# Does anyone use a tablesaw molding cutter ?



## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I was working in my shop today and found my craftsman molding head and cutters for the tablesaw. I used it like one time in 3 years. Does anyone have one or better yet have one and actually use it ?

Just incase someone don't know what I'm talking about, link is below.



http://cgi.ebay.com/Craftsman-Bench...|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50#ebayphotohosting


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I've had that set for many years and use it frequently. A ZCI should be made if you don't have one. The moulding ZCI for many saws are a bit large for the cutter size.

The cutters are steel and I find the results are best with a slow feed and incremental depth changes. For what it was intended it's a good moulding cutter. The stock has to be held down tightly as it's run, and for long stock it's difficult to get a continuous pass as a step or two and changing feed hands might be required. The last pass I make is just a skim pass.

EDIT: Also, when mounting cutters make sure they are in the correct position (facing the right way) and there is no debris and they are seated properly. The screws should be tight, but it's easy to overtighten as they are allen head.


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

If it is what I am thinking, my dad used one when building one of our houses. I can remimber it being about 6 to 7 inches round and about 1/2 thick with 3 or 4 cutting heads. Seams like he used the dado insert around it. If it's the same one I do remember him using it a lot.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Like Cabinetman I have had one for many years. I have purchased additional cutters for mine. I make any of my trim work with it. 

The secret to getting a good cut is, as stated, taking small bites. Use plenty of feather boards to hold the workpiece from sides and top. When feasible make your cut with the grain.

Cabinetman, what is a ZCI?

George


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## Just Bill (Dec 29, 2008)

Yep, mine have gotten use over 20 or so years, and still have a good edge. Chrome makes a difference. As suggested above, feed slow and take small bites, count fingers before and after. Do a test piece first.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

GeorgeC said:


> Like Cabinetman I have had one for many years. I have purchased additional cutters for mine. I make any of my trim work with it.
> 
> The secret to getting a good cut is, as stated, taking small bites. Use plenty of feather boards to hold the workpiece from sides and top. When feasible make your cut with the grain.
> 
> ...



ZCI = Zero Clearance Insert. It's the throat plate on the table saw table that surrounds the blade. The plate for an 1/8" blade will not work with a moulding head. Some saws come with a moulding insert, which may or may not be adequately sized.

To make one, use a substrate in the thickness of the factory insert, or thinner if necessary and use the factory insert as a pattern to reproduce. The new plate is set into the top with the saw off, and then turned on and the moulding cutter is raised through the new insert while being held down (the fence and a shim if necessary will work) creating the fitted opening. Adjustment screws can be added to the underside for thinner plates.


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## Tweegs (Sep 8, 2007)

One of those came with my Ridgid RAS.
Used it once, got a nasty kickback and have been afraid of it ever since. The cutters being mounted with a set screw gave me the ***** anyway. Went out and bought a router bit.


Haven't tried it in the table saw, nor will I, I don't think.

No problem with them I assume, tons of them out there, just scared the bejeebers out of me. I don't feel comfortable using it.


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

I have a couple of them. I have not used one on my tablesaw, but have used it on my RAS. I set the saw head so the blade was parallel to the table and ran the boards through to make mouldings. Definitely keep your cuts small, and use feather boards to control things. It is a bit of a wild ride, but they do work quite well.

Gerry


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

This is one of the cases where you DO NEED the sacrificial fence because often you will be using only part of the molding bit profile

OK Carinetman. My saw came with multiple inserts.

Tweebs, the cutters may be mounted with set screws, but those screws to THROUGH a hole in the cutter. They are not going to start flying around.

George


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## Tweegs (Sep 8, 2007)

GeorgeC said:


> Tweebs, the cutters may be mounted with set screws, but those screws to THROUGH a hole in the cutter. They are not going to start flying around.
> 
> George


I know George. 

It's like that carnival ride. The folks that designed it have taken every precaution to make sure that sucker will stick to the track. Still doesn’t make me want to get on it. :laughing:


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

I had one given to me along with my RAS. I mounted it one time just to see how it ran (testing for wobble) and threw the thing away. Having that much sharp steel spinning that fast is way more scarier than my heart will allow. I've learned to live with the off the shelf moldings available at LOWES. If I need anything other than the ready made stuff I can create it on my router table. Sure it spins faster, but router bits are a whole lot smaller than the molding head.


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## beanie (Feb 25, 2009)

I would be lost with out mine. I use it all the time on my tablesaw.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I have the same one you pictured. I just came across it last week while cleaning out some drawers under my RAS. My brother-in-law gave it to me over 30 years ago. I don't remember ever using it. I thought I might use some of the cutterheads to try and make some turning tools out of them. 
Mike Hawkins


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## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

I use mine quite a bit, but have not tried the dowel cutter yet.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*RAS 's are also known as wood propulsion devices!*



Tweegs said:


> One of those came with my Ridgid RAS.
> Used it once, got a nasty kickback and have been afraid of it ever since. The cutters being mounted with a set screw gave me the ***** anyway. Went out and bought a router bit.
> 
> Haven't tried it in the table saw, nor will I, I don't think.
> ...


Hey now don't yell at me! I have 2 of them now and gave one to a neighbor last fall. I think I warned him? The problem with them is simple. Since the blade is rotating above the work, when making any type of cut, saw cut, moulding cut or dado, the teeth of the cutter are pulling the workpiece UPWARD and OFF the table, where as with a table saw the teeth are pulling the workpiece DOWNWARD into the table...Much Safer!:thumbsup: So, I'd be very reluctant to use a moulding cutter in a RAS regardless which plane the blade is in horizontal or vertical. Just too dangerous for me, since there is no depth stop to control the amount of bite as with a table saw. And the blade is always potentially exposed, since the blade guard moves out of the way when it encounters an obstacle.God Bless and protect all who use it. :yes: A shaper is essentially the same idea EXCEPT the fence and table are depth stops and the cutter protrudes out from the fence. BYW I have one of these moulding heads, and used it once or twice many years ago in my Table Saw. :yes: The other problem with the RAS, JMHO, is that they were promoted as a one tool can do it all concept, when it fact it really only does one thing exceptionally well ....CROSSCUT. And conversely, a Table Saw does one thing better than any other tool, RIP and it even comes with a RIP fence, They just throw the miter gage in in case your stock is 36" or less! :laughing: JMHO.bill
I need to add to my signature..."or anywhere near a RAS!":laughing:


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## don716 (Mar 1, 2008)

Got one but know nothing about it.It looks new. It's probally as old as I am.

Donny


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## Ohio Ron (Dec 22, 2007)

Yes, I have them also and have had them for many years. I have not used them much at all. When I did, they didn't do a good job. Mostly because of the type of wood or my ignorance on how to use them properly. There are some many router alternatives available today now that I doubt I will ever use them again.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Well thanks for the input. I'm at least glad I'm not alone in having one and never using it. Actually I have two of them just sitting there. As for moldings I here people all over this forum talking about buying it at Lowes and Home Depot or not being able to find moldings in the type wood they are using. I guess I'm lucky because here we have like 3 Hardwood Lumber stores/mills within 30 min of my house. And they all make moldings in any of the wood that they sell. I bought 3 1/2" solid maple crown for $1.00 a ft you can't get MDF crown at Home Depot or Lowes for that. This is probably why I never use the molding head. I may look into getting a shaper later since I really want to get deeper into woodworking and making furniture ect.


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## Rodney Sinclair (Aug 17, 2008)

I have one that I've had for maybe 25 years now and used a good bit. The sad thing for me is, Sears no longer sells the blades for it. I used it mostly on the RAS.

Rodney


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Rodney Sinclair said:


> I have one that I've had for maybe 25 years now and used a good bit. The sad thing for me is, Sears no longer sells the blades for it. I used it mostly on the RAS.
> 
> Rodney


 
Hey Rodney Sears still sells the cutters on line here's the link

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?keyword=molding+cutter

You can also find them on ebay


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## Mitchins (Nov 16, 2016)

woodnthings said:


> Hey now don't yell at me! I have 2 of them now and gave one to a neighbor last fall. I think I warned him? The problem with them is simple. Since the blade is rotating above the work, when making any type of cut, saw cut, moulding cut or dado, the teeth of the cutter are pulling the workpiece UPWARD and OFF the table, where as with a table saw the teeth are pulling the workpiece DOWNWARD into the table...Much Safer!:thumbsup: So, I'd be very reluctant to use a moulding cutter in a RAS regardless which plane the blade is in horizontal or vertical. Just too dangerous for me, since there is no depth stop to control the amount of bite as with a table saw. And the blade is always potentially exposed, since the blade guard moves out of the way when it encounters an obstacle.God Bless and protect all who use it. :yes: A shaper is essentially the same idea EXCEPT the fence and table are depth stops and the cutter protrudes out from the fence. BYW I have one of these moulding heads, and used it once or twice many years ago in my Table Saw. :yes: The other problem with the RAS, JMHO, is that they were promoted as a one tool can do it all concept, when it fact it really only does one thing exceptionally well ....CROSSCUT. And conversely, a Table Saw does one thing better than any other tool, RIP and it even comes with a RIP fence, They just throw the miter gage in in case your stock is 36" or less! :laughing: JMHO.bill
> I need to add to my signature..."or anywhere near a RAS!":laughing:


When using the moulding head on the RAS you must use the guard made for use with the moulding head. 
The saw is set with the spindle in the vertical position and the guard is bolted in place of the blade guard. The moulding guard has a flat plate in the horizontal position and has a half circle guard that is two inches high and adjusts up and down to allow the wood to slide underneath. The cutters are covered by this guard except for the space where the wood goes past the cutter. 
Like any tool it can injure or kill you if you do not use it properly.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Mitchins said:


> When using the moulding head on the RAS you must use the guard made for use with the moulding head.
> The saw is set with the spindle in the vertical position and the guard is bolted in place of the blade guard. The moulding guard has a flat plate in the horizontal position and has a half circle guard that is two inches high and adjusts up and down to allow the wood to slide underneath. The cutters are covered by this guard except for the space where the wood goes past the cutter.
> Like any tool it can injure or kill you if you do not use it properly.


Bill uses a craftsman radial arm saw which the guard has plenty space for a molding cutter. I did that briefly and found the cutterhead did such a poor job making molding I bought a shaper as soon as I could.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Mitchins said:


> When using the moulding head on the RAS you must use the guard made for use with the moulding head.
> The saw is set with the spindle in the vertical position and the guard is bolted in place of the blade guard. The moulding guard has a flat plate in the horizontal position and has a half circle guard that is two inches high and adjusts up and down to allow the wood to slide underneath. The cutters are covered by this guard except for the space where the wood goes past the cutter.
> Like any tool it can injure or kill you if you do not use it properly.


7 year old thread mate. If it was gonna kill him, it wouldve by now


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*radial arm saw vs table saw*



Mitchins said:


> When using the moulding head on the RAS you must use the guard made for use with the moulding head.
> The saw is set with the spindle in the vertical position and the guard is bolted in place of the blade guard. The moulding guard has a flat plate in the horizontal position and has a half circle guard that is two inches high and adjusts up and down to allow the wood to slide underneath. The cutters are covered by this guard except for the space where the wood goes past the cutter.
> Like any tool it can injure or kill you if you do not use it properly.


The original thread was about the molding head used in a table saw. The radial arm saw is a very different animal and the cutter is more exposed in either the vertical or horizontal position. The Craftsman and other RAS may have different type of guards for the molding head vs the standard saw blade. FYI, I have never used the RAS with a molding head and rarely used the table saw, since I don't make moldings in my shop.

The caution about the proper guard is well meant in any case. Here's an example of a Dewalt RAS used in the horizontal position with a proper guard:


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