Thread: spindle moulder or router table?

This is a good question, when did spindle moulders start to be built? Would the exact profile exist in a current spindle moulder bit?

I am asking more questions then answering.

From my personal perspective I would prefer to use a router as it might be easier to get a router bit to match a particular profile or a combination of two router bits to match the profile.

Would it be possible to post a photo of the profile.

If these are the original windows then these profiles might have been created by hand planes.

I will leave the other questions for other members who have experience with spindle moulders to reply.

By the way, welcome to the forum.

You can create a wide range of profiles on a spindle moulder, BUT quite likely you won't find a standard set of blades to exactly match the profile you require. Depending on the vintage of the spindle moulder head, you can buy blank blade sets and get them ground to just about any profile you can dream up. Not the cheapest way out, but you should be able to exactly match any existing profiles.

As Christos says, getting the profile with router bits might involve several different operations with different profile bits (and some setup time), whereas a spindle can often do the complete profile in one pass.

If you plan on doing a lot of work with a spindle moulder, then a powerfeed is a worthwhile addition to the shopping list. Makes the whole operation a lot safer, as spindle moulders really can bite......

Dean11, you didn't mention what previous experience you have with woodworking machinery.

Mr Brush....my heart beats a little faster thinking of a newb to WW machinery jumping into a spindle moulder first up...even with a power feed. Am I being a tad paranoid or overly cautious perhaps? A distinct possibility I admit.
Jim

Nope - you're being very sensible....

Spindle moulders are scary things, and the older the machine the more scary it is. I personally wouldn't use one without a powerfeed.

These days the heads have retention pins for the blades, but old timers will often recount that the spindle moulder was the one machine where you kept your entire body below the level of the table when starting it up

Trying to duplicate a particular profile using router bits will leave you extremely frustrated. Router bits may come close, as said earlier, by using multiple sections of many router bits but you can bet your bottom dollar the result will be less than satisfactory. A spindle moulder is probably the only way to duplicate exactly what you need. BUT!!! They are powerful and can be very dangerous as already said.
I would assess the situation as a whole and take the time to figure out the quantity of pieces you need for your windows because you may find it will be better to buy the quantities required from a joinery shop rather than the fiddle and frustration of doing it yourself. You may even consider getting some knives cut that will fit the joinery shop's spindle moulder to do you work, and retain ownership of those cutters.
Remember...you are entering High power, High speed and potentially dangerous machinery in a spindle moulder

Thank you for these replies. I have experience with machinery, e.g. printing machinery, but not much with woodworking machines. Spindle moulder is starting to sound like a health hazard!

Another example of the sort of job I need to do is the skirting boards, which are 12" wide with a moulding at the top. It turns out they are all in two pieces, the moulded part being about 5" wide and slotting into the bigger base part. I suppose in this case it would be better to get lengths made professionally.

I am starting to think a good router set-up would be the best way to start ... explore the possibilities and limitations and maybe move up to a spindle moulder later?

In Australia, who makes the good ones? There is nothing worse than buying something that turns out to be a toy. This would have to allow the piece to be passed through many times with different router cutters at different angles. I expect the cost would be something like $1500 ... is that roughly correct?

Thanks

Originally Posted by dean11

Gday
We bought an 1888 house in bad condition and wish to restore it to original condition. I need to repair or replace many different wood items, particularly window frames. For example, a certain window might be okay except for a couple of broken panes with the frame between them broken or rotten. So I need a machine that will allow me to fabricate new pieces like that with the exact same profile.

Someone said a spindle moulder, and someone else said a good tilting router table would be best. Can someone please advise?

Also, how do I buy one in Newcastle, Australia? Second hand is desirable from the point of view of saving money. Is a second hand machine of this type likely to be reliable?

Thanks

Dean

I suggest you firstly have a detailed look around at what moulding profiles you are looking at replacing and perhaps do some sketches with dimensions. Additionally make an estimate on the length of each profile you will need to produce.

Then you can take a look through router bit catalogues and see what moulding profiles you can recreate using the bits that are available, and get an idea of the cost of router, table, and bits.

You could then do the same exercise looking at the Spindle Moulder.

Something you need to consider is that the router misused can cause bad injuries to fingers & hands, whereas the Spindle tends to remove entire fingers & hands. I have seen a number of people with horrific injuries caused by Spindles.
For either machine you should also include a good dust extractor in your cost estimates, and seek good advice on their safe use, and which to purchase, particularly for the spindle

Another option you may like to consider is to use hand planes. Moulding planes and Hollows and Rounds are available new and second hand and a search on the net will uncover tutorials on their use & sources for purchase. I have not done the exercise, but suspect this may be the least costly when you look at machinery, cutters and dust extractor. Additionally the health risks are minimal, and the noise will not disturb the neighbours. However if you are looking at hundreds of metres of moulding, Machinery may be your best option, particularly for long runs of the same profile.

Regards

I might also add that if you have specific questions and a search does not yield a current answer do post that question is the related sub forum.

You have embarked on a restoration of a very old house and the journey could be a lot of fun, with some expected frustration.

My best advice for you, would be to save your money and time in setting up some sort of moulding profile machining. Look for a company that can make custom/matching profiles on a foursider. I used to work for a joiner that did this.

A customer would come in with a sample or the profile, we would get a tooling company to make knives to match the sample and then use those knives in a foursider to produce the profile. A fairly simple process.

Your gona waste alot of time and effort in finding router bit profiles to try to match your mouldings, and to be honest, wont get the exact match in the end.

Good luck

Another option would be to pull out all the skirting and replace it with something that's on the market? May work out cheaper, depending on how much you need to replace. There are companies that supply this sort of stuff

Classic Architraves | Architectural and Decorative Mouldings, Wall Skirting Boards, Architraves

I have no affiliation etc

My house was built in 1904 in the Arts & Crafts Federation style. Having tried to duplicate window trim profiles with standard router bits, I found the exercise nigh impossible.

Try Fedwood in Rozelle for a wide range of skirtings and profiles. www.fedwood.com.au

Chippendale Restorations, also in Rozelle, is also a good source of new and recycled items. www.chippendalerestorations.com.au

mick