Should I buy a spindle moulder rather than router table??
- Thread starter Rob_H
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rogxwhit
Established Member
It's not cheap - nobody's bid yet and there's sure to be a reserve. Plus the seller has a 100% rating. Why so over-quick to judge?
Yojevol
Clocking on
If you try looking at his feedback there's nothing listed
I'll keep an eye on it, just out of interest
Brian
I also have a Hammer combination, Saw/spindle. Not that there is much wrong but wouldn't recommend and would definitely get separate machines now. You need to be very organized before setting up the spindle and make sure you have finished. Nothing worse than taking it all down and then finding you missed a bit.
I also have a router table and use both. I have it setup on the end to the saw so I have the option of using the sliding table with it. However this has the same problem as above as if you need any long cuts the router can get in the way. Its not as bad as there is some space around the saw blade.
If I could have only one I would choose the spindle. I used a router inverted in a home made board for years. Nothing wrong with that. Yes router lifts are nice but hardly a necessity.
I don't have a power feed either -although one is on my shopping list - I would definitely get one with a dedicated machine though. Setting up the power feed would be a pain with my current setup.
Using the pressure plates helps keep the work against the cutter and can be an effective guard so it's difficult to get your fingers near the cutter.
I'm no one to lecture on safety and wouldn't want to put anyone off. Make your own decisions and just be very aware.
Short answer: If I was just knocking out a few lengths of TnG and didn't have a shed full of gear, I would use a portable router with bearing guided cutters. Chamfer the edges with a hand plane.
think I have seen that one before.
There would have to be a reserve price for anyone selling something like this, it is ok starting with a low price like £250 but it has to be worth a lot more.
2 weeks from now bloke joins forum asking for info on a newish Felder moulder he got for £300.
There will be much pulling of hair, and gnashing of teeth
There will be much pulling of hair, and gnashing of teeth
Against_The_Grain
Established Member
I'm a big proponent of the spindle moulder, it has been my mainstay for many years as a wood machinist and architectural joiner. I've used all manner of spindle moulders great and small, from the venerable Kity 623 to modern computer-controlled memory function Martin T27s and I still get a kick out of pressing the "on" button every time no matter the machine, the sound of the cutter block whirling to life and the cutting action on the wood leaving a near perfect surface is sublime.
As Deema says, the dangers between a spindle moulder and a table router are much the same and the safety of these machines is purely down to the individual operator. I've seen quite horrific injuries occur with cordless drills being used by people with a severe lack of grey matter, but no one ever claims that the cordless drill is too dangerous and everyone should use egg-beater drills instead. So long as you practice good work etiquette and use modern tooling there is not much more to go wrong on a spindle moulder than there is on a router, yes, in the event of a kickback a spindle moulder may present a more severe kickback than a router because there is more torque, but to have gotten yourself into that situation to begin with you will have done something very wrong.
A training course is a good idea, but I suspect they are few and far between. My own training consisted of "here's the on button, we need all these put through by tea", a baptism by fire. Roy Sutton's video on the subject is a good starting point and shows very safe working practices, though the use of the old-style of Whitehill block is, by and large, redundant.
You'd be right to, all the telltale signs of a scam listing, grainy photos, cheap starting bid (the spindle moulder is about £8000 new, before you add on the tooling included), middle of nowhere, offering transport. The way they get you with these scams is that while you manage to get your money back from eBay, you won't get the transport costs back and that's what they pocket at £150 a go.
It used to be easier to spot them as they always used new accounts with no feedback, but it seems they're hacking accounts to make them seem more believable. I've seen the same machines sold several times, even sometimes the exact same machine being sold in the Highlands, Wales, and Ireland, all at once! Ask any of these sellers if you can see the machine before bidding you will never get a reply, ask for a shipping quote and they will reply within minutes.
This is another suspicious one, another very low starting bid for what is a £6000+ saw secondhand.
Martin T74 panel saw, Excellent working condition, Very clean | eBay
As Deema says, the dangers between a spindle moulder and a table router are much the same and the safety of these machines is purely down to the individual operator. I've seen quite horrific injuries occur with cordless drills being used by people with a severe lack of grey matter, but no one ever claims that the cordless drill is too dangerous and everyone should use egg-beater drills instead. So long as you practice good work etiquette and use modern tooling there is not much more to go wrong on a spindle moulder than there is on a router, yes, in the event of a kickback a spindle moulder may present a more severe kickback than a router because there is more torque, but to have gotten yourself into that situation to begin with you will have done something very wrong.
A training course is a good idea, but I suspect they are few and far between. My own training consisted of "here's the on button, we need all these put through by tea", a baptism by fire. Roy Sutton's video on the subject is a good starting point and shows very safe working practices, though the use of the old-style of Whitehill block is, by and large, redundant.
You'd be right to, all the telltale signs of a scam listing, grainy photos, cheap starting bid (the spindle moulder is about £8000 new, before you add on the tooling included), middle of nowhere, offering transport. The way they get you with these scams is that while you manage to get your money back from eBay, you won't get the transport costs back and that's what they pocket at £150 a go.
It used to be easier to spot them as they always used new accounts with no feedback, but it seems they're hacking accounts to make them seem more believable. I've seen the same machines sold several times, even sometimes the exact same machine being sold in the Highlands, Wales, and Ireland, all at once! Ask any of these sellers if you can see the machine before bidding you will never get a reply, ask for a shipping quote and they will reply within minutes.
This is another suspicious one, another very low starting bid for what is a £6000+ saw secondhand.
Martin T74 panel saw, Excellent working condition, Very clean | eBay
Yojevol
Clocking on
Lo and behold, it's gone. Ebay on the case I should think
Brian
