molder question again (sigh)

[Virgil Johnson]

Kinda had my eye on a Shopfox moulder but suddenly got two jobs involving one piece moulding more than 8" wide.

Since the Shopfox only handles 7" wide...

I guess I have to move to a Woodmaster or Grizzly or a Jet.

I know about the Woodmaster.

How about the Jet? (and Grizzly) I am wondering if variable feed rates are important enough to go with the Woodmaster.

Virgil

[James Reichman]

Well can you do a custom knife set up? Maybe build a box around the machine with an alternate tensioner futher of from the out side of the open end of the machine? Make say the 6" pass first. Apply you jig spin the molding around. Put the the second 2" cutter. Recheck the tension on your jig althugh it should be set fine from the first pass. Align the 2nd cutter where yoou want it to cut the remaining 2" profile and run all the boards on the 2nd side.??????

[Jim Holman]

Love my shopfox molder. It is really limited to about 6" wide and does a super job in anything I have thrown at it. I do a lot of short runs, 100' or less, and do not miss variable speed. I have built up a lot of wide molding over the years in two or three sections but have not had the occasion or need for anything wider than 6". Wouldn't shrinkage be a problem?

[Virgil Johnson]

I guess I could make one pass and flip the board end for end and make a second pass with different cutters.

Just don't how well it would work.

I imagine I would have to build an auxillary table to get the outside fence out far enough to capture the wider board.

The issue of shinkage is not a problem since both cases are exterior work.

One house is late 1600s and needs the siding duplicated and the other is late 1700s and the shutters need to be duplicated.

I will need custom cutters made of course.

Virgl

[Scott T Smith]

Baker and Logosol both make 4 head moulders that will handle boards up to 12" wide. Not cheap though; they are in the neighborhood of 13K.

[Virgil Johnson]

Baker and Logosol both make 4 head moulders that will handle boards up to 12" wide. Not cheap though; they are in the neighborhood of 13K.

More than I want to spend I think.

I operate a small carpentry cabinet shop - but I could pop the 4 1/2 grand for the Woodmaster if I had to.

Just tryin' to keep my customers satisfied.

Virgil

[Neal Clayton]

i have a woodmaster. i don't think i could live without the variable feed.

as i'm sure you know, some species like being cut in certain ways and not others. i've found the yellow pine that is so popular around here, and which i use primarily, really doesn't work well at all unless you crank the speed up and cut it wide open, otherwise the blades get the sap too hot and you get funky grain raising. most of the small molders i've seen seem to be limited at a speed slower than the woodmaster can attain, don't know how that would work.

why 4500? which woodmaster are you looking at? they're all the same other than planing capability, which i assume you don't need? they should be able to fit a 5hp motor on the 12" machine if you ask them to.

[Quinn McCarthy]

Not sure about the shop fox.

THe W&H can do infinate width but only 7" of profile. Most 8" and wider profiles I have seen have a flat part on the bottom. If you are doing crown you might have to find a set of cutters that does it in 8 passes.

Hope that helps.

Quinn

[Virgil Johnson]

i have a woodmaster. i don't think i could live without the variable feed.

as i'm sure you know, some species like being cut in certain ways and not others. i've found the yellow pine that is so popular around here, and which i use primarily, really doesn't work well at all unless you crank the speed up and cut it wide open, otherwise the blades get the sap too hot and you get funky grain raising. most of the small molders i've seen seem to be limited at a speed slower than the woodmaster can attain, don't know how that would work.

why 4500? which woodmaster are you looking at? they're all the same other than planing capability, which i assume you don't need? they should be able to fit a 5hp motor on the 12" machine if you ask them to.

I am looking at the 718 - not much more money than the 712.
But still about 3 grand or so.

And while I am there I might as well get the sanding drum and casters and cutters along with sand paper.

The slippery board might be handy.

There is also shipping.

So by the time I am done it has to be well over 4 grand.

In for a penny in for a pound.

Virgil

[Steve Rowe]

Baker and Logosol both make 4 head moulders that will handle boards up to 12" wide. Not cheap though; they are in the neighborhood of 13K.
I had considered the Logosol PH260 which is in the price range you mention. They do make a smaller 9" version (SH230) that is about $3500.

[Steve Clardy]

Call WM and see if they have any sales going on, or demo units.


Last year I got a new 712 [no accessories] with 5hp motor upgrade for 1600.00 picked up.


Variable speed is sweet.

[Neal Clayton]

I am looking at the 718 - not much more money than the 712.
But still about 3 grand or so.

And while I am there I might as well get the sanding drum and casters and cutters along with sand paper.

The slippery board might be handy.

There is also shipping.

So by the time I am done it has to be well over 4 grand.

In for a penny in for a pound.

Virgil

from experience...

the drum sanding head is marginal at best. it's not something i'd use every day. it is definitely not comparable to a proper drum/belt sander with a conveyor style feed. the slippery board impedes the iron table's ability to absorb vibration. i don't use it unless i have a knife that needs to go past the board. even if you need such a thing, a sheet of laminated ply can accomplish the same thing for about 20 bucks.

unless you need an 18" planer the 718 doesn't give you any benefit over the 712. and unless you order the spiral head it's not that great a planer. there are lots of threads you can turn up on here about people getting bad planing results from the straight knives, simply because the rubber rollers can't hold a board stable enough with the vibration from the straight knives.

now, for short run moldings it is a pretty decent machine for the price. but i wouldn't buy the 18" unless i wanted an 18" planer and i wouldn't use it as a planer without the spiral head.

i have the 18, because i also use it every day as a planer. if i had another planer that i was happy with, i would only get the 12.

[Virgil Johnson]

Call WM and see if they have any sales going on, or demo units.


Last year I got a new 712 [no accessories] with 5hp motor upgrade for 1600.00 picked up.


Variable speed is sweet.

Tomorrow I have time to call and I am going to see if they can make a deal.
Never hurts to ask.

Virgil

[Virgil Johnson]

Called woodmaster today and what a sale they have going!

Bought a 718 - just like the one I had years ago.

They offer a deep discount package as well and I jumped in.

Spent about $2200 (delivered)for what I thought would cost twice as much - and got even more than I had thought of getting.

Virgil

[Steve Clardy]

Awesome. :D

[Virgil Johnson]

Awesome. :D

I thought so.

virgil