The very video shows plenty of joinery error that would not be acceptable in any real setting outside of a hobby.
I'll do my best to break it down for you.
You can also see the side-to-side fit from the heart joinery has significant gaps for the same reason (they avoid showing in most shots, and blur the shot where they are spinning it, admittedly unclear if that's intentional).
Sorry, but none of this would be acceptable for real fine furniture joinery, etc.
Does this mean it's impossible to use a shaper to do it? I'm sure if you are super careful you could probably do somewhat better, but i don't think you'll solve the fundamental issues (or make it repeatably solved)
Look - i own one, i was an early backer, i've used it extensively.
I think it's a great tool for what it is.
But i don't think there's a good reason to pretend it's a miracle tool that can do things it can't.
Pretending otherwise will just make for unhappy people.
One reason Domino has been so successful for festool is that it's easy, it is great at what it is (invisible, simple, loose tenon joinery), etc.
Shaper should be viewed the same - it will be plenty successful for what it is good at.
The very video shows plenty of joinery error that would not be acceptable in any real setting outside of a hobby. I'll do my best to break it down for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1heXNiwAB0s&t=1m35s
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1heXNiwAB0s&t=1m38s
Note the significant tearout there, and the ill-fitting of a number of hearts (despite it being cut oversize).
Note also the significant gaps between top and side due to not being able to cut the flat bottom consistently (vibration/rigidity most likely)
Ditto visible here: https://youtu.be/1heXNiwAB0s?t=96
and
https://youtu.be/1heXNiwAB0s?t=100
here.
You can also see the side-to-side fit from the heart joinery has significant gaps for the same reason (they avoid showing in most shots, and blur the shot where they are spinning it, admittedly unclear if that's intentional).
https://youtu.be/1heXNiwAB0s?t=125
here.
That is why the edge is wavy.
Sorry, but none of this would be acceptable for real fine furniture joinery, etc.
Does this mean it's impossible to use a shaper to do it? I'm sure if you are super careful you could probably do somewhat better, but i don't think you'll solve the fundamental issues (or make it repeatably solved)
Look - i own one, i was an early backer, i've used it extensively. I think it's a great tool for what it is.
But i don't think there's a good reason to pretend it's a miracle tool that can do things it can't.
Pretending otherwise will just make for unhappy people.
One reason Domino has been so successful for festool is that it's easy, it is great at what it is (invisible, simple, loose tenon joinery), etc.
Shaper should be viewed the same - it will be plenty successful for what it is good at.
But joinery is not that thing.