# Planer/moulder



## jrflat (Nov 2, 2009)

I was looking at planers and I have been seeing some planer/moulders, what is a moulder and do I need one?


----------



## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

It makes moulding. There are several different types of moulders, but the planer moulders usually use a profiled cutter and you feed the wood in like a regular planer and it shapes the wood. If you need one depends on what you are making and in what quantity. I am a home hobbyist and have no need for one. Just my $ .02.


----------



## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

Hey John:
I've got the Grizzly 1037Z 13" Planer/Moulder, see here: http://www.grizzly.com/products/13-Planer-Moulder/G1037Z

I've not yet used it as a moulder; you have to buy blade sets for each profile of moulding you wish to mill. The Grizzly catalog and website have dozens and dozens of stock profiles, and I could pictures many different uses if that's the direction your hobby is going. 

Personally, I like having the option of versatility---knowing that if the need arises, I can order and have shipped the same day the cutter head I need to accomplish a particular design. So have a look at the online owner's manual on the Grizzly link above, and review how the moulder guides mount, changing cutter heads, etc, and see if this type of tool is for you. 

Here is an image of my planer as it sits in the shop. Good luck with your decision.

regards,
smitty


----------



## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

I have a Jet JPM 13. 
I use the planer far more than the molder, but, I also do some reproduction work on historical buildings. Many of the profiles don't exist in the conformations they did 50 or 100 yrs ago. Its one thing to remove and replace the entire trim in a room with a newer and or different variant, (if acceptable to the Hysterical Commity) it's another to splice it. 

Some profiles are hand made one of a kind and can't be found anywhere period. Mid to high end shops charge an arm and a leg for the knives and materials plus they keep the knives. Now I keep the knives and can cut the profile at close to 1/2 what the 2 other available shops provide


----------



## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

Holy $#!+ Smitty, is that a workshop or an Operating room at Johns Hopkins. I am so jealous of your housekeeping.


----------



## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

By the way, you don't need a moulder unless you plan on making moulding. This is something I do not need.


----------



## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

Colt W. Knight said:


> Holy $#!+ Smitty, is that a workshop or an Operating room at Johns Hopkins.


ha! I wish....thanks anyway Colt, but those images that I continue to use should come with a disclaimer that reads "stock photo" or something...they're all taken when the place was new. It don't look like that now.

later
smitty


----------



## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

Oh okay, that sounds more realistic.


----------



## jrflat (Nov 2, 2009)

Wow Smitty that is a nice looking shop!!!! You do need to add some updated photos for all of us to see becasue you are making us all look like slobs.


----------



## ash123 (Mar 14, 2010)

jrflat said:


> I was looking at planers and I have been seeing some planer/moulders, what is a moulder and do I need one?


 
I have three knife planers and a belt sander but if I'd do one, I'd maybe do a Woodmaster because it's a pretty good planer, it's made in the United States, and it will make moldings. The big advantage to a Woodmaster for me is the level of customer support. Molding knives are custom made in short order and supplied with correct gibs for the machine. I use a 15" Powermatic planer for knife planing, a Makita lunchbox for small and thin jobs, and the belt sander for bigger jobs like door panels. I just leave the Woodmaster set up for common molding profiles. 

I like all my machines but I give the Woodmaster and the crew behind it very high marks. Nice machine and exceptional people at Woodmaster. I got one custom knife from them without enough side relief and they made a new knife, sent it with a new set of gibs in two days without charge and freight pre-paid. That's just exceptional in my world.


----------



## Fallinggator (Aug 18, 2017)

Colt W. Knight said:


> Holy $#!+ Smitty, is that a workshop or an Operating room at Johns Hopkins. I am so jealous of your housekeeping.


Cleanliness is next to Godliness and other such cliches. Seriously though, keep your shop clean. It's just good practice, and it makes working so much easier. Tools go back in their place; sawdust is wiped from counters, cleared from vac-systems, and swept from floors; and tables are wiped down. It takes 5-10 minutes to do these things, and it is worth every second of your time.


----------

