One of the hard things to do with a workshop is deciding what tool or equipment you need to add to your list of available tools. This might be due to limited workshop space or budgets. However, with the increase in workload, there will be a need for you to match up with additional tools, making it very hard for you to escape making the decision of what tools you need to make in times where there is more than one choice.
Now, this article will help you to look at why you should get a wood shaper and why you should go for a router table, and help you in your mission of making a decision of which to choose among the two.
Why Would You Want A Router Table Instead Of A Wood Shaper?
Let’s look at the reasons why routers will be preferable
Control
The parts and bits of a router are generally smaller in comparison to that of shapers. This makes it easier for you to control the router and make more precise cuts and to requirement. The small size of the bits of routers makes them have higher RPMs when compared to wood shapers. And for this reason of ease of control, the best option for you is to get a router and router table for your workshop needs.
Cost Of Acquisition Or Purchase
You, understandably, might want to put the cost of acquiring any of these tools into consideration when making your buying decision. You most likely will want a product that will cost as much as your budget can manage in order not to ruin your budget lean and cause problems for your workshop’s operation in terms of running cost. Routers and shapers both have different price ranges, the better the operational use and quality of the tool, the higher the price.
On a standard level, however, to get the same job done, the needed router will cost you way less money in comparison to a shaper that can do the same job. Therefore, if you have a limited budget and a project that you can get done by any of these two tools, then the best option in terms of price will be to get a router over a shaper.
Versatility
With a router, you have a lot of options where you can put it to use. You can employ the router for more works and use cases than a wood shaper. Also, if you need to replace parts of your equipment for different types of cuts, a router does a more easy job at part replacement than shapers. You can easily pack, unpack and move a router relatively more than you can do with a shaper. Therefore, when it comes to versatility, a router is a greater and better option.
Regardless of these reasons why you might want to go for a router instead of a shaper, shapers also have their own superior points. There are reasons some specific situations and projects that require the use of a shaper over that of a router.
Why Would You Pick A Shaper Over A Router?
Let’s take a look at some points that make shapers more preferred to a router.
Adaptability
The adaptability of the shaper is the first thing we are going to look at. Almost every bit of a router can be used on a shaper, but the same does not apply to a router. With the use of recommended adapters, you can adapt the bits of your routers into the shaper to get your wood project done. So, if you are particular about the adaptability of your woodwork tools, you might want to go for a wood shaper instead of a router.
Time-Saving
If you will prefer cost over production time, then routers will be more attractive to you. But if you are particular about how fast you can get your projects done, then it’d be better if you go for a shaper instead of a router. Wood shapers, in only one run, can do what will take a router three or more runs to get done. Therefore, with a wood shaper, you get more productivity and time-saving.
Heavy-Duty Activities
Despite the versatility and speed of routers, they are made for light-duty projects. If in your workshop, you will be doing a lot of heavy-duty projects, the optimal option will be a wood shaper. Using a router for heavy jobs will only put a strain on you as will be pushed to apply more pressure and effort. You can, however, conserve such energy with a wood shaper doing your heavy work for you.
Tooling
Although shapers are very identical to routers, you get more power from a shaper than from a router. The availability of more power with shapers makes them suitable for more complicated wood cutting works than routers. The shaper is so powerful that with only one pass, you can create complicated profiles, unlike routers that require three or more passes to get the same task done. If you intend to make wide profile cuttings, then the best option for you will be a wood shaper.
Reverse Running
Imagine yourself working on a plank of wood and it gets split as a result of grain direction. It will be very easy for you to quickly correct such a mistake by a reverse running of your tool on the wood. The good news is that with a shaper, you can easily do a reverse run to fix your wood split. However, with a router, this will be utterly impossible to do for you. Therefore, in the area of reverse running, wood shapers take a higher preference than routers.
Noise
The big size of the wood shaper notwithstanding, it does a more quiet job in comparison to a router. Although the shapers’ vibrations are understandably much more than that of a router, if you prefer less noise, wood shapers are made just for you.
There you have it, reasons why you might consider one tool over the other. While it will not be a bad idea to acquire both types of equipment, you can use this guide to help you to make a more informed decision.