I am looking to add a shaper to my shop. This is my first shaper and I am not sure what is crucial and what is nice to have? I am currently thinking to get the F900Z with the following configuration:
* Motor 3x 230 V S60/40% 60 Hz 7.30 kW
* Moulder spindle ? 30 mm

* aigner safety fence

* Crosscut fence 1100 mm(43")
* Electronic spindle height setting
* Spindle angle settings are carried out with a handwheel and a digital indicator.

What do you think about this configuration/shaper in general?

The price of this configuration is around $16k and there is additional $1k if I would like to add a digital LED/motor for the spindle angle. How frequent are you changing the angle of the shaper?

?

I also asked for another quote for the Profil 45Z (non X-motion)
There is a delta of $4500 between the two units and I am getting:
Power drive for the spindle angle
Digital motorized fence (this feature looks important to me)
Aigner Spindle moulder fence (This isn't something that is available from Felder for the F900Z). I am not sure if there is ability to retrofit, but the part cost ~$700 from the UK (not sure if there is a regional sales limit)


Any thoughts?

I'll be at Felder's showroom Thursday to pickup my slider and will examine both of them. Is there anything else I should take a look at?

If its your first shaper, why not try something second hand that doesnt cost a small fortune??
I have owned several shaper in the past, mainly Italian, Casadei, SCM... I almost bought a Profil 45Z but I have never owned a Felder shaper.?

After a few years of experience I knew whats important to me, so I bought a SCM TI145EP. not a lot of information on the internet about them so I took this video a couple of months after I received it.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j00aPTETMYQ

Hope you find it useful.?

Hi Netanel,?

Great to hear you're looking into adding a shaper to your inventory. In terms of which machine, what features, etc...., it will really be driven by what you're looking to do. For instance, will you mostly be producing cabinet doors? Furniture? Entry doors? Euro-style windows? Are you just looking for an up-sized router table?

The F900Z is a decent shaper, though it suffers from a hood design where you're left guessing as to the precise location/setting (there's no readout, just a scale with a pointer). Not necessarily a problem if you process long runs of material, but if you're contantly setting- and re-setting, you'll want some manner of readout. The Profil 45 shares the same frame and guts as the 900, but adds a readout for the fence.?

I produce a fair number of windows and doors, and discovered that I wanted a good tenoning table, AND a pull-out support bar for perimeter milling on assembled sashes, so I ultimately sold my Profil 45Z and ordered a TF-130 with the TL Pro-10 package. It's essentially the same configuration as Albert Lee's TI-145, minus the tilting spindle, and minus the electronics, but all of the axis do still have a mechanical digital readout accurate to 0.1mm.?

On a Felder machine, if you wanted a pull-out bar and a tenoning table, you'd order a "M" configuration with the cast iron table extensions and pull-out bar, and supplement it with Rangate's bolt-on tenoning table: ?

But, again, it really depends on what you're doing. As Albert Lee suggests, you may benefit from buying a second hand machine to start off with, this way you can identify what you like, what you don't like, etc.... There are plenty of used SCM shapers out there, and second hand Felder machines are not uncommon.?

I'll also make the obligatory suggestion that if you are not familiar with working on a shaper, you may benefit from attending the Alpine Technical Workshop's "Advanced Joinery" class, where Joe Calhoon will provide you with an excellent overview on how to safely set up and utilize your shaper, along with a variety of other machine tips/tricks/techniques:

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Tom Gensmer
Heritage Home Renewals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN

Hello Netanel,

You have already received great advice from Brett and Albert. My only addition is for you to consider adding a power feeder to your initial purchase budget list.

Regards,

Jacques

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I have the Profil 45Z (non-Xmotion) like you have called out in your post. ?I upgraded from the F700Z in 2005 specifically to get the better hood system. ? It’s served me well, and if you want to stick with the Felder line, then the uplift from the F900 to the Profil 45 is definitely worth the $4,500 difference IMO for a variety of reasons I can go into if you want. ?I have a lot of information posted about this machine and the Aigner options and workflows here: ?https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/collections/72157720381115447/

Thank you everyone.

Albert - I was burnt before by buying second hand and under power machines. What leads me to sell the machines and wast money/time for upgrading. I thought to go with buy once cry once.

I am doing woodworking as a side hustle/hobby and not as my main day job, so I have a limited time in the shop. That is why I am also looking for machines with DROs and motorized fence so I’ll spend less time setting them ups and running tests pieces.

Tom - I’ll be mostly want to do cabinets door/furniture/tenonning/template shaping and as a upsacle router . I don’t intercept doing large work pieces like doors or windows.
I was thinking to start using the shaper a bit before I am taking the Advance joinery class at Alpine Workshops so I'll have better understanding and familiarity with the tool.

Do you think I should do it the opposite way?

For the power feeder, I was looking to get the Comatic DC40. Operating a shaper without it looks intermediate to me.

David - Can you please elaborate on the reasons.

I will also take a look at the SCM shapers.

I would look at SCM. At the Vegas show I looked at a T130 equipped with a pinned fence with mechanical digital readout and looked like a robust machine. I have one Martin shaper with full auto fence and memory for cutter settings, my other shaper is a Hofmann with pinned fence and mechanical readout. It is darn near as fast to set. Especially if you understand cutter geometry and diameters. And no worries about electrical failures

Netanel,

I am a hobbyist as well. I bought a DC-40 and it is installed on my combination saw/shaper. Great addition in terms of work quality and operator safety.

Regards,

Jacques

I got a profile 45z x-motion as my first shaper last October and have been absolutely loving it.

I'm a hobbyist in a small garage shop, and tilting spindle was a must have for me. Being able to dial in any angle chamfer with regular rebate blocks is great. Also being able to adjust angle on profiles to get different looks is really nice too.

Before the shaper, I had to try so many different angled router bits or make sloped false tables on my router table to try and get the specific look I wanted.

My shaper bundle (part of the sale last summer) came with the normal safety-bar fence, but I opted to also get the Aigner fence. The Aigner is way nicer and more convenient to use. The profil45 also comes with the Aigner Centrex guard, but I'm not sure if that is available for the f900z or not.

I went with the comatic dc40 feeder with smart stand and have also been very happy with it.
--

Larry Long Neck

Just a noob trying to learn the ways of wood

Making youtube videos now!
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Hi Netanel,?

If you have the temporal flexibility, I'd suggest attending an Alpine class prior to purchasing an expensive machine. Joe has several machines in different configurations, so it's a nice audit of electronic machines versus manual, machines with- and without- tenoning tables, etc.... Usually, the "Advanced Joinery" class is a good starting point.?
--
Tom Gensmer
Heritage Home Renewals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN

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I totally agree with Tom. ?

I have not attended Alpine woodworking class but I have heard it is very informative, if I was in the states I would definitely signed up..?

Before I bought my SCM shaper with side tenoning table I was a little hesitant. Joe chimed in and cleared my doubt - Thank you Joe.?

I have a Comatic DC40 on my shaper. a definite must.?

the timing to buy a machine is critical. I bought my ti145ep at the height of Covid. SCM gave me a huge discount.?

Hi, since you don’t own tooling at present, you can select either the 1 1/4” or 30mm spindle.

If you already own a saw with a 30mm spindle, you can share the blades and grooving tools you own with the shaper if you have a 30mm spindle.

I would also suggest MAN rated tooling, or tooling that meets that design criteria to reduce the risk of kickback.

You’re going to love having a shaper and you’ve picked a nice feeder for it.

Regards, Rod

I tend to go with the 30mm spindle, since I’ll be able to use a bushing hat to use 1.25” cutters but not the other way around.
I also added the SCM shapers to my list of
machines.?