The spindle may be raised and lowered relative to the shaper's table, and rotates between 3,000 and 10,000 rpm, with stock running along a vertical fence.

Shapers feature between 1.5 and 5 horsepower (1.1 and 3.7 kW) belt-driven motors, which run much more quietly and smoothly than typically 10,000 to 25,000 rpm direct-drive routers.

A wood moulder (American English) is similar to a shaper, but is a more powerful and complex machine with multiple cutting heads at both 90-degrees and parallel to its table.

The primary safety feature on a wood shaper is a guard mounted above the cutter protecting hands and garments from being drawn into its blades.

The starter, or fulcrum, pin is a metal rod which threads into the table a few inches away from the cutter allowing stock to be fed into it in a freehand cut.