: I may be picking up a table saw and jointer (and lathe, if I want it) from my
: grandma's house, and this made me think about actually doing cove-and-bead
: strips next time. Is a jointer the same thing as a 'shaper', with just
: different cutting bits, or are they whole dif'rnt critters? I already
: located bits at Grizzly if they'll work on a jointer...

: Dean

Hi Dean

A jointer is a flat bladed tool similar to a thickness planer only for narrow edges mostly. They use knives set in small barrels ( very accurately ) to cut. Mostly used in cutting the edge of a board to be used in a cabinet frame.
The infeed or outfeed tables ( depending on models ) move to give you the thickness of cut

The Shaper is more or less a huge router in a big iron table. Most have anywhere from a 5/8" to a 1 1/8" shaft and the cutters are placed over that shaft and tightened down with a humoungus nut. They turn at a clip of around 20 - 40,000 rpm. Kick-backs are Killers!!

The jointer can be used, if done properly, to straighten boards with a little crook in them but are not designed for that use. Aren't really practical for too much boat work other than straightening edges. If not handled properly they can cut a bit crooked depending on hand and weight placement for flat boards.

The Shaper is # 2 on the all-time serious injury list if you don't know how to use them. They are used to make some really serious shapes in molding and eye-brow style door frames and Crown moldings. Much too heavy for anything you'd use on a boat this size and too dangerous to play with unless you had other ( larger ) projects in mind.

All good tools mind you, but In my opinion, not of much use for this field of work. Wonderful for cabinet making of any kind. Take them if you have any desire to play with cabinet making, but, remember that shaper cutters run in the hundreds, unlike routers.

If in any kind of good condition, they would bring enough money for a new boat ( either KIT or plans and Materials )

The table saw I'd keep as well as the lathe. They are just plain good tools and the lathe is a load of fun to use. Wooden plates, bowls and baskets and the like are bringing hundreds of $$$$ these days. Worth looking into. Most lathe work, when you get the hang of it is pretty popular and as I said, fun to do. Hope this helps!

Rehd