Different ways to produce wine rack molding?

[Gary Grant]

Currently, I use a hole saw on my vintage Walker-Turner radial drill press to cut multiple holes in hardwood and then split the board in half on my table saw to produce wine rack molding. Can anyone suggest a more efficient method? I had thought about getting custom router templates produced but don't have a source....any and all suggestions are much appreciated in advance! THANKS!!!!!

[Martin Wasner]

If you aren't already, use compressed air to blow chips from the cut as you are cutting. The hole saw will stay cool, it will cut much faster and leave a cleaner cut.

[Davis Young]

Sounds like you already have a custom router template by way of your radial drill press and table saw. All you need is a router, templating bit and some double stick tape (I like Intertape 592). Of course hogging off those semicircles would be a lot of work/dust. You could drill out most of it first but then that's back to square one. If the hole saw is not cutting fast or accurate enough for you then maybe jigsaw the semicircles close and then template route to the final shape.

[Mel Fulks]

I ve used lots of router templates,but in the case of what you are making Im not sure they would be any better. A spindle sander might speed it up. Wine cellars blew by pretty fast around here, most are something else now. There are so many types that you might even find, or design, something that sells better and uses a system not requiring that part.

[jack duren]

Using the hole saw is typical. I've done it this way for 32yrs....

[Mike Schuch]

Sounds like you already have a custom router template by way of your radial drill press and table saw. All you need is a router, templating bit and some double stick tape (I like Intertape 592). Of course hogging off those semicircles would be a lot of work/dust. You could drill out most of it first but then that's back to square one. If the hole saw is not cutting fast or accurate enough for you then maybe jigsaw the semicircles close and then template route to the final shape.

That is how I would do it. Use your existing pieces as a template with a flush cut router bit. I might set my radial arm saw at 45 to take some V's out of the new piece so you have less stock to remove with your router.

[Peter Quinn]

If you want to speed it up, I'd be looking at a cnc router. I don't see multiple passes with a plunge router speeding up anything. Even if you make blanks and have them outsourced, at least get a price on the process. Otherwise, I'd tweak the hole saw method and keep it going, maybe make an indexing jig for that to speed up alignment, possibly add a vacuum clamp and foot pedal controller.

[Bill Ryall]

I use a hole saw and indexing jig, split on a table saw and clean up on the spindle sander.

The thing I do differently however is start each hole with the hole saw, cutting down maybe 1/8" at most. I then drill a 3/8" hole inside the hole saw circle with the edge of the 3/8" hole touching the started cut from the hole saw. This gives the dust created by the hole saw someplace to go, rather than building up in the cut generating heat and forcing you to clear it frequently. The piece sits on a sacrificial table on the drill press that has an opening under the cut to allow the dust somewhere to go when it is ejected through the 3/8" hole. Depending on the diameter of the circle, you may want to use 2 3/8" holes, one on each side of the circle.

It sounds like more work, but it actually saves time since you can cut with the hole saw much faster with no burning, and the holes are cleaner. (I have timed the operation both ways, and even with the extra step it is a little faster). I however do have 2 drill presses in the shop, so one is set up with the hole saw and the other is set up for the clearance hole so I'm not changing setup mid-operation.

[Rod Sheridan]

Currently, I use a hole saw on my vintage Walker-Turner radial drill press to cut multiple holes in hardwood and then split the board in half on my table saw to produce wine rack molding. Can anyone suggest a more efficient method? I had thought about getting custom router templates produced but don't have a source....any and all suggestions are much appreciated in advance! THANKS!!!!!

Rough cut on the band saw, clean up on the shaper.............Rod.

P.S. I mean really rough, leave 1/4" excess so you can cut them very rapidly on the band saw.

[Justin Ludwig]

Hole saw, indexed stops and OSS to clean it up and I built this one. Hold over 380 bottles. I softened the edges with a 1/8 RO in a laminate router.

317947

[Jay Jolliffe]

Nice work Justin....

[Justin Ludwig]

Thanks. I told the guy to call me when he filled it up. That was 2.5years ago and still no phone call. I'm hoping it's because it's not full? :D

[David Utterback]

An adjustable circle cutting tool is what I have always used for the larger diameter notches and might be less trouble than the hole saw. I have used Forstner bits for the smaller notches and both worked well. I also agree with the others about a router solution. Lots of dust and multiple cuts.

David