anyone used the "Craftsman Radial and Bench Saw Molding Head"

[Mitchell Garnett]

I've been cleaned up and uncovered the molding head and cutters that I inherited from my father 30+ years ago. I don't recall him using them but they've clearly been used.

I didn't learn much on the Internet other than they aren't worth much. The look like an incredibly easy was to get badly hurt. I thought before they go into the trash, I'd see if anyone has any experience using them.

Thanks,

Mitchell

[Kevin Bourque]

Using a radial arm saw for anything but crosscutting rough lumber scares me. Those moulding cutters look like an accident waiting to happen.

[Jerome Stanek]

Got 11 stitches from using one kick back from my table saw.

[lowell holmes]

I've had a set for over 20 years. Someone gave it to me. I've never had the courage to put it on the saw.

I have my dad's old radial arm saw. I don't use it much anymore, but I never suffered any injuries from it.

It is set on and in a roll around table with three drawers in it. I have 1x12 boards attached to the sides of the table with butt hinges.
When the saw is in use, the two "wings" are brought up to table level with knee braces. This gives me an 11' long table to rip on.

I have a radial arm blade on the saw, so kick-back doesn't happen.

[John Coloccia]

I can't imagine needing custom molding badly enough to play around with those things. Crosscutting with a proper blade is about my personal safety limit with those saws. I'd put it on Craigslist and see what happens. "Moldy cutter for radio alarm saw".

[Mark Bolton]

I have a super old one that I have used on occasion. I never found it do be a problem but mostly only used it for bead board. I'd never opt to hand feed anything other than a very shallow profile with one but with good fixturing/featherboards it wouldnt be a problem. Do they even still sell knives for those things?

[Pat Camara]

Molding heads are a useful tool on a table saw provided you keep it simple and don't get too aggressive on the cut.

[Dan Hunkele]

I have one that belonged to a friends dad. I would never believe it if I didn't own it but it takes a single cutter. here is a link to one on Ebay.

Search item# 121485558868

[Julie Moriarty]

When I was doing trim work on my house I bought one of those things for my Craftsman radial arm saw. It was a safety inspector's nightmare! After a few scares, I threw the thing away and gave the RAS to my brother.

[Tom M King]

I bought that set at the same time that I bought the RAS in 73 or 74. I must have had some sense back then, because the molding head set is still new in the box.

[HANK METZ]

I have one, and have used it with great success over the years on my RAS. First, like most any other tool, it is not “plug and play”, you need to do some detail work on it, specificlly stone the flat faces to remove milling marks as you would a fine hand plane iron. Second, take progressive cuts, until you get the desired profile, just as with most router bits. It excels as a surface planer with the flat knives that are with the basic kit, assuming your machine is properly setup and now uses a beefier table system. I had a shop grind a flute profile for me on an extra set of knives, made pilaster work easy with almost no secondary cleanup needed because it was a rip operation going with the grain- never any chatter marks as can happen with a router making such a detail. If you know what to do with it, it does have advantages over other methods, and yes, they can be had for cheap. The knife set to look for was made by Sears back in the '70's, it had panel raising profiles and did a superb job fielding bevel, ogee, beading, etc. Also useful was a cope and stick set for making the frames, all operations needed some form of work support, but since the design goes way back to before the popularity of routers in the home shop, they did fill a need and did it well. Mr. Sawdust showed how to use the type on a RAS to make a Swans Neck molding for a tall case clock, nearly impossible to do with any other saw tool method.

[Alan Bienlein]

I had the three cutter version up till I moved to Texas in 1998. Wish I never sold. I never understood why people were so afraid of them?

[Rick Lizek]

I have three of them. Two of them are the single cutter version. The single cutter model makes it very easy to grind custom profiles. Corob cutter sells the knives and heads now. Great tool and can't understand why people are so afraid of them. Before you throw it away send to me. I'll pay the shipping.

[Andrew Joiner]

I have the single cutter head and 3 cutter head. They work great. Never had a problem with them. I've only used them in a table saw not a radial arm for short runs. The single cutter head is great if you have to grind to match a profile. You don't have to grind 3 matching knives. It's handy because you can tilt the head in the saw if you need to. Amazingly smooth cuts even on knotty pine if you take progressive cuts.

Edit: Good to know I'm not alone. I've respected Rick's opinion in his many posts here. I was typing at the same time as Rick and we thought along the same lines.

[Jesse Busenitz]

Got one, but don't use it much.... the thing makes a nerve racking hum. But is has come in handy occasionally.

[Edmund Burke]

I have set of these which I never had the nerve to use in a RAS and they wouldn't fit in my TS. Then I tried them on my old Craftsman Shaper (after building a box around them with a DC port) and I was very happy with how they ran and the result.

[Erik Manchester]

The three cutter version would work OK on a TS if you can get the surface speed up closer to what a shaper can generate. My TS is 3 phase and with the VFD I can get a substantial increase in the RPM but I would rather invest in a dedicated shaper if I had to do much mill work as there are better hold downs and control available with the shaper.

[Peter Quinn]

I gave away 2 sets I was given, didn't like the look of them. I'm a shaper guy with a decent cabinet saw, I'm not afraid of large tooling, but those things looked a little on the rinky dink side. I seem to remember something about the posted speed being odd, it had a 5/8" arbor but the speed was listed at being below the normal 3450 RPM's of a TS, so it was appropriate for no machine i could think of? Cant find reference to the suggested RPM's now, but take a look at that. I got them from a retired carpenter that had used them for years to make all sorts of moldings, he still had 10 fingers and no knives in his neck. Here (http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/222/2260.pdf) is a good link to an old manual filled with good advice if you choose to fire them up. Work safe, they have the potential to take a big chunk.

[Dick Brown]

Buddy of mine tried one on his table saw. Didn't have a throat plate with wide enough slot so tried it without one.(Should have known better!) Said "You can't believe how many small pieces that little strip of wood made after they all stop flying around" Yes, he is still alive!

[Mark Bolton]

Got one, but don't use it much.... the thing makes a nerve racking hum. But is has come in handy occasionally.

Try spinning 4" tall profile that exceeds the max recommended projection on a corrugated head on a shaper. Now thats a sound and "hum" that will send chills up your spine. It makes the craftsman head seem like a weed whacker.

I agree with the others, its all in the setup. RAS, likely never for me, but on a TS sure. I have a Magic Molder which is a much nicer version of the Craftsman but no option for in-house profiles. Arbitrarily dismissing the tooling is foolish in my opinion given it hangs on a pin on my tooling board and takes up very little space.

[Jim Mackell]

I've used the 3 cutter version on a table saw many times. Gentle cuts and slow feeding can produce some nice profiles. Would not dream of using them on my radial arm saw.

[Jim Andrew]

All those arguments about why you need a Sawstop over a tablesaw without the meat sensing technology? I have used one of those cutters on a tablesaw, but not again after 30 years. They do work, but make a tablesaw much more dangerous than just using a saw blade. For some reason they were plentiful 30 or 40 years ago. I'd much rather use a shaper without a power feeder. And I have a power feeder on my shaper.

[Bill Rhodus]

Got one with a Ra's 30 years ago. Feather boards are important if using it on a table saw; never had the guts to use it on the ras. Would rather buy a molder if I had a great need for this type of operation.

[Rod Sheridan]

I've used the 3 cutter version on a table saw many times. Gentle cuts and slow feeding can produce some nice profiles. Would not dream of using them on my radial arm saw.

That's my experience as well.

I eventually gave mine away, next month I have to go to Tom's house to use it as I need 8 feet of moulding made to match some cabinets I made 25 years ago with that head.

Funny how things workout sometimes............Rod.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Own three sets (three cutter models.) Use them on TS to make a custom replacement siding on several jobs. Learned QUICK, as in only once, to keep check on DC bin. Use round nose cutter to to do cove cutting on TS. A lot less sanding. The sound doesn't bother me. You need to hear what a 60" planer sounds like, then you will think these things are quiet.

[Dave Zellers]

I've used the 3 cutter version on a table saw many times. Gentle cuts and slow feeding can produce some nice profiles. Would not dream of using them on my radial arm saw.
As I was reading through this entire thread, I was composing in my head my response.

Rather than burden the board with my wordiness, I'll just give Jim a big +1.

Years ago when I was looking at these things, I chose the Delta which was more compact but had more mass. I still use it when the task at hand calls for it but for the most part routers and small shapers have replaced these things. But if I need to apply a bead to long boards, this is what I turn to (again, the Delta version, not the Sears version). Having the cutter come up from below can be a huge advantage on wider, longer boards.

If you have a table saw, there is no reason to use this on a radial arm saw. This is not intended for any use other than rip mode. So it can be safe on a RAS as long as the user understands how to use it. Install a tall enough fence on your RAS to be able to clamp a hold down both fore and aft of the cutter and you will be fine. Use a push stick and a feather board to push the stock tight against the fence. It's all common sense. I did this with success when the only stationary power tool I had was my trusty Craftsman Radial Arm Saw. Oh, those were the days- (which I worked diligently to leave behind). But you had to be smart and have your wits about you.

It's kind of sad that we are working to remove that requirement these days. My son had an old Dilbert shirt that said "Technology, It's no place for wimps!" Pretty much how I feel about woodworking.

Oops. So much for not being wordy.

[Rick Potter]

I have three or four sets, all three cutter. I think I have all the blades made for them. Use them only occasionaly, as I have most shaper or router profiles I need. But..every once in a while there is nothing else that will do the job, like making beadboard out of a wide board.

My dad used them in the 50's to make a lot of profiles, back before routers were common DIY tools.

Hank Metz has some good videos on using it with a RAS. I use mine only on the TS.

A few thoughts:

....Use only on real wood, not MDF or PB. The cutters are not carbide tipped.

....If you have a sheet of fine grit wet and dry paper you can sharpen them in no time, just rub the flat side till it's sharp. Try to count strokes on each cutter.

....Make a zero clearance insert, just as you would for a dado.

....Take very small bites and you will get a nice finish.

....As someone above said the fingernail cutter works well for coves...tilt the blade also to get an elipse cut.

I am not home right now but if I remember right mine say 4000 or 4800 RPM. I also have an interesting head that is about 3-3 1/2" rather than the normal 7" or so. Someday I will get around to trying it on my shaper.

Rick Potter

PS: Yes they still make cutters for them......Carob Cutter.

EDIT: Just saw one for sale on CL. Pic was a little fuzzy, but it looked like it is stamped MAX 5200 RPM.

[Bill White]

Still have mine, and all my fingers. It WAS scary at first, but it works, and I DID use it on my RAS for a bunch of tongue and groove work.
Bill

[John Coloccia]

I think most people, including myself, are envisioning using it on the RAS. The reason it's scary there is for the same reason ripping is scary. The blade is trying to pick up the work and there's no way to positively control it other than feather boards and things like that. On a tablesaw, you can achieve positive control quite easily and reliably with simple push blocks and firm pressure throughout the cut. In crosscut mode, yes, the RAS wants to climb cut, but at least the work is firmly held to the fence and the table by the cutting action of the saw.

[Jerome Stanek]

I think most people, including myself, are envisioning using it on the RAS. The reason it's scary there is for the same reason ripping is scary. The blade is trying to pick up the work and there's no way to positively control it other than feather boards and things like that. On a tablesaw, you can achieve positive control quite easily and reliably with simple push blocks and firm pressure throughout the cut. In crosscut mode, yes, the RAS wants to climb cut, but at least the work is firmly held to the fence and the table by the cutting action of the saw.

When I used it on the RAS I pushed it through the material

[Terry Beadle]

I have the 3 blade model. Rarely used. When used you have to use fore and aft pressure set ups. I usually used it on narrower stock that was less than 6 inches wide.
The uncut edge of the work piece also got a pressure set up. I had to get tricky some times to get the push stick to move the stock and that was the scariest part.

Not recommended now that we have routers and sharpers galore.

You MUST take very small bites and lots of multiple passes to get R dun. Not kidding.

[Art Mann]

My Father-in-law and I used the three cutter model and a radial arm saw to cut enough baseboard to do a 4000 sq ft house some 30 years ago. I built a special feather board fixture that held the material tightly against the fence and prevented kickback as it was pushed across the head. It worked fairly well but the accuracy of the profile was more of an issue than safety. Having become more skilled, I could do much better today. Even so, I would probably not use it if I found it buried somewhere in my shop.

[Mike Ontko]

I have the Craftsman 9-3214 shaper/molding set that came with an older '60s or '70s model Craftsman tablesaw that I inherited from a friend of a friend about 10-15 years ago. I've only used it once, with the fluting cutter heads to create a subtle detail in clear cedar I'd used to trim a front entry to a 1941 2-story remodel (my house at the time). Those cutter heads make an eye-opening, adrenaline inducing noise on the table saw. And any amount of runout in your arbor or misalignment that you might have can affect the quality and safety of the operation.

[Vince Shriver]

I recently bought a Magic Molder from a member of this community. I've used it several times with my table saw and I think it is an awesome tool, no more unsafe than a dado blade. However, on a radial saw I can see where it could get a bit dicey.