Replies

1. 
   ring | Dec 10, 2009 08:47am | #1

   My only experience is with industrial molders, such as the Weinig machines, and I assume that's not what you mean. But I think it would help if you could define what profiles you want to produce and then find a machine capable of making them. BTW, there are lots of heavy-duty used molders on the market that have simply become outdated by newer digital versions.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

2. 
   philip | Dec 10, 2009 09:18am | #2

   Tell us more about what you want to do or make , then some answers will come up.

   Philip Marcou
3. 
   Hastings | Dec 10, 2009 04:16pm | #3

   It would help to know more about its intended use. I have a Williams and Hussey that I found used. It's pretty much the gold standard for small molding machines. It produces great work and I'm so pleased I have it. It's easy to get custom profiles made.

   Hastings

1. 
   matt calnen | Dec 11, 2009 04:20pm | #7

   I have to disagree with your statement that the W&H is the gold standard. Having used a W&H, Woodmaster, RBI, and Craftsman molders I would say the Woodmaster was the best economy molder on  the market. The W&H is underpowered, just now making variable speed models, and not very wide.

1. 
   Hastings | Dec 11, 2009 05:02pm | #8

   Matt:I defer to your greater experience with all of the machines. And Woodmaster have a sale at nearly half price. At those prices, I would have definitely considered one.I haven't found size or power to be a problem with my W+H, but then again, my uses are well within the limits of the machine.The OP should definitely checkout the Woodmaster sale.Hastings

2. 
   blewcrowe | Dec 11, 2009 09:20pm | #9

   Never owned a Woodmaster but I've looked closely. While the industrial high output firms like millers and such might look to something else, the Woodmasters look like outstanding machines for the avid amateur or small outfit commercial pro. 

   Denny

4. 
   RickL | Dec 10, 2009 04:16pm | #4

   More info, budget, details, etc or how could anyone give advice. Only you know your needs and budget...

   Just a couple of example

   LRH magic moulder is next to the botto price wise for a start. Uses your table saw and inserts are good for their shaper head.  Super choice.  Even lower budget get a regular moulding head...

   http://corobcutters.com/index.php

   Shopfox moulder is half the cost of the Williams and Hussey.

   Good machine

   You can pick up an old Belsaw for cheap on occasion...the old standard for many years and still a good option.

5. 
   oldusty | Dec 10, 2009 05:58pm | #5

        If straight runs not curves a standard spindle shaper may lend itself to being more versatile and less specialized like a molder .

          Unless you have miles of long runs of moldings on a routine basis.

         A powerfeed added to a shaper can do most tasks easily even without a feeder the shaper imo if you don't have one can do stile and rail cuts for doors as well as profiles the molder may not be able to do .

6. 
   donbean46 | Dec 10, 2009 08:20pm | #6

   I have had a bellsaw for 18 years and have made a lot of radiused moldings for the home building industry with it, in fact I've had many a day when I pulled enough molding out of it to pay for it with just that one job.  I can't say enough good about it,  It is by far the biggest piece of crap machine that I own as far as quality construction goes but it gets the job done.  I love it.  One of the great things about it is it just uses one knife so I can grind my own profiles,  takes about 20 min. and about ten to fifteen dollars worth of knife steel.  Last week I pulled 7000 dollars worth of straight backband out of it, took two days.  wish I could get one of those jobs every week.  Anyway,  I love my Foley.

    

   "It's just one board at a time."