I have a Craftsman Molding Cutter Head for a table saw. I’ve never used it as it was inherited from my FIL but it looks like it would work well on long stock. The old user guide shows most of the cuts made on the “right side” of the fence as opposed to the left side as in a normal cut on the saw. Is this correct? I would like to try it but I am concerned with the safety issues involved. Since it doesn’t appear to make through cuts is kickback a big concern? Also, should hold downs or feather boards be used in front of the blade like a router? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jerry
Replies
Firstly if it is a head with a single cutter toss it, they were a rather dangerous tool as the saw only goes at 4000 rpm or so.If it is the 3 wing type ;
Use it on either side of the fence
Keep it sharp hone the flat side
Feed slowly
Keep the stock held down to the table with pressure over the cutter ( That requires a bit of inginuity ,but thats's why you are a woodworker ! <G>
Fully guide the stock laterally if it is necessary to make several passes so it tracks the same path
Lastly you may need to use a sacrificial fence to run some moulding patterns
I tend to use it on sheet goods and a shaper for mouldings
Work safely it can turn your finger tips to hamburger
Cutter Head
Thanks! It is a 3 cutter head. I am new to woodworking so I look here for advice.
Again, thanks!
Jerry
Craftsman Molding Head
I have one of these. I purchased it in about 1976 and used it to shape picture frame moldings. It was sold with some hardware to assure safe operation. The hardware included two fixtures which were bolted to the top of an auxiliary wood fence which clamped to the existing saw fence. Into the fixtures were placed spring steel hold downs which allowed the piece being milled to be held down against the table as well as against the fence. You can do the same today with magmount feather boards fore and aft of the blade in both dimensions. The cutter head produces a decent surface, but you will see some ripple in it. I always used iton the left side of the saw fence.
Jerry
Cutter Head
Thanks for the input. I have the mag feather boards. Sounds like they will work. This was part of what my wife received from her father's estate about 3 years ago, along with a Delta Unisaw which got me started in woodworking. Now, may thousands of dollars later, I am still learning.
Jerry
Singe cutter molding heads are no more dangerous than the triple cutter models. Have used a singe for years with great success. Single cutters can be ground to different shapes to reproduce molding. Very hard to do that on triple cutter models. As always use this tool with the utmost caution.
I have had one since 1965
I have had a used one of these things. Fired it up once and made me nervous. It is still in the back of a drawer.... Just did not like a cutter that bolts on. Hate to think what it would it would do if it got loose....
In my view, the Craftsman molding cutter head is a good example of the difference in tool mentality of the '50s through the '70s. Back then lots of small manufacturers came up with what they thought were innovative ideas, but with little concern for user safety. Used carefully, they can do the job, but not as well as molding machines actually designed for the purpose.
The key to safe operation is to always feed the stock into (against) the rotation of the cutter. Never feed the stock with the rotation of the cutter.
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