Thread: spindle moulder

Originally Posted by justplanesilly

My main concern is, how best to make use of the spindle moulder, as well as maintaining a decile of digits.cheers, Regan

Don't you mean a denary of digits? Unless you only need to keep one finger after using the spindle moulder.

Regan, the spindle moulder is one of the most useful tools you can have in your shed. It is also one of the most dangerous. There are few tools that require more consideration for safety. The first step is to find a good comprehensive book on mouldes. Read the safety section and then read it again. The aim of the exercise is to keep yourself nice. Another investment that will stand you in good stead is a power feeder. They are not cheap, but they do keep hands well clear of the nasties and provide a steady, consistent feed - very important for getting a good finish. If your machine came with guards, use them. If not, get some, now! Modern cutter heads with chip limiters are the way to go. Best to avoid the old fashioned open winged and stacked cutters - one can lose a small child down one of these.
To answer your question about SM verses Router, the spindle is far more efficient and able to cut much larger profiles.
Stay well away from the machine when you are tired, drunk or angry. It is important to have your wits about you not your bits about you,
Good luck and have fun.

Originally Posted by Heavansabove

Don't you mean a denary of digits? Unless you only need to keep one finger after using the spindle moulder.

yes - that is what I meant.. trying to be too much of a smartypants..! Keeping all 10 on the ends of my hands is my intention

Originally Posted by rustynail

Regan, the spindle moulder is one of the most useful tools you can have in your shed. It is also one of the most dangerous. There are few tools that require more consideration for safety. The first step is to find a good comprehensive book on mouldes. Read the safety section and then read it again. The aim of the exercise is to keep yourself nice. Another investment that will stand you in good stead is a power feeder. They are not cheap, but they do keep hands well clear of the nasties and provide a steady, consistent feed - very important for getting a good finish. If your machine came with guards, use them. If not, get some, now! Modern cutter heads with chip limiters are the way to go. Best to avoid the old fashioned open winged and stacked cutters - one can lose a small child down one of these.
To answer your question about SM verses Router, the spindle is far more efficient and able to cut much larger profiles.
Stay well away from the machine when you are tired, drunk or angry. It is important to have your wits about you not your bits about you,
Good luck and have fun.

Saftey is certainly at the front of my mind.. in fact that was really part of the reason I thought long and hard about whether to but a combo machine at all... everything I have heard about spindle moulders seemed to be prefaced with "danger" and "missing fingers" .. A power feeder is not on the cards yet, have to pay for the new machine (which I haven't taken delivery of yet). i guess I would like to know how to start and what to do in order to become adept at using it.. i am assuming since it is a new machine, it will be equipped with modern, proper guarding. Thanks for the advice!

Originally Posted by justplanesilly

Saftey is certainly at the front of my mind.. in fact that was really part of the reason I thought long and hard about whether to but a combo machine at all... everything I have heard about spindle moulders seemed to be prefaced with "danger" and "missing fingers" .. A power feeder is not on the cards yet, have to pay for the new machine (which I haven't taken delivery of yet). i guess I would like to know how to start and what to do in order to become adept at using it.. i am assuming since it is a new machine, it will be equipped with modern, proper guarding. Thanks for the advice!

Seeing that you are a new user, I'd highly recommend waiting until you can get a power feed before considering a moulder but, at the very least, invest in a set of magnetic hold-downs and feather-boards to help prevent kickback and to ensure a consistent finish.

When using a moulder with the fence, apply the same practices as for a jointer; the main one to remember is not to pass your hands over the cutter, keep them on either side.
Fences should be set to allow around 5mm clearance from fence to cutter and the overhead guard should be as low as possible.

Originally Posted by justplanesilly

Saftey is certainly at the front of my mind.. in fact that was really part of the reason I thought long and hard about whether to but a combo machine at all... everything I have heard about spindle moulders seemed to be prefaced with "danger" and "missing fingers" .. A power feeder is not on the cards yet, have to pay for the new machine (which I haven't taken delivery of yet). i guess I would like to know how to start and what to do in order to become adept at using it.. i am assuming since it is a new machine, it will be equipped with modern, proper guarding. Thanks for the advice!

If this is a new machine, this would be your best opportunity to wrangle a deal out of your supplier. When I bought my most recent combo machine I managed to get the power feeder tossed in. I explained to the dealer that I had a "fear cramp" in my hand and was unable to sign the cheque. Admittedly, I have purchased nearly all my machines from him over the years. But give it a try anyway. Nothing ventured nothing gained. I would never let a beginner anywhere near a spindle without a feeder, even if I didn't like him. It would still be up to me to clean up the mess.

I have a spindle moulder as part of my combo machine (Hammer C3-31) which I purchased some four or so years ago. I also managed to buy a set of Felder cutters and spindle head at a 'good price' a while later. I have all the fences and safety gear but I do not have a power feeder. I have never used the machine! I believe the older machines were more dangerous than the newer ones but nevertheless, until I've had some formal education, all the bits and pieces will remain unused. Sad but true. Seems a pity but I've not been able to find anybody with the requisite skill to be able to teach me. Yet.

Originally Posted by Dovetail

I have a spindle moulder as part of my combo machine (Hammer C3-31) which I purchased some four or so years ago. I also managed to buy a set of Felder cutters and spindle head at a 'good price' a while later. I have all the fences and safety gear but I do not have a power feeder. I have never used the machine! I believe the older machines were more dangerous than the newer ones but nevertheless, until I've had some formal education, all the bits and pieces will remain unused. Sad but true. Seems a pity but I've not been able to find anybody with the requisite skill to be able to teach me. Yet.

The older cutter blocks (specifically the slotted collars) are definitely more dangerous, but I don't think the machines themselves are. The biggest difference, and this applies to all machines, is that the older it is, the more guarding has to be 'home-made'.

As an aside, I'm happy to give lessons to anyone in the Greater Melbourne area.

I should clarify that I am not a beginner to woodwork, and have been making bits of furniture for about 10 years.. not to alter the point about safety tho'.. the couple of near misses that have occurred have made me extremely wary about what can happen. I am upgrading from a Triton to a proper small panel saw, and the dealer convinced me that a combo saw/moulder was a sensible option. He did say that they could still fit a high-speed router spindle when the machine arrived mid February. Perhaps this is a better approach? I to-ed and fro-ed about this for a while, and in the end decided to configure the machine as a moulder. Alas, as I am in Sydney, it is not possible to take up the kind offer of instruction with the machine. Keep it coming!

I rejected the combination machine, it seems that they offer this to everyone. I suppose it makes sense if room is limited but the little I have had to do with spindle moulders is most probably too much. Machines on the whole don't bother me but one of those makes me more than wary and if you are wary about a machine then you should not use it as far as I am concerned as it is an accident waiting to happen. Given the proper training and a power feeder I don't see any issue for anyone who is confident using a spindle moulder but there is no way in this life time I would use one without a feeder. A router gives me no issues at all and I am quite happy operating one. I hope others who have used one a lot chip in and give their point of view as I am openly biased against spindle moulders for hobby use.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I rejected the combination machine, it seems that they offer this to everyone. I suppose it makes sense if room is limited but the little I have had to do with spindle moulders is most probably too much. Machines on the whole don't bother me but one of those makes me more than wary and if you are wary about a machine then you should not use it as far as I am concerned as it is an accident waiting to happen. Given the proper training and a power feeder I don't see any issue for anyone who is confident using a spindle moulder but there is no way in this life time I would use one without a feeder. A router gives me no issues at all and I am quite happy operating one. I hope others who have used one a lot chip in and give their point of view as I am openly biased against spindle moulders for hobby use.

I am fortunate to work in the industry and have had proper training (Cert III in Wood Machining plus on the job, including the safe use of slotted-collars) and several years of experience, both with a fence and power feed and freehand off a bearing, and would consider myself an advanced user.

Moulders are usually overkill for hobby use, unless you actually NEED the additional grunt over a router table.

I think people have developed an irrational fear of the moulder from all the horror stories of lost fingers etc. A router table can also do a great deal of damage to the untrained/unexperienced user, a moulder is just more efficient at it.

The biggest issue for the hobbyist, as far as I can tell, is the relatively small base of knowledge and experience to draw on (compared to workshop staples such as a bandsaw, table saw or jointer) from within the hobbyist forums such as this one; the specialist nature of the machine means that many people can't justify dropping a few grand to buy one (plus tooling) for the odd occasion that they might need it. It's also not a machine that can be learnt properly from books and YouTube videos (hands-on training is, obviously, best for ALL machines, but the moulder in particular should be taught in person).

I originally bought a router table into which my router was fitted. Throwing it away was a joy ... adjusting the router in the table I had was a disaster.

Then I bought a jet moulder, like this ...


I made up my own fence for shaping edges on cabinet tops etc and a sled to hold work steady that did not suit the fence. So far, I am very happy with the machine, and have had no safety issues. However, I am seldom using large cutters.

thanks for all the replies... I suppose the question is where and how does one get training, short of doing a full-blown TAFE course in wood machining (not practical for most, I suppose..) My main intention, I think, was to use the machine for pattern following using a ring guide, and moulding edges to add detail to cabinet work. You can also fit a spindle sander, so can increase the versatility of the machine that way. Part of my original post was to find out what it was most useful for, and how to start learning to operate the machine safely, but also on ideas of how it can be useful in my workshop. Thanks!

I think most of the concerns over safety with spindle moulders are to do with the old slotted type of cutter blocks where the knives where located in slots in the top and bottom collars which if not tightened correctly could come loose and the results where catastrophic,the new type of cutter blocks with either serrated faces that match the knives or pins to locate the knives so they cannot come out of the block are much safer for the operator. With that said the same safe practices that should be used with all machines need to be employed with the spindle moulder care with setup and constant attention in use. The use of power feed when ever possible if available and keep hands away from cutter at all times with the use of finger boards and push sticks.
Regards Rod.