# Build: Shaper Table becomes Router Table



## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

I am in the middle of a conversion that is going very well. I am altering a large, old and damaged 3hp Grizzly shaper into a router table. The cabinet, cast iron top, the spindle "elevator" and the fence are being saved. The original motor, motor mount, belt-drive and spindle are being removed. I have taken some photos of this and hope to post them soon. 

If there are any specific questions about this process, you can let me know. I will try to answer them in the upcoming posts! The shaper was a 1988 Grizzly, model 1026. The new "spindle" will be a Bosch 1617EVS. Cheers from Brooklyn.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, Christopher...


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello Christopher , glad you found us, it's great to have you as a member of the community, welcome to Router Forums.
Interesting concept looks like a great idea


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forum . Neat project as that should be one heavy duty router table!


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

Hi, Christopher.

I like your introducing post. Welcome to the forum.


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

Hope you have some good friends. That thing looks like a small tank.

Keep us posted on your progress and welcome to the forum.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

timbertailor said:


> Hope you have some good friends. That thing looks like a small tank.
> 
> Keep us posted on your progress and welcome to the forum.


Shouldn't have any issues with the table moving during routing lol.
I gave to say grizzly and GI look like the same castings?


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

Thank you James!


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

Thank you! More pics tonight I hope.


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

*Recent Pics of Conversion*

I am attaching some pics to illustrate what I am doing. The first two are exploded views of the "elevator" mechanism from the Grizzly 1026 shaper. After I removed mine, I found that it weighed about 40 lbs. The spindle yoke casting is machined into a dovetail shape and it slides very well. Furthermore, if there is any play in the dovetail, two adjustment bolts are there to take out any sloppiness. This is all original to the design.

The next pic should me my "elevator, removed. I put a wooden desc in the spindle area to determine exactly where I want my router bits to exist. The original spindle was about 1/8" off from the center of the drop-in inserts. I am hoping that my router mounting will be more precise than this. The original spindle is about 2.5" dis.

In the next pic, I severed the casting using a grinder and a cutting disc, The cast iron cut very easily.

The next pic is a closeup I think.

Finally, I ground an filed the casting flat, so that those long lines of the casting (stained blue) would be perfectly co-planar with the part that WAS the yoke. Then I drilled and tapped in six places. These 1/4" 20tpi tapped holes will simply be used to secure a precision steel plate to the face of the casting. I would like to go with a 3/8" plate, but there may only be room for 5/16" or 1/4". 

This is because I want to use a precision made router mount that I found through a CNC parts site. (I am mounting a Bosch 1617. I believe these measure 3.5" in diameter)

So the next pics, next week, should show how the plate attaches and the 2" thick aluminum router mount bolts to that. Vertical travel should be about 4", so I hope to do "above the table" bit changes.

More soon. I do apologize if I am posting some of this incorrectly- I am new to the forum, and I do not completely understand the posting process. 

-Christopher


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

ChristopherBKLYN said:


> More soon. I do apologize if I am posting some of this incorrectly- I am new to the forum, and I do not completely understand the posting process.
> 
> -Christopher


Kinda early to tell exactly what you are doing but I am in for progress reports.

I have never really worked with metal so I am hoping to learn something from your project.

Thanks for posting.


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

RainMan1 said:


> Shouldn't have any issues with the table moving during routing lol.
> I gave to say grizzly and GI look like the same castings?


To Rainman1 - Who is the GI Company? All of the iron castings of this shaper are functional, but VERY rough and mostly unfinished. In terms of flatness and accurate machining though- they are going to work fine. I am also very happy about their general mass. As we all know, increased mass often seems helpful when dealing with the noise and vibrations of standard routers.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

ChristopherBKLYN said:


> To Rainman1 - Who is the GI Company? All of the iron castings of this shaper are functional, but VERY rough and mostly unfinished. In terms of flatness and accurate machining though- they are going to work fine. I am also very happy about their general mass. As we all know, increased mass often seems helpful when dealing with the noise and vibrations of standard routers.


GI :general international 
I was just noticing the similarities as I am a GI fan as I own several of there machines .
I think your idea is great as your going to have one heavy duty router table when your done


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

Yes RainMan1, it will not be "portable." The top weighs about 120lbs with its extension wing on the front. The "elevator" adds about 40lbs. The cabinet it quite light, as is the Bosch 1617. If I use the old Grizzly fence, well thats another 25lbs, but I may not. Thanks for your interest! I hope I posted those last photos in the right place. -Christopher


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

*Table Finished*



RainMan1 said:


> GI :general international
> I was just noticing the similarities as I am a GI fan as I own several of there machines .
> I think your idea is great as your going to have one heavy duty router table when your done


I finished the table tonight. On the front I mounted a switch from Rockler. It is a bit lightweight, but I chose it because it was such an easy solution (it already has a 7ft male cord and a 2ft female). 

First tests show that it runs very well. My favorite features are:

hand wheel elevation at the FRONT of the machine

"above the table" bit changes

high precision, removable inserts

the stability of the iron top

I modified this machine to suit my needs, and because I could not afford one of the new cast iron router table setups. If there is anyone else out there who has similar needs, I hope the pics are helpful. And if you can find a broken down shaper like this one, it makes an excellent beginning for a router table.


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

ChristopherBKLYN said:


> I finished the table tonight. On the front I mounted a switch from Rockler. It is a bit lightweight, but I chose it because it was such an easy solution (it already has a 7ft male cord and a 2ft female).
> 
> First tests show that it runs very well. My favorite features are:
> 
> ...


Built like a tank. Should be a great addition to your work shop and provide excellent service for years to come.


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

Thank you Timber! As long as the base rolls, it moves around the shop quite nicely. But I wouldn't want to carry it to a job site! It is definitely a SHOP router table.


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## ChristopherBKLYN (Jun 29, 2014)

Thank you Rainman. Next week will be it's first week as a production machine, and I am psyched about that. Cheers to you in Canada! -Christopher


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