Dado blades

[AndyT]

Thanks Trevanion!

The dumpling block is in Ellis's Modern Practical Joinery, page 127 where he's explaining how to machine a handrail wreath with a compound curve - he says it's a safety feature but it still sounds like scary stuff to me!

 

[Inspector]

Thanks Trevanion.
I've seen them in books before and some in person.
I have a Williams and Hussey Planer/Molder with a square head of sorts. You can look them up if not familiar with them. The head has a shoulder that the back of the blade registers on. I'll attach a few pictures, such as they are, showing the head with the planer (thicknesser) blades in it and some of the molding blades I have. The crown molding blade is 4 1/2" wide for reference and the planer blades 7". The Mahogany and Oak picture frame moldings flanking the blades are from the 2 bottom blades. Only showed one from each pair of blades.

 

[Trevanion]

I think technically you can still use square heads in certain machines in Britan such as the moulder/thicknesser you mentioned above so long as it's mechanically fed and there's no option of hand-feeding but I think it's still frowned upon by the HSE. I'm not 100% certain but I think Planer moulders, Tenoners, Thicknessers and maybe Wood Milling Machines would fall into this category of machine.

I know you can definitely buy brand new knives for most square blocks from certain industrial woodworking suppliers.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I think a name I've heard them being called also was "dumplings" but I cannot remember where I heard that.

A dumpling looks roughly like a Christmas pudding (dome shape) with the wide diameter at the bottom which is fixed to the spindle moulder's table, and a small flat at the top. It has a hole in the centre through which the spindle passes. And at the top of the spindle was usually a French head cutter. The piece being profiled then runs against the spindle shaft. I did once see a version of a dumpling in action, coupled with a square head cutter block and a ring fence under the block. I never want to see that again ... ever. Slainte.

 

[Trevanion]

I think a name I've heard them being called also was "dumplings" but I cannot remember where I heard that.

A dumpling looks roughly like a Christmas pudding (dome shape) with the wide diameter at the bottom which is fixed to the spindle moulder's table, and a small flat at the top. It has a hole in the centre through which the spindle passes. And at the top of the spindle was usually a French head cutter. The piece being profiled then runs against the spindle shaft. I did once see a version of a dumpling in action, coupled with a square head cutter block and a ring fence under the block. I never want to see that again ... ever. Slainte.

Ah, I see now! So it's some form of dome-shaped false bed which is dropped over the shaft which allows you to maneuver the piece vertically in relation to the spindle. Having had a look at the page from Ellis' book that Andy mentioned, it's pretty obvious why it's called a dumpling now :lol:. I imagine you've got to have nerves of steel and great control over the workpiece to pull it off without having an accident.

I'll have to keep that trick in mind next time I'm doing curved handrails!


or not.

 

[user22161]

The 01332 arbour as well as being too short, has a step which the blade sits on. Grooving blade should fit with a reducer down to 1" but depends on what depth of cut you want as they're smaller diameter - https://bivenmachinerysales.co.uk/produ ... saw-blade/