Tips and tricks of the trade from a qualified wood machinist with 40 years experience. I hope to pass on some of my knowledge to anyone that wants it. While there are always more than one way to go about anything, I will show you how I go about my work, & hopefully you can take that information & put it to use on your own projects. While i am an amateur when it comes to producing videos, i hope to learn quickly and make my videos entertaining and informative. With that in mind, please let me know in the comments section how i could make my videos better for you the viewer.
Disclaimer: The purpose of these videos are intended to provide a guide only. If you choose to reproduce anything you may have observed in these videos, you do so at your own risk. Bryce Comer Woodworks takes no responsibility for any action taken as a result of the information or advice on this RU-vid channel nor shall it have any liability in respect of any injury or damage that may result.
I actually only have the RL125 hooked up to the CF741. It's plenty for that one machine, but i have another dust extractor running to other machines. My only complaint about the RL125 is how small the bin is. I think it's 53 gallons, and when i'm running a lot of material, i do need to empty it numerous times throughout the machining processes. With such a small shop, i am very space concious, and am currently toying with the idea of changing the layout in the shop slightly to get rid of the other dust extractor along with the RL 125 and going to a larger machine, maybe the 160 or 200. However going this way will only double the capacity in terms of the chip volume.
With this approach, what was the thickness you ended up with for the inside and outside wood panels? I like the idea, and agree that even a modest amount of foam is worth doing. 3/16 of poly-iso foam has an r-value of about 1.2, which is more insulation than a full inch of most wood species.
The overall thickness of the door from memory was 2 1/4" or about 55mm. Again, going from memory, i think each panel was about 7/8" or 22mm thick. I'm sure it helps having the thermal break, and also just allows the outside panels to move independantly of the inside panels.
Probably a naive question: in your mind, what's the benefit of the parallel fence you have on order, versus using the stop on the 2nd crosscut fence you have on the table in this video? Naively, it seems like the stop on the 2nd crosscut fence could serve the same purpose, without the expense of the parallel fence, which seems fairly single purpose.
Unfortunately the 2nd crosscut fence can only work in two specific spots on my slider. For the shorter sliders, you may only have one spot, so unless the piece you are trying to make a parallel cut fits between the main outrigger and it, it would be limiting. You could move the main outrigger, and in some cases that would likely work, however with longer pieces, the arm on the outrigger support would likely be the limiting factor. I hope that helps answer your question.
How do you feel the RL 125 performs with that saw? My understanding is that Felder would recommend a higher air volume, probably the RL140, with that machine.
Hi Bryce, Thank you for this video. I have two questions on the 741 Felder combo machine decision process. If you would have the space, would u take the 741 again or would you rather take separate machines? I have heard that it is very expensive when it comes to maintenance expenses and spare part costs. What is your experience? Thank you very much for your response in advance! Dennis
Hi Dennis, Thank you for watching. The only reason i went with the combination machine was the space limitations i have. I wouldn't say the maintenance costs are any more than separate machines. My last combination machine i had for 13 years and 1 probably only spent a couple of hundred dollars on maintenance. A bit of grease, & a few little bits and pieces that wore out or replaced when i broke them. For example, i broke the bolt that held the jointer guard on when i dropped a 16 foot long piece of 8/4 x 10" oak and it hit it. I also replaced some of the parts on the shaper when they were getting a bit bound up. One of the differences between the 500 and the 700 series of machines is the 700 series are built with more industrial purposes in mind, so i would expect this new machine to be even better maintenance wise than my old machine. I have been very pleased with the cost of parts from Felder too, finding them to be very reasonably priced. If i had the space i would go with separate machines simply so i could go from one machine to the other without having to change setups. This is my living, so i do need to be mindful of time. Having said that, a big part of what i do is custom one off's in a cost plus scenario, so the customer is paying for the machine sutups. The CF741 is a very well designed combination machine, and changing between setups is very quick. If i were doing production kind of stuff, then separate machines would be imperative, but then so would a larger shop! I hope that's answered any questions you had. Regards, Bryce
Thanks for watching. It's not a Wixey, but i would imagine it's probably very similar. I will try to give you a closer look at how i attached it in a future video on the shaper. Stay tuned! :)
You could look into Scandinavian doors, since the climate is equal with Canada. Im Danish, but wooden doors are more what I see in Finland, Sweden and Norway.
Thanks Peter, i should do that. Not sure if there is much of a difference with the exterior doors made in Germany and Austria, i have spent some time there and am a little familiar with their practices. I'm sure if i search i will find something on RU-vid! :)
Thanks for watching Peter, A sacrificial fence is typically used to create more support for the material being run, especially for smaller parts. I will try to add some content showing just this type of thing in the coming weeks.
Great video! Thank you for the shared information. I’m looking at the CF 741, or the Hammer C3-41. I’m a hobbyist so the CF741 might be too big. The thing is, I’d like to quit my office job in 5 to 7 years and do only woodworking. I still don’t know which one to pick, either I take the CF741 which is a long term purchase or I buy a C3-41 and then maybe I’ll have to upgrade. Either way, I have to make a decision before Christmas.
Thank you for watching! I've been slammed of late with work i haven't had time to film, but hopefully very soon i will be able to get back to sharing some stuff.
I find that any alkaline cleaning agent (like an alkaline car degreaser) works great when you have stubborn stuff clinging to the blade, excellent for organic residue. Alkaline car degreasers are also often way cheaper than any specialty cleaning fluid (and often the exact same chemicals) and they don't remove protective oil films and such that prevents corrosion.
What types of wood do you cut that gives you the stubborn gunk on the blade? Apart from some pitch from Douglas fir, i don't find my blades get too bad. Bad enough though that the cut quality suffers, and that's when i simply give the blades a clean with hot water.
@@brycecomerwoodworks It's pine and also spruce that causes the worst gunk. Oak, elm and birch (which are the other types of wood I usually use) washes off easily.
@@mlssn Ah gotcha. I thought it may have been something like that. I don't use a lot of pine, but i do have a bunch of windows to make up soon from western white pine, so it will be interesting how that goes.
@@brycecomerwoodworks I work with a lot of scotch pine and most I get green with live edge from a local tiny sawmill. Then I edge it on my sliding table saw while it's almost still green. That causes a lot of build up on the blade, but it's worth the cleaning effort because of the smell. It fills the workshop with the loveliest of fragrances. (After edging it goes into storage to dry, but storage space is a premium for me so edging makes it easier to stack efficiently & "airy")
@@mlssn Ah that makes sense then. All my material is below 10% moisture content, kiln dried or sometimes air dried. Occasionally though i do still need to deal with pitch in stuff like Douglas fir. I too am tight for space, so understand you wanting to take up as little space as possible when drying timber.
On your last cut why wouldn’t you pull the fence back use it as a stop? Then push the sheet through using the sled so your hand doesn’t need to go near the blade at all
You absolutely could, although what i was trying to show was how using the fence in the low position gives you way more room for ripping thinner pieces. It also allows the guard to stay on when making those really thin rips. Thanks for watching and the feedback.
If you need to take the outrigger off more than every so often, then the cart is a game changer, especially if you have one of the heavier outriggers. The part number is 420-230
@@tewlman223 Right on! I also do furniture and cabinetry, although i do, do a lot of doors and windows too. I would like to do less cabinetry, building boxes just isn't something i get a lot of satisfaction from. 😆
Bryce thanks for the videos on the CF741. I’m looking at upgrading to it from a hammer combination. Is yours single phase? If so do you find it powerful enough on shaping operations?
Hi Andy, My old CF531 was a single phase machine, & the 741 is 3 phase. The 741 has the 4kw motors and the 531 had the 3kw motors. I never actually had any issues running any shaper operations on the old machine, and of course the new machine is only more powerful. You can also get the 4kw motors in single phase i believe.
I have a CF531P with the 8’ slider. I can rip a full sheet of plywood in either direction. I agree it does a wonderful job in a small space and is very precise and heavily built. A pleasure to work with.
It's strange, i see a lot of people online talking about the Hammer or the 700 series Felders, but very few 500 series. Having never owned a Hammer series, i can't comment with any authority on them, but i can say the 500 series was an awesome machine.
Agree with the above comments. Great run though on shaper use. I had some great take aways. Also what dro are you running on the fence? This would be a handy setup for the felder fence.
Hi @StanBlaszczyk, Thanks for watching. Are you referring to the Zuani multi cutter head? If so, i actually use a different cutter to cut the grooves for my weather stripping as the groove the Zuani head gives me is too big for the Draftseal product it use on my door jambs, and the weather stripping i use on my sash windows.
Great video, I’ve got a 531 as well. Really enjoy the combo for my limited space. Appreciate the full workflow and I’m looking forward to watching your shaper series a few times. Also I didn’t realize the short fence was an option so I’ve just been dealing with the overhang when pulling it back to middle of the blade. I’ve got one on order now. Thanks!
Thanks for watching, glad you got something out of the video. That short fence is a ripper! Unfortunately i've been slammed lately with a bunch of work that i couldn't film, but hope to get back to making some content soon, especially the shaper series.
If you are working solo, the CF 741 combination machine is a great machine. If space isn't a concern, separate machines are the way to go since each machine is purpose built for that task. For me, space is tight, so the combination machine is the only way to go. The nature of a combination machine means there will always be some small comprimises on workflow etc. but there's nothing really that can't be worked around. The CF741 is a very solid, very accurate machine that makes producing anything from cabinetry, to doors and windows, fine furniture and millwork a breeze. These are all the kinds of things i use the machine for, & it is amazing. Thanks for watching.
Appreciate your work on this series Bryce, thank you. You can get heads that accept router bits on these Felder / Hammer shapers. Wondering if you've had any experience or heard any comments using the shaper as a router? Planning on getting a Hammer C3 31 for my 'serious hobbyist' garage and wondering if it could practically replace a router table.
Hi D..A..N..E, thanks for watching. I have never actually owned a serious router table, so can't comment with too much authority. Having said that, i've always had a shop made "router table" (A bit of melamine or something set up to accept a router with a crude fence and used when needed) Or simply screwed a router to the bench for working on small pieces with a bottom bearing bit. Both have served my needs over the years, but i'm sure a dedicated router table would be a nicer setup. Now on to the router spindle for the shaper. I have exactly this set up for times when i need to do the sort of routing jobs i can't do with the shaper. I recently did a video where i used it for doing some reeding on a baseboard to match an existing baseboard in an historic home here in my home town. For that job, it worked well. I'm sure it would work well as a replacement for a router table too, but for me, i typically have tooling for the shaper that i would almost always use before a router bit. Shaper tooling can be expensive though, and if you don't do a lot of work on the shaper, the router spindle might make a lot more sense. Working with the bigger surface, heavier machine, a nice hood/fence will also be a benefit over a router table in many instances. If you already have a router table, i would get the router spindle for the Hammer, and then see how often you use the router table. My guess is not that much, but i'd at least see how the big machine works out first. I hope this helps. This is the video where i am using the router spindle. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YkAyw1Q1Uxk.html I am not using it in the typical manner with the fence as the width of material being machined didn't allow it, but at least it might give you some idea of what is possible. :)
Nice! I have the same machine only the kf variant with separate ad941. I have similar spec machine and would recommend making a tool tray/ box in the outrigger and a fritz and franz jig for small parts.
Sounds like a great setup Stan. That AD941 is a lovely machine!! I really wanted to go to the same saw/shaper combo, and planer/thicknesser combo when i upgraded from my old machine, but it didn't seem to matter how i tried, i just couldn't make it all fit. I have a very basic Fritz und Franz jig, but don't use it much. When i do need it though, i love it. It's such a useful jig to have as you say for cutting small parts, or tapered parts. I did make a add in piece for the outrigger, just for the parts that are those lengths that don't want to balance on the slider/outrigger & tip up if not held down. Again, very basic, but it serves my purpose well. Thanks for watching, and enjoy those lovely machines you have!
the other thing to keep in mind, that when buying used, you should buy the older used because nothing they make today is up to the same standards of quality that used to be made, before everything went over seas
I would agree with that when it comes to the low and mid end machinery. As for the high end industrial machinery, i think the new stuff is still insanely good. You will pay for it though, which makes buying used such good value. You can pick up incredible old machinery for so little money that when new, was very expensive.
@@oliver299d I believe there is still some nice stuff coming out of the US. Companies like Ritter, Northfield and Oliver i believe are all still making machinery in the US. Ironwood has some nice looking stuff as well, but not sure if it's made overseas and just designed in the US & Germany. Compared to buying used though, it's all expensive! 😅
@@brycecomerwoodworks anything past 1998 Oliver is asian made, Ironwood is Asian as well, its a branch of stiles. Northfield is still around and makes great stuff. but it's crazy expensive. you can get the same stuff on the use market for 1/4 of the price. I have a bunch of original Oliver machines some of the best ever made
@@oliver299d Ah that sucks! Thanks for letting us know. I wonder what that same machinery would cost if it were still made in the US? Do you have any hands on experience with the Oliver machinery coming out of Asia? The quality of machinery from Taiwan and China in the 80's was terrible, but i imagine it's better these days. I even owned some stuff back then, when i couldn't afford anything else & finding good used equipment wasn't as easy as it is today.
Are you referring to the aluminium clamps? Here in Canada they are available at most hardware stores. The heavy steel bar clamps are a little more specialized and i order those online.
Good morning 🌅, Great machine, I have the spindle/ shaper with the sliding table saw, and separate planer and thicker, SCM E420 E520 . I am retired English living in France,
I find things turn out pretty close to perfect if you "aim for excellence" I consider myself very lucky. Since kindergarten, i knew this was what i wanted to do. Even after 40 years in the trade, i still love what i do. That makes getting it right much easier i think, because i can really apply myself to the job, instead of daydreaming about what i might rather be doing! 😆
@@brycecomerwoodworkshi Bryce, i could have written those words myself i feel just like you do only difference is I’m coming up to 50 years in the trade and only two weeks ago I’ve decided to lay off the site work and concentrate on shop only and a lot more turning, still loving every day and all the creative thinking that comes from that.
@jimgeelan5949 good for you! It sure sounds like we've been on similar paths, just 10 years apart! :) Pretty sure I'll still be working too in 10 years, and likely much longer. When it comes to being a businessman, I'm not a bad chippy! 😅
A tip from a retired wood turner, when you need only a half a turning, like in your video or as a false decorative balustrade etc. glue two pieces together with white glue and newspaper between. They can be split easily with a chisel, it’s a simple job to remove the newspaper and glue with sandpaper or a pass over the jointer. I first used this on a commission for an alter rail for a church that was being restored after a fire. They needed four full posts six inches diameter and two half posts to meet the walls either side. Six by six oak four foot long are heavy lumps to turn let alone lift on and off the lathe, not to mention the many bags of wood shavings leftover after, luckily I had only just purchased an extension bed for my lathe so was able to complete the commission. I must admit the first two I turned were quite daunting until I started to become comfortable with the size and figure out what speed to turn at. Sphincter control was on high, expecting a large lump of oak to jump off and remodel both me and my workshop. Being retired, I’ve not turned for some time now and miss it, but my hands aren’t what they used to be, sadly! I content myself now watching excellent RU-vid videos like yours and am able to almost smell the wood, thank you for your content, much appreciated.
Thanks @mergrew. I thought about going that route, it's a great way to do it, but i wanted to get it done ASAP and wasn't thinking ahead of time, so didn't glue anything up. At the end of the day, i'm glad i got that crappy old piece of oak out of the shorts bin! :) Those posts sound like they had the old sphincter puckering for sure especially at 6x6! Any half newel posts i've needed, i've always just cut in half on the bandsaw. I've only ever glued up with paper in between for smaller items. Nothing like having a glue joint come apart and retrofit a new skylight! I had that happen many years ago when turning 15" pedestal bases! I'd hate to think of how many of those i turned, but thankfully it only happened once! Thank you for watching & for the glue up tip! I will have to try it on a half newel next time i do one.
It seems like it's all the rage in the last 10 years or so. I've built so many doors 8' tall, and up to 46" wide doors in that time! Some 8' tall double doors too. I guess it's all about making a statement! :)
Thanks Peter, I googled it, and yes you are right, a vanity applique it is. I guess more commonly applied to parts of a vanity. I'm guessing mirrors too as we used to used carved appliques on the tops of vanity mirrors we made. Yes, there is a concealed closer in the top, and a drop seal in the bottom of the door. Thanks for watching, and thanks for the heads up on the vanity applique! I knew there would be someone that knew what it was called.
It adds to it, but it will also be an added pain to sand when you have to repaint it in a few years. 😅 I'm planning on building some doors for my house. But I will keep it simpler for that reason.
Thanks Bryce! Not many out there showing how to work with a combo slider! 🌞 🌞 But maybe you should work a bit with your camera angles to let us more see what you do😜🚀
@matsadler1119 thanks Mat, I agree, and was thinking just that when I watched it just before uploading. Problem was I didn't shoot any other angles at the time. I will have to plan things better in the future. Thanks for watching and for the feedback.
Except for my table saw, I've purchased all my large tools second hand. I have a very capable jointer, planer and bandsaw and paid less for all three that what it would cost to buy one of those machines new, less than $2000 for the three of them. The key is patience and being willing to travel outside where you might live. You might have to look outside where you think you would normally go. Also, consider how you will get the tool home. I recently bought my used bandsaw and rented a truck with a lift gate to pick it up and get it to my shop.
Great advise for buying used! Patience is key, and as you say, looking further afield will help in finding what you're after. The idea of renting a truck with a lift gate is brilliant. Thanks for sharing!
Good morning 🌅, Great territorial, i’ve been using euro cutterheads/blocks for many years, there is a safety aspect about it, that if you just got a single cutter in a block, and you are unfortunately hit by it it will drag your hand into the machine obviously causing serious amount of damage to yourself, Wear a euro block yes you’re still injured, but not as bad, I actually know somebody this is back in the late 70s early 80s, he had lost 2/3 of his right hand may need due to a knot being caught in the machine in process, the piece of wood shot out of person’s hand and obviously his hand then dropped into the machine, I cannot stipulate enough the use of push stick or a device that holds the wood instead of using your hand, push the piece of wood, even better still setting up power feed, I have literally tends to thousands of pounds worth of cutters, but other accumulated over the years, some are Whitehill, but mainly Leitz a German company, I used this company mainly because they had an outlet about 40 miles away from where I live, and they had a rep that used to come round to pick up tooling to be sharpened, then when I wanted profiles to be made, they can normally turn it around within 4 to 5 days, And it would obviously be delivered to my workshop, and if I need to, I could go and pick it up, Though the tooling is expensive, you get what you pay for, Stay safe, France.
Yes, the shaper can certainly be a dangerous machine with the old tooling we used to use. I have seen a few accidents myself, but the worst was a guy at trade school back in the early 80s lost 3 fingers. I happened to be on a rip saw in full view of it. Not a pretty sight! The old tooling still does what it used to, but as you say, a power feeder is the way to go with that tooling. Modern tooling is amazing, & much safer to hand feed with. Modern hoods and fences also make things a lot easier to set up the machine so running material can be run in a safer manner.
Good morning 🌅, I am retired, now living in France, but from the Uk , nearly 50 years working for myself, obviously starting out did not have a lot of money, so I always purchased secondhand, and if needed, restore the piece of machinery, but I found sometimes that then outweigh the cost of a new one, Back in the early 2000s my business were starting to grow as I was doing barn renovation projects, a planner/jointer, that I’ve purchased back in the late 80s, finally gave up. I’ve already rebuilt it once., so this time I decided to go for new, SCM , PLANNER, classic E450 and SCM THICKNESS MACHINE 500 Classic Electronic , this has a digital readout, both pieces of kit are excellent, in fact I still have them today and now I’m in my 70s, some of the doors I was making were 75 to 100 ml thick, and very large windows 4mt x 2.8 mt wide , that went into ends of building, I always had access to 3 phase electric, it is the cheapest way to run any decent machine, Stay safe keep up the great work , France.
Those sound like some very heavy doors and windows! I shouldn't complain about the ones i do. The door i am just finishing up now will weigh around 220 pounds, but that seems lightweight compared to a 75 or 100mm thick door! Those SCM machines are lovely machines!!! Thanks for watching.
Hi Byce, I have just been given an old panel saw originally sold by KAMRO (I understand it is a rebadged Altendorf and sold as budget machine into new Zealand and Australia). Is your DRO on your sliding fence still performing well, I think I might try it
Hi @alanmooney, Thanks for watching. So far so good i'm glad to say. It's been almost a year of use and so far i haven't had any issues! To be honest, for the money, it's worth just buying one to see if it works for you.
Ive had a few bad experiences with auction sites ,such as mislabeled machines . Example ; i bought a 10hp 3 phase that turned out to be 15 hp 3phase my converter will only run 10 hp . I got lucky and was able to get a full refund. (very rare)with auction items its buyer beware.. I have a couple more bad storys but my advice is, if you're not willing to drive and pick it up yourself, dont bid..
As someone currently going the process, I would avoid buying 3 phase machines if you don’t need them. Unless you already have 3 phase power, or already own a phase converter and necessary accessories, it is t worth it. It is costly to get phase converters and not as simple as just getting a phase converter. In my region, I also need a breaker or fuse for overload protection. Additional disconnects as well as something for regeneration protection maybe needed. There are more things to deal with when it comes time for electrical inspection. Realistically, small shops and hobbyists usually don’t need 3 phase machinery. Entry level industrial grade equipment is available in single phase. On the used market, you will have to be patient because it is less common but it is out there. For example, I bought a used 3 phase Felder K500S. 5 months later the same machine, three years newer, was available for just $600 more than I paid. My phase converter cost $3800 alone. An expensive lesson for me.
Thanks for watching @reid8588, and thanks for the info! Where are you located? I don't have experience with phase converters, but from what i have heard and read, it sounds like here in North America at least, it isn't a big issue to use them. I have some single phase machinery, and my CF531 was also single phase, but going back to 3 phase for my CF741 really did make a big difference in many ways. I also have a VFD running a 3phase multi head boring machine. That works, but it definitely takes a little more time to spin up than running it straight from 3 phase power. Now that i'm in my new shop, i might look at converting it back to run on 3-phase. That's a bummer about the K500s saw. I guess that's the problem with buying used, there's always a chance there's a better bargain just around the corner, whereas with new machinery, they typically don't go down in price! 😅
@@brycecomerwoodworks I am in Ottawa. Just to be clear, I was not trying to criticize you. I just want people to understand it isn't just as simple as plugging your machine into a phase converter. I looked into VFD's as well, but several manufacturers explained to me that the electronics of my machines were too complex and the VFD simply wouldn't work. I was disappointed to see that single phase K500s for sale but you can't sit around waiting for the perfect deal. How do you like your combination machines? I strongly considered them because I am limited for space, but they don't come up for sale used very often. I can't afford them new so I had to go a different route.
@@reid8588 Oh, we're practically neighbors here in Canada! 😆 That's the first time i've heard of needing other breakers etc. so it's really good information. I am very limited on space with only 1000sq/f and about 600 of mezanine. Of that 1000sq/f i have a bathroom, spray booth, and drying room. Heck even the stairs take up a bunch of space. I need a fair bit of space for assembly etc. so yeah, my space is very limited. Unfortunately where i live, there was simply nothing else available when i needed to move my shop, and there still isn't anything, so it looks like i just need to make do. That was of course the main reason behind getting another combo machine. I can't say enough good things about my last combo machine, the CF531 for the money, but the 700 series is definitely a step up, and feels more like an industrial machine. I do wish i had the space for separate machines, as that would give me more flexibility if i ever had someone else working with me. While it's just me though, the combo machine doesn't really slow things down much at all.
@reid8588 once you get over 5hp 3ph becomes more economical. Over 10hp and its basically your only option. Phase perfect, rotary phase converters or vfds all have positive and negative attributes, but none are that difficult to setup (imho). That said I can't speak to canadian requirements, here in the US you can just add a converter to a residential service.
@@jar944 Thanks for the info. When you say over 5hp it becomes more economical, is that based on the cost of the motor and running it? I would have thought even anything under that hp would still operate more efficiently on 3 phase, albeit with diminishing returns.
There's some great information here, condensed into a very view-able video :) I am based in the Netherlands and own both new and used woodworking machines ranging from entry level to premium. Buying used is a great way to get started although you have to be prepared to work on the machines. If you don't own any tools for doing so, factor in some $500 in wrenches and sockets and such. Another investment that's easily overlooked is a pallet jack. Once you get into the professional (euro) machines you'll need at least a decent pallet jack to be able to move them around. Even an entry level jointer/planer will easily weigh over 500 pounds with premium sliding table saws and widebelt sanders easily weighing over 3000 pounds. If your shop has central dust collection, each new machine will bring a certain cost in new ducting to connect it to the system. The same goes for compressed air. I've found that a machine always costs more than the price tag says, whether new or used. You'll need saw blades, planer knives, a fritz&franz or a crazy horse dolly. In case of a spindle moulder; make sure to shop around for tooling before buying the machine. If you're used to router bits you'll be in for a small heart attack.
Dat is wel heel goed advisieren, dankjewel!!! Ok, my Dutch i so rusty, i should stop there! :) You're absolutely right about the machine being only part of the cost. There is always so much more to the overall cost, which is part of the reason why buying used when it works out makes so much sense. Shaper tooling is definitely a big expense, especially as you say, if you're coming from a router table. Thanks for watching!!
I have a shop almost exclusively full of "used" machines. Used industrial 3ph machinery is ridiculously cheap compared to new. Its also really build to last. My 16" 2500lb newman jointer was made in 1946 and is as perfect as the day it was made. Should something break (unlikely) I can still call newman-whitney and get parts. Im still kicking myself for missing out on a local 4 head moulder last month that went for $3 at auction. Imho used is the way to go for most large stationary equipment.
That's a great example of the benefits of used machinery. In a lot of ways, they don't make them like they used to. Pity you missed out on the moulder!
Individual choice for sure.Second hand or brand new.for me always reasonable priced brand new.i am a professional.Cannot trust some bodys second hand :) Keep up the good work and stay thirsty my friend !
I totally agree. As a business owner, it often makes more sense to spend the money on a new machine. I'm a pretty crappy buisness man though, so i've got a mix of old and new! 😆
I purchased a used Robland X31 5-function machine for $3000 about 7 years ago. It has 3 separate 3ph motors and provides a sliding table saw, shaper, 12" jointer and 12" planer and has a mortising attachment. I can highly recommend this type of machine because it provides a single island of mass that improves the performance of every function it provides. I added a Shelix cutter and a power feeder - the machine has a swiveling plate that stows the feeder below the table when not in use. There are a number of manufacturers that produce multi function machines but they are not as common in the US. Watching machinery auction websites is extremely helpful. Felder offers this type of machine along with Hammer, SCM Robland and a number of others. I am surprised that more people don't use this typ[e of machine. It does require setup to go between functions, however it is extremely fast and easy. Also, the most time consuming changeover (2 minutes) is switching between jointer & planer, which most people are still doing if they get a jointer planer combo. The desire for separate machines is understandable but, in practice, not nearly as mu7ch of a concern as I thought it would be. The power feeder is perfectly position for use onm the jointer, shaper and the table saw and it's effortless. All of my work is now much safer and more accurate.
