Moulder head question?

[keith micinski]

I got this Moulder head off of Craigslist for 25 bucks just because I thought it was a good deal. I planned on using it in my table saw if I ever used it all but someone was telling me its better to use it in a radial arm saw because the cutter cuts down into the wood as opposed to a table saw which would be cutting up into the wood. This makes sense to me but I don't have a RAS so I guess it doesn't matter.

[Michael Weber]

I've used one of those successfully on a table saw with no problem. First time you turn on the saw with that thing in there the sound will scare the bejebbers out of you so be prepared for that.

[Will Overton]

I've used one on both a ras and a table saw. On the table saw you do need to keep the board down on the table. I've used boards clamped to the fence that the work piece slides under and have used push blocks from my jointer. The results were always good.

You can get a whole bunch of different profiles from Corob Cutters;

http://www.corobcutters.com/i2/charts/Corob-Cutters-Catalog.pdf

[Chip Lindley]

I would personally never use one of these on a RAS. Too much hardware spnning at 3450 RPM in mid-air! Just TOO scary!

If you use this moulding head on your TS, provide firm hold-downs and a push stick. Under no circumstances use your hands to push or hold down. Do use a slow, steady feed rate. Take light cuts. Never contemplate cutting the whole profile in one pass.

This contraption will make you realize you NEED a shaper!

[Will Overton]

This contraption will make you realize you NEED a shaper!

Got mine around 20 years ago. It convinced me that a didn't need a shaper. As mentioned above I've used it in the ras, often for raised panel doors. Never a problem, but I do follow the instructions and take all necessary safety precautions.

Different strokes ...

[keith micinski]

Boy the cutters for this are really reasonable. I bought a Belsaw Foley moulder planer for a 100 bucks and have gotten around to messing with it but I did look at the knives for it and they were anywhere from 90 to 150. I am probably going to mess with this a little bit tomorrow. That Fluted bit looks like it could really come in handy in making some nice edging for end tables. I guess with careful setup you could probably make a few passes and make some casing with it to, although I don't know how much work it would be and how many setups it would take.

[Steve Rowe]

I had one of those a long time ago and it was a participant along with a RAS and yours truly of course in one of the scariest events I have ever had in my shop. The design of that particular molding head is such that it has no limiters to restrict the bite of the cut. The faster you feed the material, the bigger the bite it will take. Feed too fast, and you get bit. That is what happened to me. The kickback took a 1x6 piece of oak about 6 feet long, and flung it about 50 feet out toward the street taking a sizable chunk of skin out of the palm of my hand with it. Fortunately, no one else was injured. Also, the radial arm saw was dancing across the floor of my shop badly out of balance. One of the arms on the head was bent back by about 25 degrees and the 1/2" thick aluminum was torn with about a 1/8" wide crack about 3" long.

Just be careful using that device. I now use a shaper with cutterheads that limit the cut when doing manual feeding.

[Alan Schaffter]

When I started out woodworking many years ago, before I got a lot smarter, I had one and used it to make a full kitchen of faceframe cabinets with cope/stick, raised panel doors- on a Shopsmith, no less!!!! It scared the bejesus out of me on more than one occasion- had a kickback and grab or two. I would never use one today. The Magic Molder from LRC is much higher quality and safer.

[keith micinski]

At over 10 times the price it better be a lot safer and higher quality.

[J.R. Rutter]

At over 10 times the price it better be a lot safer and higher quality.

Worth it to me!

[Rick Potter]

Be sure to make zero clearance inserts for it, and take it easy on the depth of cut. Used them for years, but I am not man enough to try it on a RAS.

You will be amazed how well it works. sharpens in about one minute. Remember, it is not carbide....don't use it on MDF or P board.

Rick Potter

[Rod Sheridan]

You may have noticed that in the EU countries, cutters without chip limitation cannot be used in manual feed applications.

That's because they're capable of incredible kickbacks, so non limitation cutters are only used in moulders etc.

The issue with using one of those cutters in a RAS, is that the wood can rise into the cutter, increasing the amount of material cut.

This positive feedback mechanism can produce some spectacular accidents. Do not use this type of cutter in a RAS period.

On a table saw or shaper, the work cannot get further into the cutter because the table or fence limits the depth of cut. There is no positive feedback mechanism, so the use is safer.

Use it on a table saw with a zero clearance insert and suitable hold downs, make sure you use a guard as well, either an overarm or bridge type.

Take one look at the gap around the knife and imagine how much of your hand it will eat per revolution.

Now you know why they're not allowed in the EU.........Regards, Rod.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Rod, I think if you use these in a RAS, you usually turn the saw so the axis of the motor is vertical and use them with a fence. Sort of like a shaper but with the motor above the workpiece. That way no problems with the wood binding with the molding head. BT

[Peter Quinn]

Somebody gave me two of those, almost brand new, and they will stay that way as long as I own them. I have a lot of other options as far as shaping is concerned so they are of little interest to me. I will say that relative to any other shaping cutter I own, these look ramshackle.


If spun on a ts a power feed might be a good option. I always see comments like " but it costs so much....." those people must have better health insurance than me, because for me thopportunity cost of being smacked in the face by a molder kick back is much higher than $400. Or at least the co pay is. And with a stock feeder things come out better anyway.

I'm not afraid to spin a big cutter head on my shaper, but those c,man molding heads scare me.

[Will Overton]

Somebody gave me two of those, almost brand new, and they will stay that way as long as I own them.

Maybe it's time to give them away. :D

[Peter Quinn]

Maybe it's time to give them away. :D

You are probably right. They were given to me, I should pass them along. But its a catch 22. I got them from somebody who wouldn't use them, who gave them to me knowing I wouldn't use them (I told him so), and I have to find somebody who won't use them to give them too next! Any one who wanted to use them shouldn't have them from me because I don't want to feel responsible for them injuring themselves.

So anybody that asks for them can have them, but by asking for them they have indicated they might use them and thus I can't give it to them, so I am stuck with them! They came with a crappy RAS and TS (both delta, but not good ones), and I can't give those away for the same reason. Anybody smart enought to know how to use them is too smart to want to!

[eugene thomas]

I used one of them in college shop class on a table saw, friend gave me one years ago, never used it. but went out and bought magic moulder this spring. much better cutter sustem.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I own several of them, and use them regularly on TS. I have made hundreds of linear feet of siding using one. (Be sure to keep and eye on your dust bin though.) This were obsolete patterns, which I couldn't purchase.

[keith micinski]

Well, I finally got around to using this thing and I couldn't be happier with it. I was a little worried about all of the safety concerns in this thread but to be honest with you I don't see how this is any more dangerous then anything else I use. I even took to aggressive of a cut the first time I tried it on a test piece. After I backed it off a little and made the cut in two passes I was really happy with the finished product. I kind of wish I could find some more profiles for this thing now.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Well, I finally got around to using this thing and I couldn't be happier with it. I was a little worried about all of the safety concerns in this thread but to be honest with you I don't see how this is any more dangerous then anything else I use. I even took to aggressive of a cut the first time I tried it on a test piece. After I backed it off a little and made the cut in two passes I was really happy with the finished product. I kind of wish I could find some more profiles for this thing now.
For more cutters google corob cutters.

[keith micinski]

Thanks Bill I had forgotten about that.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I use mine regularly making replacement siding which is no longer available. It's like all tools, respect it and it won't bite you. Don't respect it, and don't be surprised when you get bit! Remember that more shop injuries are caused by box cutters / utility knives than anything else.

[Cary Falk]

I don't think my RAS would have the power to swing that one. Maybe that is why my RAS came with the minature version. I'm not sure I want to swing this one on a RAS either.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0457.jpg

[Larry Edgerton]

I have always been going to get one of those for those times when I need a detail in the middle of a panel too far for my shaper to reach, and something that a router can't do. I always end up doing it with a hand plane, but there are times....

I would not consider this on a radial arm saw, and I will do just about anything...

The "Magic Molder" is a better option, but I would not be afraid to use this in a tablesaw.

[Curt Harms]

One thing this type of cutter will do well is make a nicely tapered flute due to it's diameter. The router cut flutes that I've seen stop abruptly. This cutter will create a flute that tapers inward and becomes shallower over some distance on each end which can be more attractive IMO. I guess a router could be jigged to create the same effect but this cutter seems easier.

[Larry Edgerton]

One thing this type of cutter will do well is make a nicely tapered flute due to it's diameter. The router cut flutes that I've seen stop abruptly. This cutter will create a flute that tapers inward and becomes shallower over some distance on each end which can be more attractive IMO. I guess a router could be jigged to create the same effect but this cutter seems easier.

I can see that. I use a ramped jig with a router that is a pain in the tush.

I would like one for beaded flat panels when there is not enough money in the job for real beadboard panels.

[keith micinski]

I also was thinking it would be really nice to make my own bead board with this.

[Rick Potter]

The rebirth of this thread made me go out and look at what I have. This is one of those tools I seldom use, but is really nice when I need it. I bought a bunch of cutters for it on sale at Sears about 1982, then inherited some from my Dad. I have the large one that I bought new, and two of the small ones. The one I bought is labeled 1982, and advertises 21 different cutters available. I have them all, plus duplicates of some, plus one they don't mention in '82, for a total of 43 sets. In reality, the ones useful to me are the three bead cutter and the round head cove cutter. Most of the other cuts can be better done with a router table.

The three bead cutter is great for beads in the center of a panel. My dad used it in 1955 putting beads down the center of legs for a desk he made me. This seems to me to be a very safe operation, as the cutter is only taking off less than 1/4"...you hardly feel the resistance. I use the round cove cutter head to do cove cuts on the table saw. It cuts a smoother surface, but I am very carefull to only take small cuts, because big cuts would definitely be a kickback hazard.

Speaking of hazards, the Sears owners manual states clearly to use a dado type insert, hold downs that they sold, a sacrificial fence board, a push stick, and a special universal holding jig they sold for short pieces. For RAS, they also sold a complete guard setup. (EDIT: IMPORTANT.. The cutting edge faces the screw. This also show you the direction of rotation. Newer units are marked, some older ones are not.)

A couple interesting tidbits: I have a couple cutter sets from JC Penny which are identical to the Sears, except they are black. Price tag on them says $1.89 on sale. Sears sold these setups in a one blade, two blade, and three blade models. I have never seen anything but the three blade. Also, the smaller heads were made to fit 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4" arbors. There were some 1/2" arbor saws back in the day, and I suppose some 3/4" (?). The interesting part is that the 3/4" will fit on my shaper. A few years ago I asked this panel what the tip speed would be, and a math whiz figured it out for me. I have never tried it, but apparantly the small head running on my shaper at 7000 RPM would have a tip speed less than the big head running on my table saw(9163 FPS @7000 RPM, Vs 9529 FPS @ 5200 RPM). Hmmm, replaceable inserts, and the whole thing behind my fence for safety.

Long winded, but hopefully helpfull,
Rick Potter