match the curve in theworkpiece. Be sure the contact areasare sanded smooth.