Thread: Moulder knives

go with the spindle for router bits

don't know how may you have already, but if you've been buying CMT it's pretty easy to accumulate more than $1000 worth

also, I've used the Delta benchtop router/shaper and not had a problem with 3.3mm bits at 11,000 RPM cutting slots in hardwood

I have a minimax combination machine, I use a CMT cutter set from carbatec.

But saying that, I use a router table for 95% of my work. Dont get me wrong the shaper is an amazing bit of kit, but its also the most time consuming function on a combination machine to setup. I save the shaper for larger runs of moulding or larger cuts.

So if you have the space, I would suggest building a nice router table as one of your first projects



joez

Thanks for the quick replies. Yes it's easy to accumulate lots of router bits, and I don't want to waste them. One of the "conditions" of buying the combination machine was to sell some of my other gear, and the delta was sold on Sat. I found it very handy and quick to set up. So still undecided. Thanks again guys, any more comments gratefully received.

My experience has been exactly the same as joez.
The spindle moulder takes quite a while to set up, therefore I use the router table for smaller jobs.

I have a combination machine with moulder but prefer to do small and or short runs on a router table, of which I have three, each designed for different purposes. A spindle moulder cutter is far more efficient than a router cutter and this difference is even more evident when the router is operating below its optimum speed as is the case when set up in a spindle moulder. I guess it would be safe to say it is a trade off. Router cutters are much cheaper than spindle cutters but spindles are more efficient. Router table is quick to set up if router is allready installed. Spindle handles larger work.