There are several advantages to using a shaper instead of a mill in certain woodworking applications. First and foremost, shapers offer greater versatility when it comes to shaping wood profiles and mouldings due to their ability to accommodate various cutters and blades. They provide more flexibility in terms of adjusting depth, width, and overall shape than mills do. Additionally, shapers are generally smaller and more compact compared to mills, which makes them suitable for smaller workshops or projects with limited space. Lastly, using a shaper can often be more cost-effective than employing a mill for specific shaping tasks since mills tend to be larger and designed for heavier-duty work.