I have not been using a power feeder on my shaper, but am about to start making some Jatoba hardwood flooring (approx 1,000bd ft) for my house so I think it is time to add this to my collection. My shaper is only 3hp and I read in the shaper book that a 1/4 hp feeder would be the min size. Sounds light to me, so I thought i would ask. I was thinking 1hp/4roller would be better, but if I could save a couple of bucks that would be great.
Thanks
Replies
1 hp 3 roller is the most common I've run across in 30 years. 3 wheelers are heavy enough. You don't need 4 rollers. See Sunhill, Grizzly. Maggi/Steff make most of the European feeders and other put their label on them.
thks. Grizzly will not ship to canada, but I will look into the others.
I use 1/4 hp stock feeders on my 3hp shapers with good results. Depending on what you'll be shaping there are different kinds of feeders. 3 wheel, 4 wheel, continuous track. For this flooring I don't know why a 1/4 hp one wouldn't be fine. If this is the only feeder you think you might ever get you might think about getting one with variable speed, even if it means bumping up to a larger size. I don't have one but wish I did ( not a necessity but nice if it's there ).
Paul
ps you could go to a 1/2 hp without going directly to 1hp
I think you'll find a variable speed that slows it way down will be what you need. I have a Jet, with two forward and two reverse speeds, and it's way too fast. Ended up running 600+ feet of cherry backband by hand, to keep chipout to a minimum. I'm going to invest in a top notch one before I do that again.
It works fine on my table saw, though.
I am about to buy a Maggi, but the one they have in stock is only four speed the slowest being 13fpm. Reason I thought it would be ok is when I slow my planer to 12fpm, it seems incredibly slow. They have an eight speed one too that reduces to 9ft/min. What is the slowest speed of yours?
Not sure, exactly. The manual was a little confusing. But as best I can guess off the top of my head, somewhere in the mid twentys per minute. I'd like to run at that 9 ft/min. I think that would've taken care of my run.
Thanks.
Creekwood You don't need to worry so much about feed speed and chipping with a feeder. All's you gotta do is set up for a climb cut. That is the real advantage of a shaper/feeder setup I use this method all the time and it works great even on quite small work pieces. You should be sure to angle the front of the feeder slightly to the fence to hold the work piece firmly. Experiment with some scrap to get the technique worked out. Good luck. Steve
Thanks, doc. Your reply got me to thinking (usually dangerous), so I did some research on climb cutting. I've never really paid any attention to it before, but I think I'll try it on some scrap and see what I come up with. I see a lot of people speak out on the danger of it, but others tout it as great, when set up properly. My hands will surely be a few feet back when I do practice it.
thanks for the info
Hi shopdoc ,
Are you saying you use your shaper / feeder setup in a climb mode , and feed in the direction of the cutter rotation ?
I climb feed with routers on a routine basis , but never on a shaper didn't know I should . How is it an advantage ?
dusty
Dusty Climb cutting on the shaper with a feeder is, in my opinion, one of the real advantages of the shaper. I have found trying to climb cut with the router to be dangerous - either free hand or in the router table - so I put one of those small hobby type Delta feeders on my router table and it worked like a charm. Climb cuts using the feeder are the only safe way and they give great results with no chip out or splintering. By the way the reversing switch on my Delta 3 h.p. shaper really makes this easy.I would be interested in hearing how it works for you if you try it. Steve
I have a Delta 3wheel That has done a good job all in all.There has been times that i wish i had more power and /or more grip.Imade all my oak flooring wilth it on a little 1-1/2hp Delta shaper.. The 4 wheeler would have served me better rippng long wide rough boards.
The speeds are 14,27,32, and 63 ft per min.I found these speed ranges fine as i have run 4"crown ,2 3/4" casing plus all the sticking on my1 -3/8" doors and circle top casing for my circle to windows.,all oak.
The hp is 1/3 i think as i just went down stairs to look at it and i remembered that Delta had put the wrong label on the motor,as it says 240 volt ,3 phase ,3/4hp but it came with a 110 cord . Chris
Thanks for you time. i think most are wired for 240 because the manuf figure this is an industrial item and nobody runs 110V. The feeders I have read about don't draw many amps and a 1hp motor can be powered by 110 easily (not as efficient though).
I have one of the 1/4hp feeders. Mines a Delta but I think it's the same as Grizzly and others. I have the flat plate base, I can move the feeder around to different machines and clamp it in a variety of positions. Most of the time, I'm running 10-15 ft/min. The mounting arm has a wide range of positions, the machine can be placed tight to a fence with the edge of the wheels only 1/4" away. I've been able to get a grip on some small pieces. The three wheel design has enough space between wheels to straddle a medium size cutter. You may have to assist it a little, especially on the outfeed end.
Like any feeder, setting up takes a certain step by step procedure. I didn't expect this little feeder to be as useful as it is. Everything about it is much lighter than the next step up in feeders but you don't have a heavy mount and arm, it's portable. It's also about half the price and runs on 110. I've run quite a bit of lumber with it over the last few years, everything from crown profiles on a shaper to heavy dado heads on the table saw.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
thks
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