How to Set Up a Shaper
- 1). Turn off the power to the shaper. Reach underneath the shaper table. On the face of the table there is a large wheel -- this is the height adjusting wheel. Turn the wheel clockwise to raise the shaper spindle so that the flat part of the base where the knife rests is above the shaper table.
- 2). Reach underneath the shaper. There is a lever on the side of the machine. Pull this lever up to lock the spindle in place and to keep it from revolving.
- 3). Drop the cutterhead into place on the spindle. Drop two spacers on top of the cutterhead. Drop the locking washer into place making sure to line up the slot in the locking washer with the slot in the spindle. Screw the spindle nut on top of the spindle with your fingers.
- 4). Place the wrench on the spindle nut and tighten securely. Reach underneath the shaper and release the spindle lock. Lay the workpiece on the shaper table. Slide it over to touch the cutterhead. Squat down at eye level to the cutterhead. Begin turning the height-adjusting wheel counterclockwise to lower the cutterhead. When the cutterhead is centered to the edge of the workpiece, stop turning the wheel.
- 5). Slide the shaper fence over to the cutterhead, if your shaper has a fence. There will be a hole in the fence big enough for the cutterhead to pass through. Stop the fence when half the cutterhead is behind the fence, and half is protruding out of the fence. Lock down the fence. Turn on the power. The shaper is ready to run.
