Does anybody here run a spindle moulder?

[johnelliott]

Recently I've been thinking about the best way to machine the components for the doors that I make. Currently I use two router tables, one set up permanently to cut the grooves, the other to cut the tongues. I make simple shaker style doors, grooves in the styles 12mm deep to take the centre panel and the tongues cut on the ends of the rails. I cut the tongues using a workshop-made jig running against a fence.
The accuracy of the whole system is suspect and the dust collection difficult. I've been thinking about buying a spindle moulder, D&M Tools do a deal on the Scheppach 3000CI moulder including the essential sliding table and equally essential power feed for about £2,300.
Anyway, I don't think this post belongs in the buying advice section because I wouold be interested to hear from anyone who uses any kind of spindle moulder, it's something that isn't often discussed on this forum
John

 

[Steve Maskery]

John, FWIW -

I own a spindle moulder. I use it a couple of times a year. It is good for raising panels, and I occasionally do a bit of curved work.

I built Norm's Router Table, and adapted his fence to be micro adjustable, I'm hoping the fence will be coming to a mag near you sometime soon. It is also equipped with a Router Raizer and an Extreme Extension.

I use the router table all the time, and the spindle moulder never. The router table is just so much more versatile, and I wish I had built the table first. I could easily have bought router tooling to do the panels I do with my Scheppach spindle moulder.

The SM doesn't have a sliding table, but I mounted a grooved bar on the front edge, and this can take my mitre fence, but it is a poor substitute for the real thing.

My experience is that the router table, good, permanent and dedicated, is a much more effective option for the type of work you are doing.

My 2p.

Steve

 

[Ian Dalziel]

John,
I similar to steve, had the scheppach spindle moulder but i only used it once in the 18 months i had it. i use 2 types of router table one is nyw version with the jessem masterlift and pc 7518 router, i hardley even use this any more i use my own design one mostly.

You refered to using a essential power feed for the spindle but what i can gather you are going to be using the spindle for it will mostly be end tenons via a sliding carriage thus you wouldnt require the power feed unless you plan on longish length runs.

from what you describe you are doing i would possibly be on the lookout for a small tenoner, these can be picked up for reasonable money secondhand. I'm not sure though if you can adapt the blades in these to suit the scribe and butt shoulders normally used in kitchen doors. it might be worth another question here

I have a tenoning table on my drawing board at present which will be used with a horizontal tilting router. pm me if you want more info

kind regards
Ian

 

[Anonymous]

hi john

I do also own a spindle moulder (jet one) and use it for the same thing that you are wanting to use it for, kitchens doors.
The best thing about it is that once it has been set up right i don't need to move the spindle hight up or down, I just move the cutters and spacers about to make the grooves and tongues.
The only problem with the jet moulder so far is I am yet to buy a sliding table for it, but i find the miter guage just as good.
Also the dust collection is a lot better then on my old router table and it is all a lot quicker and more accurate

Rout

 

[johnelliott]

To make it a little clearer why I think a spindle moulder might the the answer to my particular set of problems, and why I consider a power feeder essential-
At the moment my way of making a batch of doors is, I rip an 8 x 4 sheet of material into 70mm wide strips, my Festool saw and 2.7M guide rail make this easy and quick. I then cross cut the strips into whatever lengths I need (the Festool MFT makes this easy too, as long as I set up an infeed table to the right of the MFT). I then cut the grooves into the rail and style components and lastly cut the tongues (AKA tenons) onto the ends of the rails.
If I had a spindle moulder I would cut the grooves while the 70mm strips were still 8 feet long, which would cut down the machining time quite a bit. By preparing maybe 3 sheets worth of strips I could then set the SM up for cutting the tongues and be able to do a couple of kitchens before having to reset the SM for grooving.
Also I quite like the idea of being able to mould 30mm MDF for cornices in 8foot lengths
It sounds like I'm talking myself into this, doesn't it?
John

 

[Ian Dalziel]

It sounds like I'm talking myself into this, doesn't it?

You have obviously thought about it for a while, i assume that you are trying to speed up production and or you are not getting the results you had hoped from your router table.

I would cut the grooves while the 70mm strips were still 8 feet long

i thought this would still have been a viable option with a router table setup with a slot cutter.
I can only comment on when i had the spindle that it didnt serve me the way that i hoped it would and hence it was put into a corner and hardly used then sold.
You are obviously doing your homework fisrt but as you said you have almost talked yourself into it now its time to work on swmbo

regards
Ian

 

[DAZB]

Just a quick question if you don't mind , what sheet material are you using to cut into strips ? Thanks.

 

[johnelliott]

Just a quick question if you don't mind , what sheet material are you using to cut into strips ? Thanks.

I use ash veneered MDF, veneered both sides, 19mm for the frame strips, and 6mm for the centre panel. When painted (all my doors are painted) the grain shows through nicely, and nobody cares that no grain shows at the edges.
John

 

[DAZB]

Very good. A friend of mine uses the veneered MDF and reckons it is great for wardobes and cabinets and the like and he favours the oak faced MDF and he irons on edge trims to the cut faces. Any chance of posting some pictures of your finished doors ?