Does anyone have any experience with molding head cutters used on the table saw? Are they easy to set up? I wonder about the three heads being lined up. Do they work well? Etc... I've read a few reviews and comparisons but was hoping for some real world knowledge. I apparently live in Boneheadville, when I ask the store personnel about them they tell me they're are for cutting moldings on the table saw. I was intrigued, but left wanting.
Thanks, Charlie
Yes ___________
I wonder about the three heads being lined up.
There is only one head with 3 knives (usually, depends on head). Inserting knives into head aligns them as long as you insert them correctly. ______________
Do they work well?
Yes, as long as the knives are sharp. ______________
Etc...
They make a cool whirring sound :)
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Didn't see OP, so will comment here...
They're sorta' ok, but not great. Biggest problem is spindle speed--saw arbor runs at only about 1/3-rd that of a spindle shaper. Consequently knife tip speed is on the "bare minimum" slow end range--works reasonably well for softer woods (pine, poplar, etc.) to ok for medium and not-so-well for hard.
I made do w/ one for years before the days of easy-to-find affordable
1/2" collet routers before getting a small shaper. Night and day kinda' moment--wouldn't even consider going back, but again, for small amount of work, particularly if the stock isn't difficult to work, they're serviceable.There are other, heavier, designs by Amana and others -- I don't know which Sears version is referred to here, but I would recommend against the 1/2" plate light-body versions, however, as compared to those of roughly an inch thick that are much more solid. That extra mass makes a tremendous difference in how much additional chattering the beastie will do...
The HSS cutter sets I've bought have universally needed sharpening/honing before use to have any chance of a good cut in anything except the softest, straightest of grain pine.
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I'm only familiar with the Delta. Very heavy body, three knives. Knives are self aligning when you torque them in. Only other set up is elevation of cutter and position of fence, normally with sacrifical board on the face for an edge shape.
Work well enough. The down side is cutter surface speed when compared to shapers or router tables. Somewhat more inclined to get tearout. If doing a panel, go cross grain first and it helps to exit with sacrifical piece. Feed slowly. Multiple passes help.
I did all my shaping with them for years, got by fine with Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Ash, etc. Now I have shapers, don't use them very often any more.
Frank
I've had one for years, I use it little, as a router is basically easier and appears safer most of the time however for certain shapes or profiles the flexibility is quite useful, adjusting tilt, depth and partial edge of cutters open interesting possibilities....I once made a near match of a large exterior molding for my Dad's house by combing cutter profiles(obviously one cut at a time).....I don't think it replaces a router but it can fill a niche and will do profiles not available otherwise.....Rod
Frank Boettcher wrote: ...
Frank, gotta' question this made me think of...you have any idea of if there's any place/anybody who has the old 3-wing 1/2" shaper cutters Delta made? In particular, I'm needing the stub cutter for the sash set--I don't recall the 09-xxx number at the moment.
I never dreamed Delta would ever quit selling tooling, but when I last tried, there were no shaper cutters at all...
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"Delta" never would have. After the consolidation in 2000, the Delta accessory manager was dumped with all the other Delta top tier (except me, nobody wanted to run a remote plant). A new accessory manager was appointed who had zero woodworking experience. He made all of his decisions based on inventory turns rather than any complimentary sales relationship between accessories and the machinery.
In about 2001 or'02, I believe, there was mass discontinuance and a fire sale on all accessories. Dealers got first shot and bought up the more popular 42-xxx numbered 3/4" and 1-1/4" dia carbide cutters. Most of the 09-xxx half inch HSS cutters ended up being sold off to employees for about 10 cents on the dollar or scrapped out.
I bought a bucket of them, along with bradpoint sets, forstner sets, scroll saw, band saw, and circular saw blades, spacers, collars, etc,.
To answer your question, I don't know of any source, however, there are probably some out there.
I'll check my box, when the shop warms up a bit. if I have one it would probably be without the rest of the set and you can have it, however, fairly sure I don't have that particular cutter. Will advise later.
When I left (Spring '05) they were still selling the six cutter cope and pattern sets and the panel raising cutters in 3/4" and 1-1/4" bore but nothing else.
Frank
Corob still make a line of three-wing 1/2" HSS shaper cutters. Not sure if they will match perfectly against the Delta - you may need to buy their male and female cutters both.
look like they have a window rail/style set, however. (I know, I typed "sash" before--mea culpa :) ).
I'll give them a call, however, as it looks like they've duplicated a lot of the Delta/Craftsman line...
I've not found any other supplier for the stub spindle cutters at all -- talked w/ somebody about a custom one, but it was kinda' pricey for just one and couldn't talk them into adding it to their standard profiles...
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For quite a while after I found out there were no more from Delta I kept doing a periodic search of the discontinued merchandisers, etc, and found quite a few of various styles but never found the one in question.
I just looked up the old data sheet -- it's the male sash, 09-128 -- the female is 09-121.
My -128 has a sizable chip that requires a fair amount of cleanup and I've another big set of windows for the barn to try to do this spring. Being able to use the stub spindle and shape the cove is much faster than the alternative of the 45 on the inside cove and trim-to-fit.
If you had one of these puppies and could spare it, I would be most appreciative...
-d(uane)pb
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Sorry, I checked my stock, don't have that one.
You know the 43-214 sash and cabinet cutter set was still in the catalog as late as 2004, maybe 2005. Seems odd they would be selling that and not make replacement cutters available as service parts just three years or so later. As mentioned, that wouldn't have been the Delta way in the old days, but this ain't the old days.The 09-128 was in that set along with four other cutters four collars and a stub spindle assembly. That set may be what you have.
Sorry I couldn't help.
Frank
Actually, no, I wasn't aware of that and when I talked w/ Delta, they didn't point it out, either... :( From your time frame, it was almost certainly still an active part; I just didn't think to look under anything but the 09 series, though, at the time. I initially got the pieces-parts piecemeal, though, however, from an individual rather than as a direct purchase.
Thanks for checking, anyway, Frank. I'll go do a search again, also on the 43-214 set. If that fails, I'll probably just bite the bullet and get somebody to make me one -- if so, I'll use the Amana profile of the
3/4" female set I have and have the 1/2" stub male to match -- then I can leave the stub spindle set up in the small shaper and use the big one for everything else--that'll speed things up significantly as well.I found a really old, Walker-Turner/Rockwell-branded 3/4" from an Old Dominion University shop on eBay for almost a throwaway price a couple years ago so I now have the luxury of the larger table and spindle as well. This thing is probably at least 50 years old but from the condition probably has about 5 years equivalent use on it--which means it is almost "as new"...
-duane
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dpb wrote: ...
Well, an hour of googling turned up nada, zilch, zippo...
One apparently old link via Amazon to an outlet for the 43-214 set, but it 404'ed and a search on the vendors' site turned up a few of the old
09-xxx guys, but neither the -121 or -128. Delta showed no hits.They appear to be as the dinosaurs -- extinct. :(
Has anybody here ever seen a stub-spindle cutter from any other manufacturer?
I don't know where the big boys get them--I suppose they simply buy custom tooling or have gotten away from full-length tenons completely so don't need the stub tooling.
I'm still partial to full-length tenon just as a practical matter plus I'm trying to retain same construction details as the original even if not calling it true "restoration" as we tried to do in the VA antebellum houses...
RE: Subject
One word:
SCARY!!!
Lew
Not really...
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I have a set that used to make a cove cut in some long strips of maple. It definitely makes a different sound than a normal saw blade and I make double sure that the cutters are properly fastened. Other than that, the cutters don't extend very much past the surface of the table, so it feels relatively safe.
todd
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