The 6 Best Planer Moulders
This wiki has been updated 23 times since it was first published in March of 2019. If you are looking for one machine to dimension and profile wood stock for your home projects or professional shop, take a look at our list of combination planer moulders. With one piece of equipment you will save space, even your boards, and create your own mouldings and casings. These tools will cut down on your production time and help you create beautiful wood projects. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Woodmaster Model 718
2. Shop Fox W1842
3. Woodmaster Model 712
Editor's Notes
November 05, 2020:
Moved up the Shop Fox W1842 because of the great array of moulder knives that are available for it and because the cutter head is very accessible. It does produce remarkably little tear out given that it is a straight knife model. Unfortunately, so far even the high-end planer-moulders haven't incorporated helical heads into their designs yet. There are many very well-known advantages to helical heads over straight knife heads including lower cutter replacement costs, decreased tear out, and cleaner finishes - among other advantages. I suppose they are more difficult to incorporate into a machine that must also have a moulding system and having helical heads would mean that you have to swap out the entire head when you want to do some moulding instead of just swapping the knives. Nevertheless, there are aftermarket helical heads available for some of these models that you should consider investing in.
May 28, 2019:
Took price into consideration but planers and moulders in general are expensive pieces of machinery. Ultimately, you get what you pay for with wood and metal working tools. Both the Woodmaster 712 and 718 are built with high-output production in mind. It is reflected in the general construction and in the high horsepower Leeson motor that is built to last. While you can find motors on other machines with similar RPMs and current draw, truly well-built motors like the Leeson will typically use quality bearings, account for dirt ingress, and coat the windings.
One of the most appealing features of the Woodmaster models is that they have a designated component to vary the feed-motor's speed. The rest of the machines on this list require partial disassembly and a drive gear swap. However, the hefty price tag may be difficult to justify for non-commercial purposes. The Jet JPM-13CS and the Shop Fox W1842 are more affordable and would handle most jobs for low-output woodworkers. The Shop Fox W1812 has great build-quality but its 7-inch feed width severely limits its use as a planer.
Special Honors
Wood-Mizer MP360 With five separate motors driving its power feed system and four cutter heads, this model can dimension all sides of rectangular stock simultaneously. Its central panel allows you to control the chip extraction system along with many other components, giving you plenty of complex profiling options. woodmizer.com
4. Jet JPM-13CS
5. Shop Fox W1812
6. Grizzly G1037Z
Rafael Perez is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Rochester. His primary focus is the metaphysics of time and the philosophy of mind, with a particular interest in artificial intelligence and antirepresentational models of the mind. He has extensive experience as a mechanic, a construction worker, and a general repairman. This has allowed him to gather a wealth of knowledge on automobile repair, auto parts, carpentry, masonry, welding, and the tools used in those trades. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar, woodworking, and fishing.