I posted the following message on the tool guide forum and it was suggested that I post here as well so….. here it is.
I am looking for a moulder to aid in the renovation of a number of old victorian vintage houses. I do not want to go into the moulding business so I am not interested in spending tens of thousands on a multi head machine.
I would like to find one that has a set table height and the cutter moved as this would enable me to use the same feed roller setup as I have for my saws but…. I am unable to find anything in the lower tool strata that owners are happy with. Most folks that I have spoken to start the description with “it’s OK but..” Is there anyone out there that is deleriously happy with their planner/moulder and if so why.
thanks griswald
Replies
williams and hussey moulder
I don't get delerious about it, but then I'm not really the delerious kind of guy. I really like my Williams and Hussey moulder. It is commercial quality and will do what you want it to do. The factory table set up has rollers built in and there are endless ways to customize tables around it. You can find used ones sometimes and there is a good market for resale later when you are done with the job.
Search back far enough in the tools folder and you will find a thread or two discussing it.
Excellence is its own reward!
As the others have said a William & Husey is probbably your best bet. A complete set up(stand, motor,on/off switch) will set you back abought 2500. There are after market radius jigs that allow you to curves and ellipses. They work well if you need one. Look for one that opperates on commpresed air(the curve jig) you will have better control with addjusting the guide wheels. The W&H uses toolsteel with holes in it that allow the knives to be bolted dirrectly to the head. For a little extra$ you can get knife steel that has the combination of the bolt holes and corregated back. This allows you to use the knives in iether the W&H or a shapper head. A good local sharpening service that makes shaper knives should have no problem making knives for you.
A word of caution The W&H is not a heavy duty machine. If memory serves it has a maximum depth of cut(profile depth) of 3/4", so a very deep victorian profile might exceed its cappacity. Its actual stock cappacity is something like 7" wide by 5" deep. When you are cutting a deep and or wide profile I recomend doing it in two passes. It takes a little longer but you get better results. And a dust collector is a must.
An opinion I've heard many times is, if you want to do arches and curves, etc,. go W&H because they have a lot of that stuff already figured out.....but I've heard a lot of W&H owners say there are better small moulders for the straight stuff...Woodmaster etc.cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, N.S
7" x 7" I think
It will cut deeper depending on the design of the particular profile and whether you can hog out material first. I also do multiple passes with some profiles.
It is not that hard to mke your own curved feed tracks either.
I amnot sure what you meean that it is not heavy duty. It is chain driven mechanism with a three horse 240V motor and a cast iron table. Compared to a four cutter head twenty horse machine, i suppose it is not heavy but it beats all the other units made for individual use out there, IMO.
Excellence is its own reward!
Edited 12/3/2003 9:20:50 PM ET by piffin
I would like to add purchasing a profile grinder made by Viel. They advertise in FWW and I think FHB. they run about $700 and are very easy to use. I have been able to grind a 1 1/4" to 4" profile on 2 knives in 1- 1/1/2 hrs, including the template. Larger knives a little longer. Works great for shaper profiles. Kinda like a glorified key cutting machine. You do need to buy a special spindle for grinding William-Hussey knives because of the bolt holes for the knives. They also have a video on the machine that I believe is credited towards the purchase.
Edited 12/3/2003 8:47:49 PM ET by migraine
The problem with those lower priced grinders is they have no coolant set up. Very easy to burn the temper out of the knife edge.
I have not had a problem with burning the temper out of the steel because the there is no coollant used in this type of system. Yes, I have blued the steeel and I have also learned how not to. When it comes down to whether or not I want a long life production cutter, this would not be my first choice. But then again I have had no problem running 250'-1000'+ of material with a cutter groung on the VIEL grinder, and that is without sharpening. They have there negative drawbacks as to the level of tolerences of grinding, but then again, if I needed higher level of accuracy/quantity for a job, I'd send it out. The cutters that I have ground have been more than just acceptable. Last one I ground, you could not tell were the old moulding matched the new. I can also buy steel that is not hardened, then grind it, and then have it hardened. At that point, it's cheaper to have it sent out to a quality saw shop.
Now, if there was a manufacturer out there that made a inexpensive profile grinder with a coolant sytem, I'd buy one. Any recommendations? If I had a constant need for custom grinding on a regular basis, then I'd buy a higher end model.
Like some of the others here, I'll give a thumbs up to the W & H. I also have the priviledge of owning a 16" X 6" Powermatic planer, but the Williams and Hussey gets the most use. Of course, the Powermatic is not a moulder, but, even for straightforward planing, the W & H is very versatile and reliable. (And I'd much rather set fresh knives in the Hussey than in the Powermatic).
Only problem I've had with mine is when trying to hog off too much wood and shearing the rollpins in the feed drive.
It's really a nicely built little planer/moulder and IMO is better than most of the similarly priced name brands.
has anyone mentioned the Williams&Hussey yet? - - a fine machine, good value...
williams and hussey moulder
I've had mine now for about ten years and love it.
Real transportable (is that a word????) and versatile being that one end is open so you can fit any size stock in it you want.
I built my own table top that its mounted to and you can even buy the Veil cutting machine to make your own profile cutting blades if you plan on buying a dozen or more knifes . then it pays to buy one. I still haven't though...Still looking for a used Veil.
Anyway..I've always been happy with my W&H and its been a long time so....
BE well
andy
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I recently purchased the Powermatic planer/molder and have been very happy with it. I have completed about 1000' of 6" high base molding which came out beautifully. I really struggled with the question of which machine to buy and would be curious if any one else has any experince with the Powermatic? The consensus seems to be that the W+H is the way to go. I liked the fact that the Powermatic can go up to 15" in width and has a 5 horse motor as well. Total price was around $2500 so it is about the same as the W+H. The next machine I looked at really jumped in price (Mikron) but was really geared for production on a much larger scale then I will ever do. The downside to the Powermatic is that it will not do (at least not to my knowledge) elliptical molding. Hope this helps.
Kyo
But that Mikron is the Cadilac of them all.
You're right! It's on my "someday, dream shop" list!
The mikron is very nice but it is 14000 dollars. For a single head molder that is an incredible amount of money. Their are four head moulders out there for less.
Thanks to everyone for the input re moulders.
regards griswald
4-head moulders that do curved work?
This may not be in the same league as some of the other machines you guys have been suggesting, but has anyone had experience with the Jet planer/moulder? I think it sells for about $800, which given the original poster's comment on cost, maybe is more reasonable for him. I had considered this machine a while back but found about 50 other things to spend the money on.
One guy who has used my W&H has since used one of them. He said it did passable work but didn't think it would be up to running hard all day long, day after day, like th W&H does.
Excellence is its own reward!
In reference to the comment that the Mikron does curved work and a fourhead moulder does not. That is a point I will have to concede.
On a slightly different note is the WH self feeding or is that an additional extra at significantly greater cost. thx Griswald
Edited 12/21/2003 10:05:19 PM ET by griswald
They used to have the WH available with either powered feed rollers or non powered. I think they now only come with both the in and outfeed rollers powered(which is what you want).
G'day,
In case anyone out there doesn't think their opinion matters. The overwhelming majority of opinions favoured the W&H and therefore following the advice of my peers I have purchased a W&H. I am now looking for a viel grinder as the cost of blades will soon have me sleeping under a bridge.
thanks griswald