Williams and Hussey vice Shop Fox

[Jason Bare]

Hey everybody, new member, first post, custom cabinet maker. I am at the point where I seriously "NEED" to purchase a dedicated molding machine. Have always used my Spindle Shaper to make moldings and trim in the past. Yes I know .. multiple passes .. multiple tooling set ups, usually just enough for one room so it wasn't a big deal. The opportunity to do all the molding and trim in 4 to 6 brand new high end homes is knocking at my door and I'm drooling at the fact of owning a new machine and expand my capabilities. I have worked with the builder many times before so I know he is serious about this contract with me. <br>
I've looked at both the Williams &amp; Hussy model 206 and Shop Fox 1812 and I'm not sure about which one. The price difference does not matter to me if the WH is the better unit. None of the moldings will be over 6 1/2 inches so both machines will do it. Shop space is not an issue nor is 220 single phase power. Everything produced will be hardwood, Cherry, Oak, Hickory, Beech, Maple, no soft wood at all. So I have some questions about both machines.<br>
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1. Will either produce quality results for these species of wood?<br>
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2. Which is the easier set up/less adjustment problems? I read the Shop Fox has some issues with roller adjustments, cutter bolt hole alignment, feed roller adjustment screws etc.<br>
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3. Can the WH be used as a 7 inch planer also, haven't read where you can use it as such.<br>
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4. Is a 2 knife shaper really that good to begin with or should I just jump to a 3 or 4 knife unit?<br>
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5. Have started looking at different knives for both and some profiles indicate you need to use a "Bed Board" ? So what is a Bed Board anyhow?<br>
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Any advice on this subject would be very helpful.

[Bill White]

The W & H molder is (in my mind) the standard. If I were in the market for one that's the one I'd buy.
Bill

[Peter Quinn]

I own the previous version of the shop fox molder, the business end is pretty much the same as current version, current version has improved table arrangement. I have used the hussey 206 at both present job and the last one, seems many shops have one. I can tell you that functionally they are nearly identical. Set up is pretty much the same on both, and the product coming out is identical, knives are interchangeable. Only issue may be durability. Both husseys I've run have more hours on them than I can count, never a problem, occasionally feed wheels must be renewed but that's normal for any molder. On the shop fox I simply haven't put enough hours on it to judge. I got it for next to nothing on close out, it's run a few hundred feet of a few different things, always flawless but barely broken in. I actually prefer the table arrangement on the shop fox .

A bed board is a sacrificial board that gets clamped to the table so the cutters never risk hitting the machines cast iron tables, which is a real possibility without one on some types of moldings. I built a decent one with t slots to make the necessary guide strips easy to adjust and attach. I also installed some board buddies hold downs to make multi pass moldings go better on things like casings that have little bearing on feed wheels on one side after the first pass.

Using 2-3 passes you can make moldings of a very high quality with these little machines. A single pass is simply not feasible for much over 2" on these things, plan on at least 3 passes for wide crowns or casings. It's not the quickest way to do anything on long runs but it's very quick to set up and cheap to buy versus even a dedicated 4 head molder, great asset for a small custom shop. Just make sure you are paying yourself for the real time it will take from preparing blanks to multi pass running to sanding. and leave at least 1' over per board for waste on in and outfeed in your estimates.

[Larry Copas]

I have nearly the same exact story as Peter, even getting my Shop Fox when they had the close out.

With the Shop Fox you cannot exceed 7" width where you can with the W&H.

I only use the Shop Fox for my own projects.

If I had the "serious NEED" I would go with the W&H because as already mentioned it is the standard. A few dollars more on the up front might be well worth it.

[John A langley]

I have the W & H, never ran the shop Fox Peter knows what he's talking about I second what he said