Shaper Handbook

The shaper is a stationary woodworking machine used to produce decorative mouldings, edges, and joinery. Every production shop has always had a shaper, but now advanced home woodworkers are increasingly likely to own one of these versatile machines because they are affordable and because they greatly expand the capability of a shop. A shaper, however, is one of the trickiest woodworking machines to operate properly and safely. This handbook explains hundreds of shaper techniques and illustrates each with drawings and photos. Advice is offered about what to look for when buying a shaper, and maintenance, troubleshooting, and tune-up are also covered.

Roger W. Cliffe lectured and demonstrated at many woodworking shows. He taught at Northern Illinois University and is the author of Table Saw Basics, Woodworker’s Handbook, Radial Arm Saw Techniques, and Table Saw Techniques Revised. He lives in DeKalb, Illinois. Michael Holtz is a designer and woodworker with over 20 years of experience. He lives in Sycamore, Illinois.