Thread: Glue lam thru a spindle moulder?

Fingers that have been through a spindle moulder are usually not worth reattaching. Spindle moulders tend to bite one and then chew what they've already got.
One of the best pieces of kit is a power feeder. It is so much nicer to see a bit of wheel rubber shoot out rather than a piece of your anatomy. That said, the job can be done on a spindle using small cuts. Also be aware of grain direction when glueing up your composite pieces, if the direction reverses piece to piece you will get a rough finish off the moulder.
IMHO a spindle moulder without a power feeder is not a tool, its a weapon.

I couldn't agree more Rusty Nail - about a power feed.

I've been looking for one - even seen one at Carbatech new for about a grand.

Thing is I've been asking now for a while thru the Robland owners user group - who could recommend a make, model, brand of Power feeder that would go well with my Robland X31 combination machine.

Do you think I can find anyone who's, done it (installed one) that can give me a recommendation on what they used?

I did find this Utube vid...of someone who's fitted a power feed to his Robland x26

robland spindle moulder - YouTube

Trouble is a few things -

1. I can't read what make, model, brand he's fitted. Edit - silly me - I found out you can enlarge the vid to full screen & it seems to say KUrO as the brand but now I can't even find that on the internet! Some days... I wonder.

2. If you watch the timber exit the feeder in the video & keep an eye on the verticle support column and horizontal support arm - the feeder has a large amount of movement from it's set downwards clamping pressure...as the timber exits the feed rollers.
I see that he's attached a small cast square table to the end of his moulder bench and attached the vertical support stem of his power feed to that - which the newer Robland models come fitted with - but mine doesn't have this. When at the WWshow last weekend I went into Beyond Tools exhibit as they are the Robland agents in WA and they had some of the new Robland models on display - including this little square add on cast table, that the power feed bolts too.
They tell me that I can buy this as a OEM spare part, from Robland Belguim - thru them...and once I have it and bolt it up to my table - then I will have a platform I can attach/bolt a power feeder upright stem to! I suspect the 'movement' that I am seeing in the video - if it's in the attachment of that small square cast power feed support table to the main cast table - then the attaching bolts (or main cast table edge) could fatigue crack with repeated use.

So I am having trouble deciding just how is the best way to do this.... I am sure I could jury rig something ugly if I was determined enough but that's not my preferred style usually. I'd like to do it right - but finding someone who's done this - to get the exact details....

I'll get there - like everything...it just takes time...all part of the journey as Bob L advised me so wisely not so long ago.

In the interim I'll make some feather boards to hold pressure against the cutter head and use a long push stick so fingers don't get anywhere near the moulder head.

In all those 20 years I've never had a power feed and at this point I still have all 10 fingers and toes - so i am usually pretty careful, and more so around moulders, they literally give me the hebegebe's

Another consideration - being a combination machine, is ease of removing the power feed....when it would be in the way for another operation... that needs to pass say sheet material over that section of table to get the width of cut I am after off the saw for e.g.

The hunt for options goes on.

Good to hear you have previous experience with spindle moulders. Your finger board and push stick set up is the way to go in the absence of a power feeder. I have a robland nlx310 with the attachment for a feeder. I have two feeders that I use on the machine, depending on what size the material is. For small stuff I use a carbatech junior feeder and for larger material a carbatech cabinet maker. The junior also get used on router table and works well. These two units are .25hp and .50hp respectively.
On my previous robland, I fabricated a piece of heavy angle iron and mounted that on the end of the table and bolted the foot of the power feeder to that. Worked fine for many years. The .50hp power feeder is much superior to the smaller model but is also quite heavy, which is a pain when not a permanent fixture. I find the junior a bit short on power and requires "help" to get some material through, but at least it keeps the operator clear of the cutters. I have always expected the poor little chap to die mid way through a job, but to his credit, 10yrs on, he continues to chug away provided I give the necessary assistance as and when required.
I do have a spare Robland table extension should you require one.

Amazing - I can't thank you enough for that advice...

I was wondering about the carbatec power feeders and was contemplating a trip out to their showrooms tomorrow, to have a look at them.
It's nice to hear from someone who has them and has used them and can give first hand feedback.

Indeed if you have a spare table extension - then yes please - can I put my name on it? (Let me know by PM what you'd like for it and I'll sort it out ASAP).

I might just start with the junior feeder and if demand eventuates for its big brother - get that at a later stage maybe.

I saw Carbatec sell some kind of metal table clamp arrangement for their feeders that looks easy / simple enough and as tho it would be easy to install and remove - but I'd prefer a table extension and bolt it to that if possible and you don't mind passing on your spare to a new home?.

I didn't know you had a Robland - are you a member of the Robland X31 email group on yahoo?

You're more than welcome to book mark the Facebook Robland X26/X31 owners group page and post up anything you wish there (same goes for anyone else with a Robland machine of the x26 or x31 families, who's reading along).

This is the link for anyone wants it.

https://www.facebook.com/RoblandX26X...x_wizard=true#

Thanks Rusty Nail - you've made my day.