Author Topic: 18 or 25 Inch Woodmaster (Read 4983 times)

james04 · « **on:** February 11, 2008, 12:07:26 am »

I will be purchasing a woodmaster in the not so distant future. I was just wondering about weather it would be worth the extra $1,100 or so to go from the 718 up to the 725. I will be mostly making some things for our home cabinets, dinning table, coffee table, molding and what ever else. Then as I gain more experience perhaps make some side money. So what would you get? Seems 18 inches would be no slouch but, what oppertunities would I be missing out on? Will I regret only having an 18 inch capacity? Just looking for some opinions here. I don't actually know if I could talk the wife into the extra money. Shes already getting nervous.

James

brdmkr · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2008, 12:05:15 pm »

James,

I have the 18 inch and have never come close to needing more than that. I got the 18" because I could not envision needing anything bigger that wouldn't also exceed the capacity of the 25" model. I have been very pleased with mine to date, but I have only used it as a planer. I have yet to use the rip saw, molding, of sanding functions.

I think it is a well made piece of equipment. Good dust collection is a must.

bedway · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2008, 12:08:31 pm »

Ive had the 18 inch for nearly ten years now. Cant say ive ever needed bigger. The few times over 18 you just take sections and put them together. Most woodworkers dont have huge jointers and thats the key to make flat panels. There are tricks to useing a planner to plane flat panels but im sure the serious woodworkers know these. The woodmaster has been an excellent machine for me, the only mistake i made was getting all the extra goodies, which all still set idol.,,,,bedway

sawwood · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2008, 01:25:09 pm »

I to have the 18" planer and as the outher have said i have never come close to planeing up to 18" I will say git the spiral head cutter and if you have room the adjustable in and
out feed tables. As for the rip saw blades i have them but haven't used them yet. i am
planing to make a stright line saw with them soon as i have the adjustable out feed
table.I use the sanding drum a lot also and the moulding head to make fluited stickers.
James when you call Woodmaster ask for Mark Redman and tell him i sent you his way.
He is super a helping git what you need. If you look in my photo album you can see the
spiral head cutter and the out feed table.

Bedway do you have the single moulding head and if you not useing it would you sell it?
also what moulding blades do you have?

Lester
Lester

Handy Andy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2008, 05:30:21 pm »

I have the 18" woodmaster, also bought the kit, and do use the plastic bedboard, but have yet to use the molding head. Did get the helical cutterhead , as I put one on my jointer, and thought it was great. Did the salesman tell you the 3 blade cutterhead makes a great molding head if you get the helical? I just use a 4x24 belt sander so don't use the sanding drum, As for dust collection, I cut the 4" pipe off and put a 6" pipe in its place, makes a load of difference. Jim

blaze83 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2008, 06:06:04 pm »

I have the 25", and I think it may be a bit large for what I do. Unfortunatly it, along with all my other tools are waiting for my shop to be built

. It might be wise to spend the extra money for the spiral cutter head. The stair shop I work at has an industrial planer and a Grizzly 10" jointer, both have the spiral cutter heads and they are great. When I get my shop going I would like to upgrade mine.

blaze

james04 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2008, 09:40:54 pm »

Lester,

If you are the same Lester that posts on the Norwood forum. Than indeed I did mention your name to Mark. However I did not place my order with him. The fellow that took my order seemed new and not very "up on his stuff". Oh well. 718 on order. I only wish I could afford the spiral head at this time.

James

pigman · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2008, 10:37:41 pm »

I have the 25" Woodmaster. I have never planed any boards over 18". I do use the 25" width to plane glued up panels. I do the glue up with the panel about 1/8" over thickness and run it through the planer. On wider tables I do the glue up in two panels, run each through the planer and then glue the panels together. By doing it this way, I don't have to be as carefull keeping the edges even during the glue up.

OneWithWood · « **Reply #8 on:** February 12, 2008, 12:41:21 pm »

Good choice with the 718.

Bob,
Do you experience any accelerated wear on your knives planing glued up panels?

pigman · « **Reply #9 on:** February 12, 2008, 01:17:11 pm »

OWW, I found out the hard way to remove the hard globs of glue, they will chip the knives. I scrape off all glue squeese out and and do not see any extra wear on the knives. On narrow boards I try to use all sections of the planer to keep wear on the knives and rollers even. After one pass of the boards, I run a board on each side of the planer at the same time to speed up the planing. I would like to have the new spiral head, but haven't decided to make the purchase.

Bob

bedway · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2008, 01:40:30 pm »

As Bob said, removeing the excess glue prior to jointing or planning is the key to not beating up your knives,,,bedway

sawwood · « **Reply #11 on:** February 12, 2008, 06:59:07 pm »

Hi James. Yes i am the same guy on the Norwood site. You wouldn't be disapointed
with the planer. may be later when you have enought you can add the spiral cutter.

Lester

oakiemac · « **Reply #12 on:** February 12, 2008, 10:17:04 pm »

I bought the 18 inch woodmaster but spent the $150 to upgrade to the 7.5hp motor. Not sure if that was a good move or not but I figured that you can't have too much power.
Glue up panels, like pigman said are one reason to get the 25" or running several boards through at once while planning might justify the 25.

karl · « **Reply #13 on:** February 13, 2008, 08:43:55 am »

We have a 25"and a 12" - I like the added width for panels and being able to run more pieces through at a time helps production.

Can't even guess how many bd' have been through it.

The weak link with the machine appears to be the DC power feed motor-both have been converted to ac with gear box and step pulleys.

We try to feed our scraped clean panels at an angle slightly so that the glue strip is not cutting in just one spot on the knives.

The 25" is 5 hp ( 7.5 wasn't available way back then) I seldom feel the need for more power.

jdtuttle · « **Reply #14 on:** February 13, 2008, 09:24:22 am »

James, I also have the 718 & it's agreat tool. I bought mine just over a year ago & it's paid for itself at least 4 times over. I have been making custom moulding for contractors. The only thing I can add is make sure you get the accessory package with the moulding head & sander. I also bought the 2 knife head & it makes a world of difference.
Good Luck
jim

Handy Andy · « **Reply #15 on:** February 14, 2008, 08:15:08 am »

Hey, wanted to be sure to point out that if you buy the helical head you dont need the molding head, just use the 3 knive cutterhead that comes with the machine. You get amazing panels with the helical, if you have a small defect in your wood, it doesn't pull out a chunk.

Faron · « **Reply #16 on:** February 15, 2008, 07:40:56 pm »

I have the 718. I use the ripsaw, sander, and molder fairly often. The advantage i see to the 725 is faster feed speed, and four feed rollers instead of two.

David Freed · « **Reply #17 on:** February 15, 2008, 09:23:19 pm »

I have the 718 permanently set up as a gang rip saw. I custom ordered it with the 1/2 hp feed controller, a 10 hp 3 phase drive motor, and serrated steel in and outfeed rollers. While setting it up I changed the pulleys on the feed rollers to double the feed speed to 46 fpm. They don't advertise it but you can custom order the 718 just about any way you want. If I could do it over I would get the 725 just to have the 4 feed rollers to completely eliminate any slippage. I don't remember what the upgrades cost, but I wouldn't be without them. The saw works great.

sawwood · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2008, 01:24:03 pm »

David i would like to see some photos of you gang rip saw set up. i have been looking to do the same to my 18". Just haven't found out just how i want to make it. If you can photos will be a big help.

Lester

David Freed · « **Reply #19 on:** February 16, 2008, 06:18:58 pm »

Look here. My first post is about halfway down with the pictures below that. I have a few more details in the posts on this thread. I have the pictures in my picture file also.

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,26055.20.html

sawwood · « **Reply #20 on:** February 16, 2008, 08:00:21 pm »

David as i see the photos of your set up, you only use the power feeders to move the
wood threw the planer. What i was going for was i have a lot of lumber with bark on
the edge so a fence as your may not work. I was going to put a rail across the out feed
table and just below the table face and make two L shape brackest i can move in or out.
these L bracket will be just in front of the blades to guide the wood. if i help the wood into
the planer and my son on the out feed i think i can make stright cuts. This way i can cut
a lot of the lumber into size and remove the wayne edge. If it evers warms up i am going
to make this set up and see how it works.

Lester

David Freed · « **Reply #21 on:** February 16, 2008, 11:05:11 pm »

I think your idea should work for what you are wanting to do. It sounds more like an edger saw to me. Are you going to run the lumber through before or after you dry it?

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Author Topic: 18 or 25 Inch Woodmaster (Read 4983 times)