Thread: How do pros make round stock?

There is plenty of ways you can do it . For a few jobs.

If its an ongoing thing . I think a pro would be doing this .https://www.instagram.com/p/BvMvC42gnzl/

Rob

Definitely spindle moulder. Much faster than a 4th axis CNC (which itself it a rather specialised piece of kit), probably a better surface finish and no length restriction.

Originally Posted by qwertyu

Is this something a spindle moulder can do?

Sure, a spindle moulder is one way you can do it .
Running to the phone for an Ambulance with no hand on your left arm included.

If you have to ask if a spindle moulder could do it I wouldn't be trying it .
And with the jig or jigs needed to be made and the cutter set up you may get in front after the first 16 legs. It could be a lot more ?

Id be paying someone to machine them on a spindle moulder if you didn't have the experience.

Rob

I do one every few minutes with this . No grain run out problems . They need a clean up either by hand which I like the look of . Or put into a second lathe for a sanding session . This Goldie is doing a round but its got square in the middle and top and bottom as well . It does straight through rounds nicely too . A dangerous machine in itself as well . So only I play with it .
It will do from 1" inch up to somewhere like 5 or 6" round with the twist of a knob all off the one template sitting at the back .
And will taper to what ever you choose with a suitable template in the back.

Originally Posted by auscab

Running to the phone for an Ambulance with no hand on your left arm included.

Little bit exaggerated there... The only part of a moulding like that that's actually scary is the last 200mm on the second pass when there's no square faces left for the feed and guide rollers to hold against the table/fence.

It's definitely a power feed only job and not for the inexperienced, but pretty much all commercially available dowel is moulded.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Little bit exaggerated there... The only part of a moulding like that that's actually scary is the last 200mm on the second pass when there's no square faces left for the feed and guide rollers to hold against the table/fence.

That's why Id be tailing out watching your face pushing the stuff in if you were my slave .

Spindle moulders are only dangerous if you do not treat them with respect or do not know what yo are doing same as most wood working machines

That's why Id be tailing out watching your face pushing the stuff in if you were my slave .

Ummm ok

I've set and run round moulds before (slotted collar, not even serrated back knives), I've also run grooves in dowel on a moulder. If you're trying to scare me you're gonna have to do better...

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Little bit exaggerated there... The only part of a moulding like that that's actually scary is the last 200mm on the second pass when there's no square faces left for the feed and guide rollers to hold against the table/fence.

It's definitely a power feed only job and not for the inexperienced, but pretty much all commercially available dowel is moulded.

There would be quite significant time in setting up the fence? What does the cutter look like? Like a half round router bit?

I suppose they could just sacrifice the last 200mm? and do longer lengths to cut down to multiple finished lengths?

Do you know how they would get the rounded ends?

For those concerned about my safety, I am not planning to do this. I dont own a spindle moulder, not even a router table. I am just curious

With dedicated guides and fence you could probably get the waste down to 50mm or less, it's essentially a matter of leaving as little of the cut unsupported as possible. A 4-side moulder could probably run it with almost no loss as all.

The knives would be a bullnose profile. On a normal spindle moulder it could be set up in 15 mins, a 4-sider would take longer to set; multiple heads, pressure shoes, guides etc.

I'd just be using a roundover bit in a trimmer for the ends.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Ummm ok

I've set and run round moulds before (slotted collar, not even serrated back knives), I've also run grooves in dowel on a moulder. If you're trying to scare me you're gonna have to do better...

How about cost , Im sure that would scare you!

Some of those legs look to be up around 65 to 70 diameter which is a guess. With a blade projection of half that to the cutting edge needed your going to need a pair of blades 90 to 100 high . Id guess a serrated head for serrated back knives is a silly idea for them and everything else is out . You would need a special block made sometimes seen like that with three tungsten cutters but two may do.
I don't know what they cost ? Ive never even thought of asking. Made here would be very high. It'd be pretty loud and scary as well .

Maybe you do a quarter at a time and four passes with a suitable cutter?
Is it worth the mucking around ?

If he's doing one set . A Stanley no 3 and a curved scraper would have a perfect set of four legs done in five hours . Four hours if he has a buzzer to help . Three hours for the second set maybe if hes a good learner and starts practicing instead of asking questions .

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

The knives would be a bullnose profile. On a normal spindle moulder it could be set up in 15 mins,

If the knives are in a set block it may take 15 minutes to bolt the block on, if not add 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour to set two blades in a head . Then 15 to half an hour to set the fences and dust extraction , then 15 to half an hour to set the power feed if its already on the machine . Then go change your underpants and get ready .

auscab obviously you have never set up a spindle moulder

Sorry auscab, but you're wrong on several things.

1) The legs shown are about 40mm max. Look at the spacing of the grain.
2) Even if they were 70mm, you can get enough projection with 10mm serrated knife stock. It'd have to be in a 4-sider because you can't get heads that big for a normal moulder and it wouldn't have enough power to run it anyway.
3) I can set a pair of knives in a slotted collar in 2-3 mins quite comfortably. Height is set with a straight edge from the table, outfeed fence is a straight edge from the deepest part of the profile. Power feed and extraction are always attached in a production environment. I'm not going to go through the whole setup, but I'm pretty confident with my initial guess, maybe 20 mins.
4) Why so aggressive? Do you need a cookie?