Using a shaper?

[scgargoyle]

I'm the proud owner of a Sears shaper (OK, it was $35 at an auction) and plan on using it to make some cabinet doors. I could use a few pointers and safety tips. The spindle motor is reversible, but I'm not sure which way to run it for various applications. I would think climb cutting would be dangerous no matter what, but there must be a reason for the reverse. I only plan on cutting some 1/4" wide slots; not the big rail and stile type cutters.

[beenthere]

Watch the a direction of the grain so the knife isn't trying to pick up the grain, like in climb cutting. Shapers are designed for knives cutting both directions because some pieces have curves that go every which way. Straight cutting along the grain is not too hard to figure out. But curves are a different beast. Knives are needed for each direction I believe. Some shapers have two spindles going at the same time to complete a piece in one operation.

Here is a publication on machining charcteristics, and may help with your question. For safety, a jig that locks a piece to be cut is a good thing. Something bigger than the piece to hold it. Fences and feather boards are good too.

Machining hardwood - see Figure 11

The piece in Figure 11 was machined (shaped) using cutter heads turning both directions to accomplish the shaping.