new toy

[Brett Nelson]

Just purchased a new Woodmaster 718 planer/moulder. I'm not a professional, so this machine should do the trick for everything I need. I was going to get separate machines for each function, but I'm short on shop space right now. Usually i don't ever opt for combo machines as they are generally

I ended up getting the pro pack. I searched craigslist for months and while there were some decent deals, i opted to spend an extra couple hundred for the new machine.

5 week delivery is torture now.:(

[Chip Lindley]

A 5-week backlog? Wow! Business must be really GOOD. Enjoy your Woodmaster when it arrives, Brett! In the '90s my railroad lodging was right down the road from WM in North Kansas City MO! I got the grand tour! Very Nice Folks!

[Brett Nelson]

A 5-week backlog? Wow! Business must be really GOOD. Enjoy your Woodmaster when it arrives, Brett! In the '90s my railroad lodging was right down the road from WM in North Kansas City MO! I got the grand tour! Very Nice Folks!


Yeah the guys there have been great already. The purchase was supposed to include their 6 most popular molding knives. My immediate need called for larger knives; just a quick mention of my preferred knives took care of that for no additional charge. I almost sprung for the spiral cutterhead, but decided to see if I like the standard planer heads well enough first.

I will enjoy it for sure. Building my parents a home this year. I just finished the design and construction docs for them. 5,000sf colonial. Breaking ground next month. This will be a fun project for the year. I'm doing the framing, flooring, trim, paint, railings, stairs, and cabinets. House has many fun details. Barrel vault ceiling with exposed beams, coffered ceilings, office and library both trimmed out with cherry moldings, paneling, and built-ins. Turns out that I might be building solid wood doors throughout also. :eek:

Any of you creekers have any extra time this year.:D

[Mike Heidrick]

After all that you might as well call yourself a professional. Lot of work!!

How much of this have you done before?

Congrats on the machine.

[Greg Portland]

I have the 718 and you will definitely still have planer knife marks on the surface with the standard blades. I'm not sure if the spiral blades fix this issue. I found the forward / reverse switch for the feed motor to be valuable because I can quickly back out a piece if things start to bog down. Tip: Save a 3' piece of moulding for each profile. After your 1st setup, you can quickly revert to the same setup (knife position, table height, & guide position) using the moulding as a guide.

[Brett Nelson]

After all that you might as well call yourself a professional. Lot of work!!

How much of this have you done before?

Congrats on the machine.

I've done all of it except for the interior doors. Built my wife a home last year. Think I posted a couple pictures on here, but not many. I did all of that on my own home, as well as the electrical, roof, soffit/fascia, gutters, and some drywall. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my mom wants a dining table that seats 14 people when fully expanded. Just found the equalizer slides for it. Will build it right after the cabinets, but told her that she will have to buy the chairs.

Actually, I haven't ever done a barrel vault ceiling before. I've seen them done though. I was eager to try one, so I added it to the design. After a 3D virtual walk-through the parents are hooked on it, so I have to do it. :D Next thing you know, they saw the picture below and that is what they want, because the ceiling will be positioned over the kitchen in a similar manner. Ugh... That probably came from a $4MM house.

http://www.caldoor.com/gall/galleries/Finished%20Kitchens/img22.jpg

[Brett Nelson]

I have the 718 and you will definitely still have planer knife marks on the surface with the standard blades. I'm not sure if the spiral blades fix this issue. I found the forward / reverse switch for the feed motor to be valuable because I can quickly back out a piece if things start to bog down. Tip: Save a 3' piece of moulding for each profile. After your 1st setup, you can quickly revert to the same setup (knife position, table height, & guide position) using the moulding as a guide.

Thanks for the tips. Yeah I have heard about the planer marks, which is why I was considering the spiral head. Then I heard it leaves marks too. I guess sanding is in order either way. Lots of forums speak of placing the motor on a hinge setup to get rid of the marks. Not sure about that. We'll see.

[ed vitanovec]

Congrats on your 718, you will like it. The folks at woodmaster are very nice. I bought my machine from a guy that never used it, it was brand new. Its good you bought the pro pack. I haven't put a lot of wood through it yet but the projects are coming. I bought the 8" corrugated head and it is really nice. The cover is a little heavy and bulky to remove so I bought their hinge kit that I would recommend. The cover just tilts off to make your change overs. I haven't installed the reversing switch for the feed rollers, I have been told it is worth having especially when setting up the molding. The quality of the machine is really nice and change over will go faster once you have done it a few times.

Regards!
Ed

[Brett Nelson]

I bought the 8" corrugated head and it is really nice. The cover is a little heavy and bulky to remove so I bought their hinge kit that I would recommend. The cover just tilts off to make your change overs. I haven't installed the reversing switch for the feed rollers, I have been told it is worth having especially when setting up the molding. The quality of the machine is really nice and change over will go faster once you have done it a few times.

Regards!
Ed

Yeah, I think I'm gonna have to get some of the 8" heads because I will be doing a lot of 4-5" moldings. Prob need to get the curved molding jig too. Got a guy who wants to sell me the router setup for doing T&G planks, but not sure I would have an immediate need for it. My parents home will not have any wood flooring.

[Fred Haydon]

Brett,

Let me welcome you into the WoodMaster fold!! I too have a 718, purchased it a few years back and have found it to be an invaluable tool.

I used to have the problem with planer knife marks and I took a couple of days and dialed everything in to +/- .003 tolerances, slowed my feed rates and shallow final passes. Problem Solved!!

The best part about all of this is that the machine is still dialed in after three years! Good old USA quality construction.

Post back if you have more questions.

Fred

[Glen Butler]

Cool machine. I was looking into getting one of those myself, but the budget just couldn't fit it in. Some day when I have a great project to work on I will spring for it. I am envious of the project you have coming up. Sounds like fun. Especially making your own doors.

Smithfield aint too far from me. In fact, I have done some work in smithfield -- A cabinet shop add on in the 900 block and main.

Is it just me or do the corbels under the arches look out of place?

[Greg Portland]

A clarification r.e. my 'bogging down' comment: I was talking about the drum sander attachment & paper overheating. The planer portion does NOT bog down. The metal lip on the infeed side prevents you from taking too much in 1 pass.

[Brett Nelson]

Cool machine. I was looking into getting one of those myself, but the budget just couldn't fit it in. Some day when I have a great project to work on I will spring for it. I am envious of the project you have coming up. Sounds like fun. Especially making your own doors.

Smithfield aint too far from me. In fact, I have done some work in smithfield -- A cabinet shop add on in the 900 block and main.

Is it just me or do the corbels under the arches look out of place?

The corbels under the arches look strange because they are flipped horizontally. As a home designer stuff like that drives me crazy most of the time. Occasionally someone will take a bit of artistic license and it will turn out really nice.

In design, I adhere to the roman and greek orders, and follow the philosophy that architectural elements should not appear to defy the laws of physics just because modern building techniques make it possible.

[Van Huskey]

The corbels under the arches look strange because they are flipped horizontally. As a home designer stuff like that drives me crazy most of the time. Occasionally someone will take a bit of artistic license and it will turn out really nice.




In this case a stock corbel and a trim carpenter or cabinet installer lookng at it and thinking... "This ull fit right cheer". I have seen particularly umm "intersting" approaches by trim carpenters over the years once in a blue moon they hit on a great idea.

[Joe Von Kaenel]

Brett,

I bought a Woodmaster 2 years ago. I have the attacments for the gang saw & Drum sander. The only thing I haven't planed with the machine is plate steel, but it would probably plow through the steel
also.:D

Built Like a tank, made in the USA, great customer service. Huge selection of molding knives or can make custom knives. Enjoy!!

Joe