moulding

ken lutes

Member
Messages
98
Location
Winchester Ky.
Just wanted some of your opinions. If you were going to make a few thousand feet of picture frame molding probably 3 or 4 different styles. Would you use a heavy duty router, a shaper or a moulding machine. Just curious.
 
molder. the router and shaper will cut the side against the fence and can lead to profile changes along with other things. the molder cuts above and captures the board you will end up with a better product 99% of the time.:thumb:
 
we have a 6 head molder at work and i have a simple single head molder in my shop. there are alot of things to think about when looking at a tool with a large price tag. how much run time is it going to get? what profile do i want? do i want it in one pass or two? how much green is in my wallet that a care to let go? space? power 110/220/440? single or three phase? dust collection?:dunno:

do you have your profiles? that would help alot to answer any questions
 
I have two picked out so far. One is 1 5/8 the other 1 3/4. I am currently running them on a router. I know what you mean by profile changes. That is why I asked the original question. I dont have any experience with a molding machine. I am adding a small frame shop to with my woodworking shop. I am currently still working at a day time job. I plan on retiring in a year and stepping up the woodworking and frame shop full time at that time. I am trying to build up the business now. It seems that most of the framing interest that I am getting right now is other business interested in me making custom frames for them. Wasnt expecting that but hey that will work fro me. What molding machine do you have at your personal shop?
 
how much for the hussy? you can get the shopfox for under 1500. if i remember the hussy sells for over 2300. and if you painted the shop fox red?? i have a friend i work with and he has a hussy and i looked at his before i got mine. he came over and looked at the shop fox and made the comment "i could have had two". i have had no problems with it at all.
 
look to buying pre-run stock from a moulding supplier until you know the venture is going to take off.
single head moulders and shapers with feeders do the same exact thing only difference being one cuts laying down the other standing up. both require quite a bit of stock preparation.
a 5/6 or more head moulder is more than a hobbiest can fit in most shops and requires an extensive supply side shop as well as more power and dust collection than most hobby shops have.
framing will require some specialized equipment in it's own right, an accurate way to cut-n-trim miters, mat cutters, underpinners, glass cutting ability and finishing equipment....the cost of premilled stock is inconsequential to a budding enterprise.
 
Tod you have valid points on purchasing pre run mouldings for a start up company. I have a shaper and single head at home and the little molder will kick the shapers back side. the main reason is the shapers fence is also in the same plane as the knives and even with a power feed the two are very different.

one idea Tod had gave me one also. you could get s4s or have someone s4s your stock for you. then run what you need ion the shaper or moulder.we run s4s at work for a few local fellas.
 
Al Killian uses a Woodmaster that he is very happy with. I'm surprised he hasn't posted yet. Maybe me taking his name in vain will do the trick. :rofl:

He uses it almost exclusively for molding, but says switching to planer or drum sander head is trivial.

Hmmm... maybe he got a good deal on his used - hard to remember, there were lots of distracting things in his shop when I visited.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I have a 725 woodmaster. If this is going to be used to just make small moldings and only a few thousand fet, then I would look at buying premade stock.Look at cost start up. Dust collection is going to cost you atleast$600(they make a huge mess), Molding machines start at around$1,000, then you need a to buy the knives and these range from $40 each up to $200 each. Most will need to knives of each profile so this will double your cost.You say you have 3 profiles you want to run? That will cost you around $2,000 start up.:) Unless you have a good market lined up, this my not be the best way to go. I would go with either the Hussy or wood master if you are serous about this. These are two of the best for small molders.
 
Thanks for all the replys. I probably should have explained things better. I have a fairly well equipped wood working shop including a central vac system. The one big tool that I dont have is a moulding or shaper machine. I have always made moulding that I needed for furniture on the table saw or table mounted router. Not the best method but worked. I recently bought out a lady who was getting out of the picture framing business. I am adding that to the front of my wood working shop. I am currently doing this as a home base business untill I retire next year. I am set up with a wholesaler for my framing business which he supplies me with frame molding. I have been out visiting some local business trying to bring in future framing business. There seems to a small amount of people looking for some molding that the big boys arent supplying. Hey it is wood working which is what I like to do anyway. Besides what better reason to buy another wood working tool!!! Thanks
 
ken,
for doing short run custom stuff a moulder and shaper are pretty much required.

the ability to grind your own knifes is very important to me (most large moulding shops too)

the way i have my machines set up i can use knifes from the moulder on the shaper, c.g. schmidt sells a duplicate of the w&h head with a 1-1/4" bore.

if money isn`t an object and you see curves being profitable mirkon makes a moulder that`s a step up from the w&h, and if you`re really serious maureen-johnson makes a single headed curved moulding machine that i find second to none.

after that it`s off to cnc land and the associated learning curve.

there are ways to get started on the cheap but like most ventures on a shoestring you`ll soon find yourself needing to upgrade in order to compete.

if you know the profiles and woods you`ll be using and have a budget there are several of us who can offer advice...
 
Well I cant believe this. I was talking to a wood working buddy tonight and found out he has a Folley/Bellsaw moulding machine that I can have just for going to get it. It is suppose to be in great shape. Does any one have any experience with this machine?
 
it`s a closed sided machine like the woodmaster, i believe it uses a 3 knife cutterhead, jib type, knifes are not corrugated, older models where 12" and 3hp usa made, newer ones are tai/chi and 15".....don`t know about the availability of accys? belsaw is pretty good about stocking parts though.
 
They have issues with the feed rollers. and some of the other parts tend to not hold up well if used alot. For free it migth be a good starter.
 
Top