Powermatic PM15 Edge Molding with pattern knives, Edge Planing, Common Molding Applications

Before you begin molding, you must also consider the hardness of the board, its moisture content, straightness, grain direction, and grain structure. All of these factors will play a part in the quality of your molding.

Stand to one side of the machine and start the board under the infeed roller so that it travels in a straight line. When the feed roller takes hold, let go of the piece and remain standing to one side of the machine – not in direct line with the board. The power feed completes the travel without further pushing or pulling.

Edge Molding with pattern knives

This procedure is easily done by installing the proper pattern knife and setting up the bedboard and guide system with guides tall enough to hold the stock on edge.

Edge Planing

A bedboard must be installed on the planer when edge planing.

Edge planing can be done on stock up to 3/4” thick and 11” wide with the following set-up: Install the rabbet cutter knife, at the right or left edge of the cutterhead, so that the rabbet knife extends inside of the guide approximately 1/16” to 1/8” or just enough to clean up the stock. See Figure 36.

If you have not already done so, install counterweights in the remaining two cutterhead slots. The rabbet knife is locked in place with the aluminum gib provided.

NOTE: When the rabbet knife becomes dull on one side, move the rabbet knife and counterweight set-up to the opposite side of the cutterhead. This will give you a fresh cutting edge with which to work.

Common Molding Applications

Practice and experience will greatly affect the quality of molding that you produce. Once you become familiar with the set-ups for the different molding applications, you will easily be turning out quality molding on every run. Some of the more common applications are described below.

Back Relief

Back reliefs are used to create a better fit over irregular surfaces. With less wood contact, the molding matches irregular surfaces more easily. See Figure 37. The back relief should be formed on a piece of wood before it is molded to finished thickness.

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Figure 35

Figure 36

Figure 37