Shapers: What Are They and How Are They Used?

Unique 336 Shaper

Shapers range from single head machines with fixed spindles to fully automated machines with multiple heads. Most shapers are single head with a cutter head fixed to a rotating spindle. They are used for shaping solid wood components or the edges of panel components. They can be fitted with a material feeder to feed the stock longitudinally or with a sliding table which clamps the material to be fed through the cutter head. This application is generally for shaping the ends of component stock. Some have tilting spindles to allow deeper profiles with less cutter projection. There are also double head shapers, generally with one head rotating in each direction. This is to allow the operator to always work that the head that is rotating toward the material when approaching, especially when working the ends of material where breakout could be a problem. There are also floating head shapers where the material is fed through between 2 floating heads to process 2 sides and size in the same operation. There are also rotary and linear multiple head shapers that accomplish more complex shaping and edge sanding of components in only 1 pass.

SCM, Unique, Casadei, and Onsrud are a few of many brands of shapers on the used woodoworking machine market today.

If you'd like to see a wide selection of used shapers, visit the Contacts Machinery used woodworking machinery web site.