spindle moulders?

[derek1]

I want to upgrade from my router table to a spindle moulder. I like the look of the Axminster WS1000TA. The trouble is you can't try them in the shop and it is quite a lot of money to gamble. Has anybody used one or could anybody recomend a spindle moulder.

Thanks

 

[RogerS]

First off, welcome to the forum.

Bit difficult to give any advice as you don't say what you want one for, what your experience is etc.

Whatever, if you have never used one then I urge you to get someone to show you how to use one safely or, if not, at the very least read one of the 'Bibles' on spindle moulding.

They are unforgiving. One of my clients calls them 'The Wood Liquidiser'.

 

[tomatwark]

I agree with Roger about training, they were known as the widow maker in one firm I worked for.

That said I almost never use a router table but use a spindle all the time.

One other warning be very carefull if you see cheap tooling second hand on Ebay, alot of it is now illegal in industry and is very dangerous in inexperienced hands.

Let us know what you are thinking of doing with the machine.

Tom

 

[derek1]

thanks for the comments. I realise that they can be dangerous. I have used quite large router bits on my router table which is powered by a 2800W Elu router.

I am keen to make mitered joints or 45 degree lock joints for the corners of beds. I use 27mm beech (kitchen) worktops which makes very nice beds (and they don't fall apart)

My saw seems to struggle a tad when cutting the 27mm beech timber at 45 as it is effectively just over 38mm. I wondered if a decent spindle moulder would finish of the cut timber.

I saw a Hammer cobination machine with a spindle moulder produce beautiful 45 degree miters ..it left the wood polished. That is the sort of thing I am after.

The axminster seems to be a lot of machine for the money ...but without trying you never know.

regards

 

[tomatwark]

I am keen to make mitered joints or 45 degree lock joints for the corners of beds. I use 27mm beech (kitchen) worktops which makes very nice beds (and they don't fall apart)

My saw seems to struggle a tad when cutting the 27mm beech timber at 45 as it is effectively just over 38mm. I wondered if a decent spindle moulder would finish of the cut timber.

If you are doing these for a living you might better buying a more powerful saw bench.

You could do them on a spindle moulder but on top of the Axi price you will have at least £100 worth of tooling.

Are you using the correct saw blade in your current machine, and also a decent make, as a cheap saw blade will make life really hard.

Tom

 

[derek1]

I'm not doing it for a living -just a hobby, but you end up making beds for everybody as, although I say it myself, they are very nice. I have a decent saw and new sharp quality blades but even so on 38mm of solid beech it struggles a bit. I probably need a more powerful saw but that means going 3 phase I assume.

I just wondered if anybody in this forum has, or has used the axminster spindle moulder and can offer an opinion.

thanks

 

[kirkpoore1]

[You could do them on a spindle moulder but on top of the Axi price you will have at least £100 worth of tooling.
...
Tom

That's the thing--spindle molders (shapers) are very useful, but you still have to buy the tooling. Cutters, bushings, rub collars, and spacers all add up--you'll eventually end up spending more on these than on the machine. (Fortunately, not all at once.)

Still, once you make the jump you won't regret it.

I bought a big one (used, to restore), and it spooked me so much that I bought a little one (1/2" spindle) just to learn how to use it without getting a finger torn off. I've since upgraded to a 3/4" spindle machine which I use a lot. I still haven't restored the original industrial machine.

Kirk

 

[oddsocks]

Derek,
I attended the one day spindle moulder training /demonstration course at Axminster earlier this week and the WS1000TA was the one used. I'm not an expert (hence on the course!) but the tool was very easy to set up and adjust. The sliding table was also solid and smooth. We made (during the day) a kitchen cabinet door so used a variety of cutters and techniques. With the big CMT raised panel cutter fitted (which was the maximum size the tool could take) it had no trouble making the cut in one pass.

One point though - don't buy the power feed they show in the book (AP32) as it doesn't fit - it should be fitted so that the middle roller is over the cutter but the position of the motor and the space available to fit the mounting bracket means it can't be made to face straight (the motor hits the casting too soon). In the catalogue it is fitted too far on the infeed side (this is because the arm is swung round and wound in more to get it straight). Bob (the instructor) and Tim Stiles tried various ideas but concluded it was not going to fit. The other (dearer) feeds have the motor on the other side so they would work. You could fit the AP32 with the post on the outfeed side but (as Bob pointed out) that is wrong as if anything worked loose the whole unit would be pulled into the cutters (fitted on the infeed side the same failure would result in the unit being pushed out by the cutters). If everything is tightened and checked each time this should be a very low risk, but still one that should be avoided.

Dave

 

[derek1]

thanks Dave ...most useful.

 

[tomatwark]

Axminster does it again.

It is good to see at least one retailer running training courses on how to use these machines.

Tom