Customer Reviews

Delta 43-437 D EditionDuty Shaper

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am an amateur woodworker - handyman and have been looking for a router table for some time. I decided that a shaper would do everything that a router table could and then some. My tool buying philosophy is "buy it once, buy it right." This Delta shaper is exactly what I needed. It has the router bit spindle included - both 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets are supplied.

This is a solid, heavy piece of woodworking machinery. The fence assembly is cast iron, and the spindle adjustment has a heavy hand wheel that allows for extremely precise height control. With the exception of the fine adjustment dials on the fence, everything is overbuilt. (Yes!) It has plenty of power to spin up large cutters for panel raising and making rail and stile doors. It is very smooth, almost no vibration.

The fence and safety system take a little getting used to, but are quite effective. (Okay, I don't use all the safety shields because they sometimes get in the way.)

I have only two complaints about this machine:

One of my extension wings is not perfectly straight. (Can't get that thing level with the main table to save my life!)

The overload switch on my machine was set wrong. It stopped working on the third use. All that was required was opening the power switch assembly and turning a screw - not a big deal fortunately.

Overall I am very happy with this machine and would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit more than a simple router table.

(Oh yeah, hope you are handy with electrical wiring because you will need a 240V outlet to run this beast.)

This machine is an upgrade from my previous shaper which was a Jet JWS-22CS. It cost me several hundred dollars to make the change but it was well worth it. I have been a woodworker since I was a child. My father was a master carpenter and he introduced me to woodworking at a very young age. I have always had access to quality machines which makes me very critical of quality issues.

I was very disappointed with the JWS-22CS from the beginning but to speak fairly, I was expecting too much for the price range of the machine. I have discovered no significant quality issues with the Delta shaper. I set it up in about an hour and everything worked right the first time. The fence is the best I have ever used. It is accurate and easy to move and adjust. I must admit that with all of the safety guards and shields included with the fence in place it is very difficult to use the machine and I removed most of them. The machine has excellent power and runs very smooth and quiet. With dust collector connected and the canopy adjusted properly virtually no chips escape being collected. It is easy to make adjustments, change cutters, and change spindles. The mobile base precisely fits the machine and is adequately built to easily handle the weight of the machine.

I am digging very deep to find anything negative to say about this machine but here goes: For the price of the machine I think the 1/2 inch spindle accessory should have been included and the table extension surfaces are not finished to the same quality as the main table but the finish is satisfactory.

In summary, this is an excellent professional quality machine and would be a fine addition to any wood shop. I have several American made Delta machines and am extremely satisfied with all. If you are looking for a quality shaper at a fair price this machine is probably the best choice you could make.

I've been using a 3hp router in my router table with some success for about 3 years now. The tooth fairy brought me this machine for my birthday, and I'm amazed at my new capabilities. The 3 horsepower motor has enough power to drive a 4" molding head, enabling me to make the 5000 feet of molding I needed for a remodeling project. While I was at it, I also made raised panel doors for custom cabinets in the same house. I have always been a Jet tools fan, but if this machine is any indication, I'm a convert.

Having been a professional woodworker for about 15 years,finetuning my tools is nothing new.However,this brand new shaper wouldn't even start.After I had it repaired,it turns out that the motor fan(plastic) had casting burrs on it that came in contact with the motor housing and prevented the motor from turning.Also,I'm not to fond of the fence system because of it's inability to accept a sacrificial fence.But all in all I like the Delta 43-437 shaper.

I purchased this machine with the idea that I would give up my router table. I have and use both the shaper and the router table. The shaper I use for heavy cutting application with 4/4 and above projects. It eats wood - and in doing so cuts time required for any project. As a furniture maker my projects normally require some shaping. Under 4/4 wood the router table is the primary shaping power tool I use usless we are making repeated cuts as in machining flooring - then the shaper is the tool of choice. I have run about 4,000 brd feet through the shaper. If I had the need and was looking for another shaper I would purchase this one again.