Fox Molder has arrived!

[Peter Quinn]

No, not the guy from X -Files. The shop fox mini molder planer. I ordered one while grizzly seems to be giving them away. Three times this past year I have either turned down or farmed out pieces of side jobs due to lack of a good small molder. More times than that I have used some uncomfortable combination of shaper/router/TS to accomplish a task that would have been simple with a molder, so I got one. Not much to lose.

I am so far impressed. I have yet to make any moldings as I spent all my spare change on the tool and don't have a budget for knives until next month, but I did fire it up and use it as a planer. Very smooth cuts that sand out effortlessly with a few strokes with a 220g sponge.

The machine went together very nicely, the fit and finish is good, the stand is quite solidly made and the assembly/instruction manual is very well written. Those folks at Grizzly could teach the folks at Laguna a thing or two about how to sell machines from Asia! Clear manuals, logical assembly, all necessary parts included; GREAT CONCEPT! All adjustments were perfect out of the box.

I am not generally speaking a big Grizzly fan, but I've been searching for a used W&H for several years to no avail, seems no one lets them go, and those that do think they are worth more used than new!:D I have worked with a W&H, and this shop fox seems to be of similar quality. Very smooth motor, magnetic switch, perfectly flat polished table, very smooth height adjustment, just over all a solid little machine at a rock bottom price. Can't wait to run some moldings and see how it goes. Heck, it is worth the price just to do back cuts on casings!

This makes me want to look more closely at Grizzly planers when its time to make that upgrade, or a shop fox, as I don't like the way green tools clash with the gold ones!:eek::rolleyes:

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations! I look forward to hearing how you like using it.

[Don Abele]

Peter, congratulations. You're going to love it. I've had mine a while now and run a "few" sticks through and haven't regretted purchasing it (even at the original full price).

Be well,

Doc

[William Hutchinson]

Enjoy your new tool. FYI-- the lower unit is strong enough to screw a set of casters directly into the legs.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/wlhutch/shopfoxmolderwithwheels.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/wlhutch/IMG_0235.jpg

[John Callahan]

Variable speed model- nice but not necessary or necessary?

[Don Bullock]

Peter, I'm very interested in hearing more about the Shop Fox/Grizzly mini molder planer. It's a tool that I must admit that I know nothing about and have never used. Thanks. BTW -- Where are the pictures?

[Don Abele]

Variable speed model- nice but not necessary or necessary?

John, I think it is not an absolutely necessary, but it's use helps yield better results. For example, I was running some cove molding through and at full speed and I wound up with some chatter marks. Once I slowed down the feed rate, they cleared right up. While it slows down initial production, it speeds things up since then I don't have to sand afterwards. I almost always run mine at slow speed. I've also gotten into the habit of removing some material on the tablesaw for large profiles.

Be well,

Doc

[Joe Von Kaenel]

Don,

Nice molder, it is nice to be able to make your own molding.

Joe

[Peter Quinn]

William, thanks for those pics. I've been thinking a set of casters will be in order quickly. Don, thanks for the info about the variable speed. I got the fixed speed model but they sell the variable speed kit as an add on, a little more to buy separately than bundled. I just didn't quite have the money for the variable speed during this sale that seems to be ending soon. I see that as a highly probable purchase in the future. I have a tentative job making some curved window casing, if I get a deposit I may buy the vari speed kit then.

Sorry no pics, camera on the fritz, but mine looks much like William's minus the vari speed, I promise!

I may be able to borrow a set of knives from work to test it out next weekend. Some where in my bookmarks I have a link for a company that makes W&H knives with 60 degree corrugated backs they claim will work in either a W&H/Shop fox or a molder head on a shaper. For me that might be the way to go on small profiles. I could see that flexibility being a great option. Any users have any experience with such knives?

[Don Abele]

Peter, did you pick up the elliptical jig or planning on making on yourself for those curved molding?

As for knives, I get mine from Custom Molding Knives in Vermont (http://www.customouldingknives.com/index.html). All W&H knives will fit the Shop Fox, though I'm not certain about the corrugated backs. They say they'll fit the W&H and shapers, so I don't see why they wouldn't also fit the Shop Fox since it's an identical clone. Personally, I buy the M2 HSS knives which you can now get at the standard V2 price (Autumn Special they are running).

Be well,

Doc

[Peter Quinn]

Peter, did you pick up the elliptical jig or planning on making on yourself for those curved molding?


Be well,

Doc

Don, I will be making my own curved fences and a backer board, similar to those found on the W&H website, or those used for a shaper. On the shaper I know it as a cradle rather than a fence. I understand the elliptical jig is only necessary for actual ellipses and irregular patterns, for now I will be sticking to true segment radius work. I hate to admit I am taking the design for these jigs from the W&H web site, but their manuals and info are quite good for what is functionally the same machine.

Thanks for the link, I will check them out. I was made aware today by a supervisor at work that the local tooling outfit we use makes 'combo' knives which fit both the corrugated heads and the shop fox/W&H head, which is useful for me as I prefer to run small moldings like panel mold on the shaper when they are straight, or at least to have the option.

Peter Quinn