# Foley Belsaw Planer Moulder



## Alex Grubbs (Apr 3, 2021)

I recently inherited this planer from my uncle who passed away. Does anyone have experience with this model? I am contemplating whether to replace it with the DeWalt 13” bench top planer since it takes up so much room in the shop. It seems to run well although it is incredibly loud compared to other planers I have used. Most of the YouTube videos on this model are more complaints than actual information. I have read that the blades are horribly difficult to remove/replace. Any insight would be appreciated.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I own one like it, mine is a 13" wide model and it is a great workhorse of a thickness planer. However, I've never used the molder setup, but it looks easy enough to do. I have removed and sharpened my blades several times over the years and that is also easy enough to do. It does require a setup "jig" to get them all the same and equal height above the cutter head. You Tube will show how it's done. Mine has a 3 HP, 240 volt Baldor motor, and yes, it is noisy when running, but it has a different sound than a high speed cutterhead like a lunchbox type. It will plane just about anything you run through it and making moldings on it could become a financial asset!
This is like mine:


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## evilboweivel (Nov 3, 2018)

Alex Grubbs said:


> I recently inherited this planer from my uncle who passed away. Does anyone have experience with this model? I am contemplating whether to replace it with the DeWalt 13” bench top planer since it takes up so much room in the shop. It seems to run well although it is incredibly loud compared to other planers I have used. Most of the YouTube videos on this model are more complaints than actual information. I have read that the blades are horribly difficult to remove/replace. Any insight would be appreciated.
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I have a Woodmaster 12" same basic machine. very easy to change blades on it. Loud but not as bad as a lunch box planer.
Ron


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I have a DeWalt DW735 planer. It is one of the loudest tools I own, if not the loudest.

I read that changing out the blades for spiral cutters lowers the sound level appreciably. Spiral cutters are expensive. They are available for the DW735, and I believe they are also available for Foley-Belsaw planers.

The next time I use it, I'll measure the sound level, but it might be a while; perhaps a few weeks.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I have the Dewalt 734 planer. Yes it is loud, thats what hearing protection is for. And it does a great job of most hobby level stuff.
The old Foley you have may be of a much higher quality but is only 8 1/5 inches wide. Far short of Dewalt 12" that is usually on cutting boards and most other projects. 
I had an old Foley Belsaw with a 5 HP motor. It was a beast and you could run it all day. I had to buy these special jibs? that were needed to set the blade heights. It was a 15 minute pain in the butt but didnt have to do it all that often. 
Given the choice, I would sell the Foley and buy a new Dewalt.


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

Alex Grubbs said:


> I recently inherited this planer from my uncle who passed away. Does anyone have experience with this model? I am contemplating whether to replace it with the DeWalt 13” bench top planer since it takes up so much room in the shop. It seems to run well although it is incredibly loud compared to other planers I have used. Most of the YouTube videos on this model are more complaints than actual information. I have read that the blades are horribly difficult to remove/replace. Any insight would be appreciated.
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No way would I get rid of that. I had a Williams & Hussey that I sold before moving. One of the top ten dumb moves I have made. If you plan on making furniture and such a molder is awesome. Imagine you are doing a fireplace mantel in mahogany and need three different profiles, but only small runs of each. At the mill that is a $75-100 setup charge and a per foot charge for the molding. Not familiar with the Foley, but with the Hussey you can do rounds, arches, and ellipticals also. I would not rush to sell it if I were you.


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## Jar944_2 (Oct 30, 2020)

I know a guy with a few of those Bellsaw moulders. He was exclusively running them as the main moulders in his 3 man millwork shop. The gib heads are more conducive to hand ground profiles than the w&h or corrugated heads. 


It wouldn't be my first choice for a planer as it has no chip breaker or pressure bar like all proper moulders made after the 1860s..


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## ThunderBee (Jul 30, 2021)

How much would one of these be worth? Just dug one out of my dad’s garage.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

ThunderBee said:


> How much would one of these be worth? Just dug one out of my dad’s garage.


I wouldn't sell mine for less than $1200 IF I chose to sell it! It's a 3 HP beast and I just used it 2 days ago on some 7" wide by 10 ft long Oak. If you have any plans to do woodworking for yourself, keep it, use it and see how you like it.
It's a bit "clanky" and makes some noise when under way, but always produces a nice finish on my rough sawn boards.
It does not compare to a lunch box planer like the Dewalt 734, or 735's in my opinion. The molding function is unique and a benefit for serious woodworkers.


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## Alex Grubbs (Apr 3, 2021)

ThunderBee said:


> How much would one of these be worth? Just dug one out of my dad’s garage.


I got $400 for it through FB marketplace. I have found others online for less and way more. For this sized model almost all were between $3-500.


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## jeff3285 (Jan 28, 2016)

I had the same one only it was a Craftsman...Foley made it for sears..mine was at least 30 yrs old ..it was loud and a pain in the butt for change overs...I finally found someone who wanted it and I needed the space....I sold it for 50.00


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I am with Bill, I wouldn't have taken less than $1200 for mine. I ran 5000 bd ft of red oak through mine and probably 3 times per board to get them all the same thickness, all was rough sawn. That was just on one order, I had many other orders also. I also ran custom molding for some of my jobs. I really liked that machine. I had no problems changing out the blades.

To each his own, by the way, this is an older thread. lol


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## Jessica__ (1 mo ago)

Hello, i have one with no starter trying to sell. Also inherited from my dad who has passed. Does anyone know about how much it would run for ?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Alex Grubbs said:


> I recently inherited this planer from my uncle who passed away. Does anyone have experience with this model? I am contemplating whether to replace it with the DeWalt 13” bench top planer since it takes up so much room in the shop. It seems to run well although it is incredibly loud compared to other planers I have used. Most of the YouTube videos on this model are more complaints than actual information. I have read that the blades are horribly difficult to remove/replace. Any insight would be appreciated.
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I believe I have that model but have never used it. I bought it for the purpose of making molding but have never had time to get all the needed parts and blades. It's so little I wouldn't ever consider using it as a planer.


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