Woodmaster Owner Wins Honorable Mention in National Cabinetmaking Competition

Posted on May 13, 2014 by EdwardsDirect.net

Kurt Zolman, Woodmaster Owner, recently won Honorable Mention in a prestigious national cabinetmaking design competition. Here’s the centerpiece of his entry, “Celebrity Closet.”

“Woodworking Network,” a national woodworking industry organization recently held its annual “Top Shelf Design Awards” Competition. Winners were announced during a gala awards reception at the Cabinets and Closets Expo in New Jersey. Woodmaster Molder/Planer owner, Kurt Zolman, owner of Zolman Fine Cabinetry of Cordova, Alabama won Honorable Mention for his project, “Celebrity Closet.” Kurt told us about this achievement, his business, and his Woodmaster.

Here's Kurt in his shop alongside his "business partner," his Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

“I subscribe to one of Woodworking Network’s industry newsletters about wood products, kitchens, baths and so on. It’s available to woodworkers free of charge. I opened one issue and saw there was an Expo coming up and also a design contest. This was good timing because we’d just finished an extensive closet installation. We took pictures and sent them in.

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Shortly after, we were notified that we were finalists in our category. We were up against some amazing projects. I did notice that all but one or two other entries we were prefab installations: laminates and prefab cabinets. Our cabinetry is all hand built. My wife, Andrea, and I build everything in our shop, Zolman Fine Cabinetry. We built this closet cabinetry and installed it in a client’s new home addition. Installation was very challenging because of narrow passageways we had to fit cabinets through.”

Can you say, "Outstanding"? Kurt and his wife, Andrea, run Zolman Fine Cabinetry and have an impressive portfolio of work -- see Kurt's Facebook page!

Can you say, “Outstanding”? Kurt and his wife, Andrea, run Zolman Fine Cabinetry. What a team!

In an online article, Michaelle Bradford, Managing Editor of several Woodworking Network publications, shared Kurt’s notes on his winning installation. “All hand made in our shop using cherry and birds eye maple, this 500 sq. ft. closet features two 4×9 islands with large dovetail drawers and soft close slides, a ‘shoe department’ accommodating 400 pairs, purse boxes with beveled glass, flat screen TV mounted to a hydraulic lift for concealment, two laundry bins, pull-out valet and belt rods and a small sink.

The biggest challenge was the arch and make-up area which was the focal point of the design. We had to make sure the arch was proportionally sized for the room and leave enough leg room and for the sink and TV. I made the decision to use framed cabinets because of the size of the units, and to add that extra detail. All the moulding was made in our shop with our Woodmaster 25″ moulding machine and applied piece by piece using miter cuts on site. My wife did all the painting and glazing by hand for the carvings, appliques and moulding.” Read full article here.

“I wanted a challenge.”

Our shop is a 7,500 sq. ft. facility I’ve had for 20 years. We’re in a small town close to Birmingnam, Alabama where our clients are; that area has many high end homes. I used to do custom paintwork for boats and motorcycles, and restored old boats, so I acquired saws and woodworking equipment along the way. I eventually wanted new challenges and ran into someone who wanted their kitchen redone. I built the cabinetry and really enjoyed doing it. I ended up quitting my job and started my business in cabinetmaking. I visited other cabinet shops to see how others did their work. I got a lot of good ideas but I told myself I’d do it differently and better.

Another beautiful kitchen by the Zolmans. Their customers love the high level of craftsmanship they achieve — sure can’t get cabinetry like this at big box stores!

“I told myself I’d do it differently and better.”

I think it’s really a shame that the cabinets that are being installed in half-million dollar homes need replacing in just a few years because they’re just cheap prefab units that only look good on the outside. And the average homeowner just doesn’t know the difference. I set out to do it better. I decided I’d use a minimum of staples and fasteners. I use dado cuts, rabbet cuts, and various joinery techniques throughout. We use ¼” birch for cabinet backs, and we use UV birch — birch plywood that has a durable clear coat on it. I want my work to be a step above others. For finish work, we use conversion varnish instead of lacquer. We spray it on an it makes a finish like fine furniture.

Kurt Zolman fits a carved applique to a section of curved molding he made with his Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

The kitchen is the most important room in the home, the most used room. I get involved with clients when we’re doing designing a kitchen or other cabinetwork for them. Every new job is a fresh canvas for us. I envision their kitchen in my mind and pass my excitement along to them. That’s an edge we have in our business: we’re a small shop, we’re the owners, not a 10-man shop. We’re not afraid to take on unique, special jobs like the closet installation we entered in this contest.

“Better to get the Woodmaster and build it ourselves than try to find exactly what we wanted in stores.”

I got this Woodmaster Molder/Planer specifically to do this closet job. I told my client it would be better to buy the Molder/Planer and do the work ourselves rather than searching and trying to find exactly what we liked. I told him it would definitely pay for itself and it did. Woodmaster looked better than other machines I’d seen. It has more production capability and is better-built in general.

At first it was intimidating to run the Woodmaster, but once you understand how it all works, it’s very pleasant to work with and satisfying to use. I drew up the patterns for custom knives I wanted using a computer drawing program. I sent the drawings to Woodmaster, they imported them into their system, sent me an approval file, then manufactured the knives. This Woodmaster was the best investment we made and the smartest production decision in this whole project.

A no-brainer

Once I did the research, I saw getting a Woodmaster is a no brainer. I took some time going through the Woodmaster website. I saw I could make curved molding; I read about the availability of custom knives; the production capacity of the machine; I saw I could get a Starter Kit of knives as a money saving bundle. I like that Woodmaster’s made in the USA; it’s got good customer support and no worries. It’s even easy to find replacement wearing parts like belts — you can get them at a good automotive store.

By getting a Woodmaster Molder/Planer, Kurt was able to build what his client wanted AND save him money.

Coming up: Man Cave

I chose the 25″ Woodmaster 725 because I didn’t want to be limited by size, or wish later I’d bought a bigger one. My client has more work in mind — I’m making him a $10,000 mantlepiece with very intricate trim and carvings out of burled walnut. After that I’m building him a ‘man cave.’

Besides custom work like that, you can make a lot of money making quality molding; it’s hard to find quality molding to use in high end homes. Lowe’s or Home Depot are the only places to get molding. Everybody has the same problem – where to get good quality molding. If we never get another cabinet jobs, we could make a good living making molding. This machine prints money!

I’d tell others don’t hesitate to pull the trigger and buy a Woodmaster. It is everything you say it is. It’s a wonderful machine, easy to operate. Regardless of the model you choose, you’ll get the same support and satisfaction from owning a Woodmaster.” See Kurt and Andrea’s work on Facebook: Zolman Fine Cabinetry LLC.

— Kurt Zolman, Zolman Fine Cabinetry, Woodmaster Molder/Planer Owner

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“WOODMASTER’S VARIABLE FEED RATE is its key feature — it’s a real big deal.”

Posted on April 2, 2014 by EdwardsDirect.net

Here’s woodworker and all-around do-it-yourselfer, Eddy Johnson, in his workshop with his Woodmaster Molder/Planer. Thanks, Eddy, for sharing your story with our readers!

The Woodmaster Molder/Planer is a heavy duty, pro-grade 4-in-1 woodworking machine — molder, planer, sander, saw. Many Woodmaster owners are professional woodworkers, cabinetmakers, molding manufacturers and so on. But plenty of do-it-yourself guys choose Woodmasters, too. They tell us that, after all, if they’re going to put the time and effort into home projects, they’d rather to them right with tools they can depend on. Eddy Johnson is one such D-I-Y guy. He tells his story…

“I’m a hobby woodworker. My house is full of stuff I made! I got my Woodmaster Molder/Planer because of the versatility of the different functions and its heavy-duty construction. Price entered into my decision but was not the deciding factor. I was looking for a machine that would do everything I wanted to do as long and hard as I wanted to do it. The Woodmaster does that for me.

“I use my Woodmaster for planing, rip sawing, and sanding.”

Click to watch demo: Woodmaster’s 4-in-1 functions — planer, molder, sander, rip saw.

I use my Woodmaster to plane rough sawn lumber; I gang saw lumber with the ripsaw head; and I sand occasionally with the drum sander head. I don’t do drum sanding as much as the other functions, but it is nice to have it available. I feel it has paid for itself just by helping me make the stuff in my home.

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I know I could make money with it. Right now I am so tied up with work that I don’t have enough time in the day to do it all. I have the opportunity to have my Woodmaster make money for me now, just not the time to do it in. If time allowed, I could make money with it on any given day. You can really earn a great living with it making molding. That would be the biggest moneymaker. We have a hardwood company here in town and they have three Woodmasters in. They do make a living with theirs.

Eddy ran quite a bit of trim for his home. Here’s some of his work in process.

I looked at all the big planers that were on the market at the time I bought. Woodmaster was the most heavy-duty, the best value, and the best producer that I could see. The variable speed on the infeed and outfeed is a huge selling feature. I’m not mass-producing projects; what I’m after is the highest quality available. I slow it down and just let it creep through and the wood comes out planed beautifully. I am not trying to plane a certain number of feet a minute to earn big money. I want to get the best finish available for whatever project I am working on.

“Woodmaster told me what I didn’t need.”

Woodmaster Tools is a wonderful company; I have never had a negative experience with them. When I purchased the machine, I spoke with a few people at Woodmaster. I didn’t really know at the time what I would need for the machine, what molding knives or what supplies. The guy I spoke with was real helpful. He gave me some tips about what I may need or didn’t need, what I shouldn’t invest in and what would be money well spent. He told me that if I figured out that I needed anything else, he would sell me what I needed at 15% off for the next year. That was really helpful. I thought everything worked out great. I don’t know if I would say that I had a friend on the inside, but I at least had someone I could call up and ask questions. He remembered me every time I called.

The Key Feature: Variable Feed Rate

Woodmaster’s Infinitely Variable Feed Rate gives you 10X more cuts-per-inch than ANY other molder or planer – that means super-fine finishes no other planer or molder can match. Simply turn the dial and choose from 70 to over 1,000 CPI or anywhere inbetween. More CPI means a super smooth finish!

If someone asked me about getting a Woodmaster Molder/Planer, I would definitely recommend it. There is no doubt about that. The key feature is the variable speed infeed outfeed rollers. That is a big deal. Plus Woodmaster is not stingy on the horsepower in the motors. You get a minimum of a 5HP motor. Taiwanese machines just cant stand up to Woodmaster. The benefits of this machine can be easily shown to anyone.

“I put high value on quality.”

Eddy shows off some of his handiwork – some elaborate window trim he made with his Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

When I bought my Woodmaster, I did a lot of research. It was the best machine at the best price. I do put a pretty high value on quality. As long as you have a good value for the money, I have no problem doing business with you. Woodmaster is a great value for the money.”

— Eddy Johnson, Woodmaster Owner, Florida

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“MY WIFE AND I BUILT OUR OWN HOME FROM SCRATCH” …with a Woodmaster Molder/Planer, a TimberKing Sawmill, and His help.

Posted on February 12, 2014 by EdwardsDirect.net

We Americans are an independent people — it’s in our blood. Family’s important, as is faith, and so is a strong desire to do things for ourselves using our own resources. These traditional American values are part of our national character and they run strong and deep in Vermonters like Eli and Kaylina Phoenix.

Kaylina Phoenix ran flooring through their Woodmaster Molder/Planer. "She likes to get right in there," says her husband, Eli.

Kaylina Phoenix runs flooring through their Woodmaster Molder/Planer. “She likes to get right in there,” says her husband, Eli. “She runs our TimberKing sawmill, too.”

“My wife and I built our own home ourselves. We hired certain aspects, but Kaylina and I did everything else. I’m a Christian and I’m thankful to the Lord that he helped us through the project. I took a lot of work and about a year and three months but we’re moved in now. Doing work ourselves, I credit God with helping us make decisions and giving me the strength to work late nights and weekends; giving me the strength to build our home.

3 generations built their own homes

Building their home was a family affair. On the job site, Kaylina holds son, Jace, while Eli holds daughter, Colette.

I’ve been in construction my whole life. I work for my dad’s roofing company; he started the company when I was 3 or 4. He built his own home and my grandpa built his home, too. He actually built four houses. So building my own home was something I’ve always thought about. I’ve seen how it’s done, and I accumulated many ideas over the years. I had a good idea of what I wanted to do. I had experience and access to tools and equipment.

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We own 70 acres in Southern Vermont, a gift from my dear grandfather, Edwin Phoenix, who passed away in 2012. He bought an old farmhouse and 400 acres in Townshend, Vermont in 1958 so he could raise his family in the country. I was born and raised here. There’s no way we could have built our home like we did without the land and the resources it provided. The wood on our property is about 50% pine, 10% hemlock, and the balance is birch, maple, cherry, with a little bit of oak. For this project we used maple and cherry for the flooring, trim, and counters.

TimberKing sawmill & Woodmaster Molder/Planer work together

Eli bought a TimberKing 1220 sawmill to mill lumber from his own trees. “It did everything I needed it to do,” he says. TimberKing and Woodmaster are sister companies out of Kansas City, Missouri.

I cut and felled the trees we used. We have a John Deere tractor with logging winch on the back. We went in the woods, skidded them out, and milled them ourselves on our 1220 TimberKing sawmill. I had someone else kiln dry the boards, then Kaylina and I planed them with our Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

My TimberKing sawmill works great. I’ve had no issues at all. It set up nice, always works really well, cuts nice lumber as long as you keep a sharp blade on it. How precise? I cut boards 7/8”, roughcut, I plane them down and get 11/16” lumber, finished both sides. I lost only 3/16” planing down both sides of lumber. In sawing 3,500 feet of lumber, I had only one or two boards that didn’t come out right. They were right on the money and I was very happy about that.

The Phoenix place is shaping up as Eli glues up wide cherry boards he cut and planed into his kitchen counters.

I’m using the Woodmaster Molder/Planer to turn my own lumber into my own flooring, trim, counters and more. I wanted to do my own planing because I’m able to do what I need to do. It’s also a cost saving thing. I enjoy woodworking, and having a machine like this is a benefit. I’ll use it for life. I milled all my own lumber on my TimberKing and I finished it myself on my Woodmaster. If I sent the roughcut boards to someone, it would cost 20 or 30 cents a foot to plane them. This way I could plane as much as I need and if I needed a little more I could just make more. That gave me flexibility and eliminated one more step to getting it done the way I want it. I like to do myself.

“Get ready for late nights and long weekends,” says Eli. Here he’s laying down hardwood flooring he made.

I got the Pro Pack with my Woodmaster and I made my own crown molding from pine and painted it. I made some out of cherry, too. It worked slick. I was impressed. I wasn’t sure what to think of it when I got it but it worked really well and made really nice molding. There’s no pulling, no chatter. Variable feed rate and feed rollers make it smooth molding. I have an old 15” planer that has just one speed. It tends to pull the grain. Woodmaster’s variable feed rate is really key because you can slow it right down. You have to go slow because, when you make molding, you’re taking off a lot of wood.

One molder does it all: 4-in-1 molder, planer, sander, saw

I chose Woodmaster because of its versatility. I researched Logosol and some other 4-head machines but they cost quite a bit more and WoodMaster has four functions in one: planing, molding, sanding, and sawing in the same machine. That made sense to me as homeowner and weekend woodworker: I don’ t need four or five $20,000 molding machines. One Woodmaster lets me set it up for whatever I need and change functions easily.

I bought the mid-sized model — you can plane a lot of wide boards on that. I liked it for the width. And I got the ProPack because I wanted the capability to do both planing and molding. I liked that idea of the rip saw and drum sanding features that are in the ProPack, too.

It performs very well. I haven’t had any problems. I planed 12” oak, maple, and cherry on it and it did it beautifully. It’s a very powerful machine so it doesn’t bog down. The 5HP motor is big, you need that power for making molding.

“I’d like to start a molding business later on”

My Woodmaster has worked well for me and has done everything I needed it to do. If you’re looking for a machine that’ll do a lot of different things, it’s definitely the way to go. I would like to do a molding business later on, owing the Woodmaster opens that door for me. I could process and sell molding at lower prices than a lumberyard. Opens doors. If you enjoy woodworking and being able to plane and make molding, it’s a good machine.

“I saved money I didn’t have, both machines paid for themselves”

Both my TimberKing sawmill and my Woodmaster Molder/Planer hav paid for themselves. If you buy wide plank maple or cherry, you’re paying maybe $10 to $15 a square foot. When you multiply that over 3,000 sq. ft., they’ve definitely paid for themselves.

Home Sweet Home — the Phoenix’s hand-built home on 70 beautiful wooded acres in Southern Vermont. Inspired by his dad and granddad, Eli built it himself.

The way I look at it, I saved money I don’t have. We couldn’t have afforded to buy the materials I made myself. The flooring I made is worth probably $14 a sq. ft. I put down about 1000 sq. ft. of flooring and saved maybe $17,000 to $20,000 worth of flooring, trim, countertops, and lumber. The Woodmaster was around $3,000, and the TimberKing sawmill was about $4,000. I probably saved 60% to 70% by doing it myself with these machines. Plus there’s the pleasure of doing it yourself. On top of that there’s leveraging my time and effort — sweat equity.

Late nights and long weekends

Is a man's home his castle? From the smile on Eli's face, we believe it is...especially when you've built it yourself.

Is a man’s home his castle? From the smile on Eli’s face, we believe it is…especially when he’s built it himself.

If anyone else is thinking of building a home while you’re working full time, as I did, you need to be prepared for late nights and long weekends. It’s a lot of work but it’s very satisfying to go from cutting the trees to putting down the flooring. That’s very satisfying to me. I like to see things thru the whole process from start to finish. There were times when I was putting down flooring and could recognize the wood from when I was cutting the trees. It’s also a learning experience. It’s very satisfying, but you have to be prepared to put in long hours to get the project finished. If you’re willing to put in time, sweat, and hard labor, it’s definitely worth it because in the end you have a home and you know what went into it.

Jace turns three in a few weeks and he’s already a Woodmaster fan. We’re betting he’ll build a home of his own one day.

My wife encouraged me to buy the sawmill and molder/planer becaue she knows I like woodworking and because it would be a benefit to I’d have the machines after we finished the house. That helped justify the purchases. She was right out there running the mill, planing wood, she was in the woods helping me do logging, cutting flooring. She had a lot of good ideas and really influenced design. She likes to get right into it and her help really speeded things up.”

— Eli Phoenix, Woodmaster Molder/Planer & TimberKing Sawmill owner, Townshend, Vermont

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Boat builder, boat restorer says, “I DO BETTER, FASTER WORK THAN MY COMPETITION THANKS TO MY WOODMASTER DRUM SANDER!”

Posted on February 2, 2014 by EdwardsDirect.net

Glen Taniguchi had been in the boat building and boat restoration business for 35 years when we spoke with him. He’s got a unique, high-end niche woodworking business in Washington state, and said he couldn’t do it without his Woodmaster Drum Sander. Here’s Glen’s story…

Here’s Glen Taniguchi with his Woodmaster Drum Sander and an example of some of the work he does as he’s building and restoring high-end boats in his Washington state shop. “I couldn’t do the work I do without the Woodmaster,” he says. “It gives me an edge over my competition.”

“I’m a self-employed professional woodworker. I create and restore high-end boats and boat interiors. I’m a subcontractor; I work for several different companies. I don’t think I could do a lot of this work without my Woodmaster Drum Sander. It gives me the edge over my competition to do things that would be impossible without it. I’m faster and do things my competition can’t. For example, I’m working on a 50-foot catamaran (twin-hulled boat) and the owner wanted a teak and maple floor. I glued it all together on a piece of plastic. When the glue dried, I was able to run the floor panels through the sander and bring it all down 1/4”. If I hadn’t had the Woodmaster, I’d have had to do it a more traditional way: laying the floor piece-by-piece and sanding it with a buff pad. That would have taken a long time and would have been very labor intensive. This way, I made panels and laid them in — just like fitting sheets of plywood.

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The Woodmaster saves him time and does a better job than a hand-held sander

My Woodmaster has paid for itself. I use it on a daily basis, it helps me every day. I can sand molding, flooring, doors, and more. All I have to do is run my work through and it’s a finished piece. I save an immense amount of time and it’s a much better job than if I’d used a belt sander and a dual-action sander.

Onboard a boat, space is at a premium. Glen uses fine cabinetry skills to make the most of every square inch.

Making doors, for example: I glue them up, run them through the Woodmaster, and I’m done. I get a perfectly flat and even surface that would have taken far longer by hand. Another example is a set of cabinet doors I made for the boat I’m working on. It’s a three or four million dollar boat and the panels are all veneer. I glued burl onto a substrate of the same cherry I’m using for the frames. Then I ran the panels through the Woodmaster and brought the veneer down to the same level as the cherry frames. They look wonderful. If I’d sanded then by hand, it would have been very difficult to keep everything even.

Half an hour’s hand sanding done in just 10 minutes

What would take me hours to sand by hand I can sand in minutes. I work with less fatigue because the machine does the work. It was always kind of depressing to see a big stack of doors that would take me a day or two to get through — now I can do them in a few hours. Jobs take less time; they’re less labor intensive, less demanding, and the Woodmaster does a better job that you do.

I can multi-task now: I run a panel through the sander do something else while the Woodmaster is doing its thing. I’m working more than twice as fast. Polishing a 6” x 8’ board by hand would take at least half an hour. With the Woodmaster it takes maybe 10 minutes. I typically don’t buy Grizzly® or tools imported from China. Most of my tools are professional grade. I think it’s a good thing that Woodmaster is made in the USA. I’ve used it a lot and I’ve never had any problems with anything. Bearings and tracking are all good. It was a terrific purchase for my business.

I’d recommend Woodmaster to a friend. If you look around, you won’t find anything better on the market in the price range. For the kind of woodworking I do, this machine is perfect.”

— Glenn Taniguchi, Glen Taniguchi Woodworking, Port Ludlow WA

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WOODWORKER OVERCOMES DISABILITY — Starts successful business & helps others

Posted on January 2, 2014 by EdwardsDirect.net

Johnny Starnes, of Tennessee, is an accomplished woodworker. He hasn’t let disability slow him down — here he is with his Woodmaster Molder/Planer and a hardwood pizza peel he’s made.

Being in a wheelchair hasn’t stopped Tennessee woodworker, Johnny Starnes, from pursuing his lifetime love of woodworking. He’s modified his Woodmaster Molder/Planer to make it easy to operate from a sitting position, and makes everything from cabinetry to furniture to molding.

And beyond his career as a professional woodworker, Johnny uses his personal situation to help others with disabilities. His sharing about both his personal challenges and woodworking successes has inspired several others to start working in wood, too.

“I’ve been a woodworker since I got out of high school.”

Johnny says he makes just about anything people ask him to. That includes furniture, cabinetry, wood molding, and much more. Here’s one of Johnny’s bird feeders — handsome and functional.

I live in the Greeneville, Tennessee area. I own a Woodmaster Molder/Planer and I have the Pro Pack with all the add-ons: sander, saw, planer, molder. I’d looked at Woodmaster for years and always wanted one because of the quality and the fact that’s it’s made in the United States.

I’m a professional woodworker. I went to a vocational school for woodworking and I’ve been doing it since I was 18 years old. I make just about anything: cabinetry, all kinds of furniture, bedroom furniture, kitchen cabinets and more. Now that I have this Woodmaster, I’ve made a lot of molding. For the past few years I’ve been making molding for those who’re building homes. I’m doing this with my brother and we’re making a living.

“When somebody gets put in a wheelchair, I get called.”

You can see in my picture I’m in a wheelchair. I used to work for Easter Seals. When somebody got hurt and put in a wheelchair, I’d get a call to go talk to them in the hospital. I tell them about the woodworking I do. I have worked with two people with disabilities and who are thinking of getting Woodmasters. I’ve worked with three more who’ve already bought them. These are people in wheelchairs just like me. Some want to do woodworking as a hobby, some are thinking seriously about going into woodworking businesses.

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Johnny found a way to retrofit his Woodmaster to lower the working height several inches so he could work seated in his wheelchair. He’s recessed the wheels inside the cabinet so the chassis rides just a half-inch off the floor.

I show them how they can do woodworking with a Woodmaster even if they are in a wheelchair. For example, I show them how they can change the heads in the Woodmaster. I rigged up a block and tackle like the hoist you use to when you dress a deer. I just put two bolts in the hood of the Woodmaster and put a bolt in the ceiling. Now I can raise the hood and change Woodmaster heads myself — from molder to planer, or saw, or drum sander. I don’t have to have anybody else help me.

Johnny can change heads in his Woodmaster without anyone's assistance. He hooked a deer hoist from the ceiling to hooks he installed in the Woodmaster's hood. Using the hoist's pulley system, he can easily raise and lower the hood for simple maintenance and tool changes. Where there's a will there's a way!

Johnny can change heads in his Woodmaster without anyone’s assistance. He hung a deer hoist from the ceiling and attached it to hooks he installed in the Woodmaster’s hood. Using the hoist’s pulley system, he can easily raise and lower the hood for simple maintenance and tool changes. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

“I’m always willing to help another person in a wheelchair.”

I’m a volunteer. I talk to others who’re in wheelchairs. I use my own situation as a way to help others. If anybody wants to call or email me about woodworking as a person with disabilities, I’m always willing to help. Always.

(Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is in a wheelchair and would like to talk to Johnny Starnes about woodworking, please call us at Woodmaster 1-800-821-6651 and we’ll give you his phone number.)

Yes, there are challenges for a person with disabilities doing woodworking. There are always things you could do better standing up but I’ve found work-arounds. I always find a way to solve problems.

For example, I found a way to put a tension pulley on the cutterhead to make belt changes easier for those in a wheelchair. As another example, many machines are too tall for people in wheelchairs. All I had to do with the Woodmaster is recess the wheels up inside the cabinet so the cabinet is just a half-inch off the ground. That lowered the whole unit down so I can reach the table.

“I never liked just sitting around.”

My advice for others with disabilities: if woodworking is something you want to do, you just have to work on it. You need to pursue it the best you can. I never liked just sitting in the house.

Johnny shows off a matched pair of lamp holders he’s built.

Yugo vs. Maserati

If someone wants a woodworking machine that will last, I tell them don’t get any of that China-made stuff. It’s like buying something from Wal-Mart – fine if you’re just going to use it once but it won’t last. I hate going to buy something and it says China-made on it. There’s no comparison between things made in China and the Woodmaster. It’s like the difference between a Yugo and a Maserati.

I’m very happy with my Woodmaster. I think the price is reasonable and I haven’t had any problems with it. Replacement parts are no problem. I’ve had Sears machines and it’s like pulling teeth to get them repaired. I learned Grizzly’s made in Taiwan. Woodmaster’s made in the USA. Just buy a Woodmaster and you’ll see the difference between the USA quality and Japanese the version. Woodmaster, you do have good tools!”

— Johnny Starnes, Woodmaster Owner, Greenville, TN

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THE FINE ART OF HISTORIC RESTORATION

Posted on November 1, 2013 by EdwardsDirect.net

“I worked for several years as Restoration Coordinator with Historic Hudson Valley http://www.hudsonvalley.org/ out of Tarrytown, New York. They own a collection of historic homes including Sunnyside (above), Washington Irving’s home; Phillipsburg Manor; Van Cortlandt Manor; Montgomery Place (below) in Red Hook, New York. Everything was to Department of the Interior standards.”

“I worked for several years as Restoration Coordinator with Historic Hudson Valley out of Tarrytown, New York. They own a collection of historic homes including Sunnyside (above), Washington Irving’s home; Phillipsburg Manor; Van Cortlandt Manor; Montgomery Place (below) in Red Hook, New York. Everything was to Department of the Interior standards.”

As early as 1610, Dutch settlers established a trading post just south of Albany, today’s capitol of New York State. In the 1700’s, what is now the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area was the site of battles during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.

“History is thick in the Hudson River Valley,” says contemporary NYC playwright, Quincy Long. From fabled Saratoga Springs south nearly to New York City, the valley is home to many scenic drives, landmarks, battlefields, and historic buildings and estates including West Point; Franklin Roosevelt’s home; the Vanderbilt Mansion; Sunnyside — Washington Irving’s home; and many more.

It’s also home to Michael Pelletier and his company, The Housewright , a specialty building company focusing on museum quality historic home restoration. We spoke with Michael recently about his restoration business and his Woodmaster Molder/Planer and Drum Sander.

Mr. Pelletier owns an 18″ Woodmaster Molder/Planer (left) and a Woodmaster Drum Sander like these pictured on our website.

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“Our niche is restoring buildings that are 100 years old or more. Many of the homes we work on are on the National Historic Register. There are usually unique building elements missing and irreplaceable architectural details that need to be reproduced.

My father-in-law was a veteran builder — I started working with him 33 years ago. Those were not good economic times. There were double digit interest rates, gas lines, and people were very careful with their money. The construction market wasn’t great, to say the least.

We found ourselves doing more renovation work than new construction. I was always passionate about older homes, so it suited me fine. Our renovation work became more refined and evolved into restoration work. Lumberyards could not provide the lumber dimensions or profiles we needed. So we started making everything ourselves. We found ourselves reproducing all the building elements on a restoration job. The more we did, the better we got at it. Now restoration and reproduction are pretty much all we do.

We’re in a high-end niche in New York State’s historic Hudson River Valley. Typically we are on a project for an extended period and can sometimes work on the property for a number of years. The scope of our work often includes several buildings on the same property. Our customers have a tremendous investment in their properties and they value their privacy. They want to work with people they can trust. We’ve been able to establish relationships with clients based on trust. Being able to do good work allows you to enter this market. Establishing a comfortable and symbiotic relationship with the client is what keeps you there.

We are builders, not just building contractors

We are builders, not just building contractors. We have a thorough understanding of buildings and how everything goes together. We’re involved in every facet of a project from the footings to the building finish and landscaping. We do all the carpentry and we do most of the millwork and casework ourselves.

We haven’t really been affected by the economy. We don’t advertise; it’s all word of mouth. Clients hire us because they want us to do their projects. We have been very fortunate. We are a small company, currently six employees, never bigger than eight or nine. Our size allows us to control quality and be very consistent.

Woodmaster’s faster, easier, safer

I bought a midsized Woodmaster Molder/Planer and one of your Drum Sanders. I got the Molder/Planer because I wanted a powerful molder, rather than relying on our spindle shaper for making running and standing trim. The Woodmaster 718 gave us a new capability because we could set it up as a dedicated molder. We have a lot of profile knives we’ve accumulated over the years for our shaper. It was important to buy a molder that was capable of using the tooling we had already accumulated. Woodmaster offers a corrugated head for their molder/planer, so it seemed like a perfect answer.

Two great things about the Woodmaster Molder/Planer are the ease of setup and the variable feed rate. I’d never do most trim on the shaper now – there’s no reason to. With the Woodmaster, the setup is faster and easier, the quality of the work is better, and it’s safer. That’s very important.

CLICK to see Variable Feed Rate video

We set up shops close to our job sites. When we set up a shop, we need machines that are easy to transport. Sometimes we rent space, sometimes there is an area on the job site we can use as a shop. The Woodmaster Molder/Planer is heavy enough to be solid but light enough to move around if need be. Most of our machines are on heavy duty casters, allowing us flexibility in how we use available space.

Drum sander cuts sanding time in half

Our Woodmaster Drum Sander — we got that to save sanding time. We use it for face frames and cabinet doors. We used to spend way too much time hand sanding with handheld random orbital sanders. You have to be very careful with hand sanders. They’re very unforgiving if you don’t have good technique. The Woodmaster is more accurate and faster. It seems any time we have missed a deadline on a casework project, it has been because we underestimated the time requirement for sanding. The Woodmaster definitely cuts the sanding time in half.

I went with Woodmaster because I try to buy things that are made in America. But not just because they’re made in America. They have to do the job we need done and be good quality. We have other equipment that is made in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. Each was purchased because it was good quality and would do the job we needed done.

Really simple

What I love about the Woodmaster is it’s a really simple machine. Simple construction with readily available parts and components. If it goes down, it’s going to be easy to fix. It’s very simple. It couldn’t get any easier. I had another planer with pressure bars, chip breakers, and lots of adjustments. When set up properly, it worked wonderfully. But I was the only guy who knew how to set it up. It was tedious and time consuming. The Woodmaster is far easier and has a short learning curve for my guys. No fuss, no muss. Woodmaster’s a good value. I am happy with my Woodmasters. You get a lot of machine for the money. I’d buy another one.

More knowledge means more value

When I started in the building business over thirty years ago, things were pretty simple. I learned the trade from a veteran who was steeped in traditional building knowledge and practice. Having sharp tools and knowing how to use a square were the usual yardsticks a craftsman was measured against.

Today building has become a real science. There are sustainable practices, building performance standards, energy performance standards, engineered lumber, sophisticated heating and cooling systems, sound systems, and computers in everything! It has become very complicated.

My advice for others? To be competitive in this market, builders needs to be willing to continually educate themselves. You must have more than a skin-deep knowledge of the involved trades. As a builder, you will be responsible to make sure it all works. You have to coordinate all the talent and create a good work environment for everyone. You need to be sure things are sequenced properly, and proper allowances are made for all the equipment and systems. The more you know, the easier it is for you, and the better it is for the job and your client.

You need to position yourself so you’re valuable to your clients. Upscale clients are looking for value. They can be more demanding than the usual client. Typically, they are spending a considerable amount of money, and they want what they want. You have to be on top of your game, and listen well. These projects do pay well, but you have to be prepared to earn it.”

— Michael Pelletier, The Housewright , Woodmaster Owner

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MAKING MONEY THREE TIMES OVER — Restoring our 1860’s Victorian mansion with a Woodmaster Molder/Planer

Posted on September 30, 2013 by EdwardsDirect.net

"Whisper Rock Victorian Dreams Vacation Home" didn't always look like the showplace it does today. Owners, Jim Magrone and Lynn Owen did extensive restoration with help from their Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

“Whisper Rock Victorian Dreams Vacation Home” didn’t always look like the showplace it is today. Owners, Jim Magrone and Lynn Owen did extensive restoration with help from their Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

Jim and his buddy, Daren Pautzke (right), put miles of oak through Jim’s Woodmaster Molder/Paner, creating flooring and molding during the restoration of Jim and Lynn’s Victorian home.

Sometimes, the first task in a home remodeling job is undoing the “remuddling” someone else did years earlier. That’s where Jim and Lynn started when they tackled the historically-accurate restoration of their 1860’s Victorian home. With a little help from their Woodmaster, their “Lady in Need” is now revived as a “Lady Indeed.”

“In mid-1990, we purchased our pre-retirement project, a “Lady in Need” 1860’s Victorian. The upper floor is a rental with original 1860’s floors, walls, and moldings. The first floor had been ‘renovated’ in the 1970’s. After we removed the shag rugs, dark paneling, and some walls that had been added in the ’70’s, we did a detailed financial statement including a return on investment (ROI) analysis. We found that taking out and repaying loans and hiring carpenters would not fit our budget.

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Saving Money means Making Money (three times over)

In one of the magazines we subscribe to, we found advertisements about Woodmaster Molder/Planers. After an analysis on several molder/planers, we decided on Woodmaster. We are proud that we purchased a tool that’s made in America. Additionally, we found that the knife patterns we needed to renovate the 1970 ‘ambiance’ back to the 1860’s are available through Woodmaster. Well, what to do next was a no brainer.

We also decided that ‘making money and saving money,’ for us, are the same! If we do the work ourselves, make all the molding ourselves, it will save us a lot of money. We estimated that the money we saved with the Woodmaster would pay for it at least three times over the original price. Several weeks later, Lynn, my wife/designer/expeditor ordered the Woodmaster 725 and the appropriate knives to initiate the renovation.

Got Wood? Jim and wife, Lynn, bought kiln-dried oak by the truckload. Turns out oak cost less than pine in their area.

We found that here, in Wisconsin, oak is easier to find and in some cases cheaper to buy than pine. Well, oak it was! After numerous calls to lumberyards, wood wholesalers, and folks who just cut down trees, we found a wholesaler of kiln dried oak. The price was right so we ordered our first load of the best kiln dried oak we could find. It nearly filled a semi truck! It came from trees that were downed in storms or that homeowners had professionals remove.

The 725 arrives!

Well, the 725 Woodmaster Molder/Planer arrived at the trucking distribution center in Milwaukee so off we went to bring it home. The forklift placed it in the middle of the bed of our truck and to my surprise, the truck did not even flinch.

Off we cruised to Belleville to offload it and get our restoration started. With the help of our neighbors, we offloaded the boxes and put them in the garage. I had all the wiring installed weeks earlier, so everything was ready. I now had a made-in-America Woodmaster 725 Molder/Planer, and a lot of boxes to open. Christmas came in July for sure! After a few days of reading and re-reading the instructions, I literally and figuratively tore into the boxes and started putting it together. It was easy.

Day one on becoming a pro on my 725

Here’s some of Jim’s handiwork — a historically-accurate bathroom in their charming Victorian vacation home.

I carefully selected a scrap piece of oak. It had a few tight knots so I figured that if I make a mistake, I would not be wasting any of the good stuff. I turned the molder/planer on, but avoided turning on the vacuum system. I figured I would be scared enough with the sound of the molder/planer without having the vacuum going. After flipping the switch, the 725 was humming away with no vibration and no parts flying off. I turned on the roller drive and again nothing flew off at me. I grabbed that piece of oak, ran it through a couple of times, adjusting the bed’s height until the rollers firmly grabbed it. By that time, I felt like a true dyed-in-the-wool operator. I tightened up the rollers one full crank, put the oak in, grabbed my coffee, crossed my fingers and waited. The oak rolled through, but the planer knives never touched the wood. I cranked the roller one more full crank, turned the speed to 30, crossed my fingers, grabbed my coffee then heard the knives making contact with the wood and not with me. The oak looked pretty as it exited the out-feed of the planner. IT WORKED!

Now that I was a certified pro with two minutes of experience, I again raised the bed one-half turn, inserted the oak and the machine just hummed. Now that I had three minutes of experience, I cranked the roller another half- turn and inserted the oak. Yep, the machine hummed until one of the knots in the wood let go and then BANG, it sounded like someone had shot me. I turned off the machine, caught my breath, and as I had no pain and no traces of blood, I investigated what happened. Yep, one of the knots had broken loose. I now had four whole minutes of experience. I was on a roll. In the years to come, I would look back at that experience as my initiation into the craft of woodworking.

“Lady in Need” superseded by Hurricane Katrina

Post Katrina, our restoration project continued.

Over the past 10 years, I replaced a roller and a drive chain on my 725 and that is it. My machine has NEVER been inoperative. I have some of my molding knives sharpened yearly, and I have my planer knives sharpened about three or four times a year. I have replaced my planer knives three times, because I run the planer between six to eight hours a day on weekends and three to four hours nightly.

Why do I run it so much? I have created many hundreds of board feet of Crown Molding, Picture Molding, Chair Rail, Wainscoting, Casement, Baseboard, Plinth Blocks and Quarter Round. I also built my porch swing, two arbors, two yard benches, and six Adirondack chairs. When you have the right tool (Woodmaster 725) and several how-to books, you can build anything.

Jim created this handsome built-in bookshelf in their home’s library.

In 2012, I built a 12’ x 8’ x 13” bookcase using my Woodmaster 725 Molder/Planer. In addition, because all the existing oak flooring was severely damage, I created over 2,000 square feet of flooring. I installed all the molding and the flooring! Try to find a square corner in a 140-year-old house with a log foundation. This is also the timeframe when I started using different knives to make unique molding to use around my windows and the bookcase. You need to try this!

Daren and the 725

For a little over a year, I was too ill to do any work on the house or use the 725 so a friend of mine, Daren Pautzke (right in picture), asked to learn how to run the machine. I taught him everything about the machine including how to tune it up and replace parts. He ran the planer six days a week for one complete summer. Then I had him start creating additional molding that I mentioned above. Fortunate for me, he is an extremely detail oriented person. He is considering starting a business using the 725. OUR WOODMASTER 725 MADE US MONEY BY SAVING US MONEY.

Why are we doing this?

If you are wondering why we put so much effort into restoring this ‘Lady in Need,’ about a year after purchasing the 725 we decided to use our home as a vacation rental, which it is now. We call it ‘our guaranteed 401K retirement plan’. We are the owner operators of ‘Whisper Rock Victorian Dreams Vacation Home,’ a lakefront property in Belleville, WI. If you have any questions about how we did it, call us.

Are you wondering why someone would want to rent our beautifully restored vacation rental? Well, among other things, we have a haunted home with a long ghost log on our website. In addition to that, we have, per the Wisconsin Historical Society, a property where they found artifacts of a Native American encampment where numerous burial mounds exist. If that is not enough, we have found artifacts in our attic that suggests that our home, at one time, was a station for the Underground Railroad. Add that to the 725 custom molding, flooring, antiques and a large wrap-around porch, and it is an exceptional Vacation Rental thanks to my Woodmaster 725 Molder/Planer. Thanks Woodmaster!

— Jim Magrone & Lynn Owen, Woodmaster 725 Planer/Molder Owners

Whisper Rock Victorian Dreams Vacation Home, 140 River St., Belleville Wisconsin, 53508

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He’s passing on a lifetime of woodworking skill and HELPING OTHERS BECOME PROFESSIONAL WOODWORKERS

Posted on August 29, 2013 by EdwardsDirect.net

Ralph Jones is an accomplished woodworker, author, and teacher. His mission is to help others improve themselves by becoming skilled woodworkers.

Here’s a Woodmaster woodworker who’s passing along a proud tradition. Ralph Jones is teaching others to become woodworkers, just as his grandfather taught him. He says, ” My grandfather taught me the family trade — woodworking. He was tough on me and I asked him why. He said it was because I’d be the one in our family to carry on the woodworking trade and become a teacher.”

“I recently celebrated 65 years of woodworking and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. What started out as a hobby is now a full time operation, building and restoring furniture. Now I am ‘RJW America, Inc.’, a non-profit corporation. It’s a workshop where I bring people in and train them in woodworking so they learn skills they can use to go out and get a job other than building houses.

I’m a lifelong teacher. I’ve taught woodworking in many institutions and now I run the equivalent of a school in my own shop. I received my bachelors degree in teaching adults at the age of 57. I graduated from night school at Ohio State University with a B+ average.

Ricky Hatfield, left, learns the art of woodworking from Ralph Jones. Hatfield, 42, lost his job as a truck driver, the only career he has had. He said he is enjoying learning the new trade.

Ricky Hatfield, left, is one of Ralph’s apprentices. He learns the art of woodworking from Ralph. Hatfield, 42, lost his job as a truck driver, the only career he has had. He said he is enjoying learning the new trade.

I have been writing Quizzes and Mind Benders for Wood Magazine for over 20 years. Today, they’re online on Wood Magazine’s online forums. Anything you see written by “Sawdustr” is by me. I write these articles 363 days a year. I take off for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I got tired of seeing people dedicating the better part of their lives working on assembly lines in factories that either went broke or left the country for more profit. While these people were working on the assembly line, they didn’t have a chance to learn a trade. So far, I have placed nine people in the field they chose, at no cost to them. They had the opportunity to earn as well as learn hands-on.

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“You can make some good money making molding”

I have a mid-sized Woodmaster Molder/Planer. Since I’ve started using it, I’ve made quite a bit of trim. The Woodmaster is a wonderful tool, I enjoy using it. I set it up as a dedicated

Here’s the 18″ Woodmaster Molder/Planer like the one Ralph uses in his shop.

molding machine for making trim and I make a lot of it. I just did 1,500 board feet of trim a month ago for a house and 3,000 board feet for another job.

You can make some good money in molding. A lot of people do old home renovations and we make molding to match the trim you can’t buy anywhere. I charge $2.30 a lineal foot for surfacing three sides and cutting a profile. I also charge for the customer for the wood. For example, poplar is $1.60 a board foot. I charge for the wood and for my work: $3.90 a board foot. That’s less than the customer would pay at a lumberyard and I’m making money.

I often need to have custom knives made to match older trim. I send Woodmaster a piece of trim for which I need the profile knife made. They send me the knife. It works out very well. The customer and I each pay half the cost of the knife and I keep the knife for making trim in the future.

“I bought a Woodmaster Drum Sander on their monthly payment plan”

Ralph owns a Woodmaster Drum Sander, too. “Very useful because I make a lot of furniture.”

I also have a Woodmaster 38” drum sander. I use the drum sander for face frames, for example. I can run them through and they’ll be a uniform and level throughout. Or when I glue up a panel for the end of a cabinet, I simply run it through the drum sander and it comes out nice and you can get a beautiful finish. I got the 38” because a lot of people make face frames and bring them to me to sand instead of trying to level them out with a hand-held sander.

I bought it on the monthly payment plan and set up payments. I was pleased with the Woodmaster Molder/Planer so I decided to go with the Woodmaster Drum Sander. It’s very helpful because I make a lot of furniture.

“Weekend warrior tools just don’t hold up.”

Here’s a handsome bookcase made in Ralph Jones’ workshop.

Woodmaster is one of the top woodworking tools as far as I’m concerned. Other tool brands I’ve seen are not as stable. Many are overpriced and overrated. Whenever I need a tool, it must be a commercial grade tool. If I’m going to be in business, and be able to train people, I have to have quality tools. The weekend warrior tools just don’t hold up. Woodmaster is most definitely commercial grade. I recommend Woodmaster highly.

Woodmaster is 4 tools in 1

If you want the best quality woodworking tool that will give you what you need and want, then you need to contact Woodmaster tools. Say you buy a Grizzly® tool and you want to do more than one function, you can’t. The tool does only one thing. Woodmaster – you can take the cutterhead out

Ralph makes handsome Adirondack-style chairs. His unique innovation: they fold up.

and set it up as a gang ripsaw, or a drum sander, or as a molder.

Woodmaster is a multi-function machine of a far better grade tool than any on the market. Most of your other tools do just one thing. Woodmaster is four tools in one. Any time I have the opportunity to use my Woodmaster tools it’s sheer pleasure for the ease of setting them up and not having to worry about kickback.”

— Ralph Jones, Woodmaster Owner, Ralph Jones Workshop

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Woodmaster Owner: “WE TOOL & DIE MAKERS ARE FUSSY!”

Posted on July 30, 2013 by EdwardsDirect.net

Here’s Charles in his workshop, running a panel through his Woodmaster Molder/Planer while his Woodmaster Drum Sander stands ready (foreground). Behind Charles are two of the toy boxes he’s made for his grandkids. He has his work cut out for him: when we spoke, he had 13 grandkids, “And one on the way!”

We had a chat not long ago with Charles Smith, of Venice, Florida. Charles’ background and experience give him a unique perspective on Woodmasters. He owns both a 50″ Woodmaster Drum Sander and a Woodmaster Molder/Planer. He uses both machines regularly. He uses them in both his business and for personal projects he builds. And he has past experience as a carpenter, woodworker, and tool & die maker. We thought you might find what he had to say interesting and instructive.

“I’ve done woodworking for many years. My father was a carpenter and skilled craftsman, and I was a hobby woodworker and a builder in Michigan in the 70’s and 80’s. When I came down here to Florida, I came as a builder/remodeler. I got into tool and die trade and worked at General Motors for 17 years. Believe it or not, that honed my woodworking skills. We tool and die makers are particular — we work in one hundred thousandths of an inch. It’s made me a little fussier with some of the woodworking I do and the finishes I end up with.

Everything from $1,000,000 contracts to grandkids’ toy boxes

“These are parts for the toy boxes I build for my grandkids. I’ve been asked to sell them but I’ve got a lot of hours and a lot of love in them so I don’t think I’ll be selling them.”

I’ve owned American Glaziers, a commercial glazing contractor, for the past 10 years. We do local and national contracts ranging from $1,000 to $1,000,000 per job. Our big jobs are government contracts, Veteran’s Administration hospitals, schools, and churches.

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I use my Woodmasters in both my hobby woodworking and my glazing business. American Glaziers just did some reproduction windows for Okeechobee Court House.

Charles’s company did a big window project for the Okeechobee Courthouse. “When a window job calls for wood, we use the Woodmaster.”

But most of what I do with my Woodmasters is for my hobby and personal interests. I make toy boxes for my grandkids and make projects for my wife. I make cupboards, shelving, that type of thing. I keep quite active in woodworking, about one to three days a week. I love it. I still work in the glazing business but I’ll definitely move into woodworking in retirement — I love woodworking.

My first Woodmaster was a 50” drum sander. I did my research. I saw Woodmaster was American made. I was impressed by the Woodmaster website and the way the machine is constructed. Being a tool and die maker, I appreciate bearings and precision — and the digital readout.

50” drum sander wasn’t my first choice but…

The 50” drum sander wasn’t my first choice. I was going to settle for the 26” but the 50” was available and I jumped on it. I love it. It’s great. I can put two grits on it at the same time: 25” of fine and 25” of medium sandpaper. I have the best of both worlds there. I can run rough wood through on one end of the drum and then run it through the other side to finish it. That’s the way I load the drum with sandpaper: two grits side by side. I can run 24” material through one grit then the other grit without changing anything.

Molder/Planer’s Spiral Cutterhead – super smooth surfacing

Then I got my Woodmaster Molder/Planer. It takes the widest panels I’ve needed so far. I upgraded it with the Carbide Tipped Spiral Cutterhead as an add-on. The Spiral Cutterhead has six rows of carbide inserts and they’re slightly staggered so that the next row takes up the slight gap that’s between it and the previous row. The beauty is – there are several beauties – they’re in a spiral pattern so rather than hit the wood in a straight line, they shave it on an angle and I believe you get a little advantage that way. Not just in the finish but in the low strain it puts on the wood. It ends up creating a very, very smooth finish.

As you can see, Charles isn’t kiddin’ about the smooth finish his 725 Woodmaster Molder/Planer creates with the Spiral Cutterhead leaves. Some say, “Smooth as silk in a single pass.”

There are six rows of small, square cutters and they each have four carbide cutting faces. If you get a nick in one face, you simply turn it. You don’t have to take blades out and have them ground, you just take out the cutterhead and rotate the affected insert.

Sturdy

And the way the Woodmaster is built, it’s very sturdy, very precise. Use isn’t going to deteriorate the machine. It’s not going to affect it. I expect this machine to do what it’s doing now in another 10 years.

There are some wearable parts – the blades, the inserts. These are replaceable of course. But even the Spiral Cutterhead’s inserts: I don’t know if in 10 years I’ll go through all four rotations. They’re carbide and wood hardly wears carbide at all. Carbide is just such a hard material. I may get a nick in one, running a staple through the machine, or a nail accidentally. But that would only affect one side of the four-sided insert.

Woodmaster has it all. Sturdiness, the bed is all cast iron. The feed rollers are very precise. You get very little if any snipe, especially on shorter boards. I run typically 3 to 4-foot boards through the machine and you get very little snipe at the ends. This is my third planer and it’s the best one I’ve ever owned.

Personal pride

Here’s a closer look at one of Charles’ toy chests. This is the kind of workmanship that creates heirlooms that get passed down through the generations.

Charles Smith – business owner, woodworker, Woodmaster Owner!

There’s a lot to be said for woodworking. It’s very relaxing, and you can take a lot of pride in what you make. You can do a lot with it, you can go as far as you want. You can build a 2 x 3” sanding block, or you can build a 21^st century reproduction armoire and spend 6 months doing it. I find a lot of pleasure in it. Woodmaster, keep up the good work!

— Charles Smith, Woodmaster Drum Sander & Molder/Planer Owner, Venice FL

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IT’S TIME TO BUY AMERICAN

Posted on June 20, 2013 by EdwardsDirect.net

We hope you know it already, but just in case you’ve missed this fact: a great deal of the woodworking equipment you’ll find in discount catalogs and on the shelves at big box stores is made in the Far East. Overwhelmingly, manufacturers in this part of the world build equipment to lower quality standards and with lesser materials than you’ll find in premium USA-made equipment.

Woodmaster Tools, Inc. is one of a dwindling number of premium-quality manufacturers based entirely in the USA. We build equipment like American manufacturers did in the old days: solid, heavy-duty, highly functional, practically bulletproof. We hold ourselves to a high standard — we call it “The Woodmaster Advantage.”

We’re proud to call Kansas City, Missouri our home — right in the center of the country. NOT in China, NOT in Taiwan. Woodmaster Molder/Planers and Woodmaster Drum Sanders are carefully put together in the USA by American workers. We use the strongest, highest-quality materials that are precisely machined, fitted and assembled by hand with care and pride.

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Molder/Planers – sale prices, online specials

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Drum Sanders – sale prices, online specials

80,000 Woodmaster Owners and counting

Since we opened our Kansas City doors in 1980, we’ve asked our Owners WHY they chose Woodmaster over other brands. Some say it’s Woodmaster’s quality; some say performance; some say value. But the one reason nearly every Owner gives is, “I chose Woodmaster because it’s made in the USA.”

Here are a few notes we’ve received from proud Woodmaster Owners who’ve put a high priority on USA-MADE……….

“I WANT TO KEEP MY MONEY IN AMERICA.”

Walter Ostrander says, “I wanted an American machine, something heavy duty. Foreign machines are chintzy with a lot of plastic. The Woodmaster is good and solid.”

“It’s important to me that Woodmaster is made in the US. I’m getting tired of buying things that aren’t made here. Don’t get me wrong — there is some fine equipment made overseas but I prefer to support the work force in our country. Build it here, buy it here: that’s what I want. I want to keep my money in America. With an American machine, when I want a part, I pick up the phone and get it.”

— Walter Ostrander, Millington MI

USA ANY DAY

“I like to buy anything that is made in this country over something that isn’t. I looked at Grizzly® and Jet® planers but I liked that Woodmaster is made here. I’m willing to pay a little more for US-made, too. It’s hard to find woodworking tools that aren’t made offshore. Woodmaster is a small company and from working in a small electronics company I know how good a small company can be at customer service and staying close to their customers. All the contact I’ve had with Woodmaster has been that way.”

— Jim Shates, Walnut Creek CA

“I’VE GONE THROUGH TOO MANY IMPORTED TOOLS.”

John Wilker says, “I do like being able to order custom planer knives through Woodmaster. That’s useful for home restoration: custom baseboards, cove molding — the machine is perfect for that. “

“There’s always someone who’ll say, ‘I got a Grizzly for $800.” Well, it’s not the same tool as a Woodmaster. If you want to see the difference, just put a highly figured piece of wood through a Grizzly, Delta or Jet and a Woodmaster and see what happens. I’ve gone through too many imported tools. I’m not badmouthing Delta or Jet; their quality is decent but I like the fact that Woodmaster is made in the USA. If you were to check back in five years, I have no doubt I’ll be just as happy with my Woodmaster.”

— John Wilker, Huntington Beach CA

Richard Hollander has an older, black Woodmaster Molder/Planer. He’s a sculptor and designer who works in everything from metal to wood to plastics. He’s worked for Harley-Davidson and several European automotive design projects.

“BEATS EUROPEAN MACHINE”

“I bought a European multi-tool that cost around $8,000. I spent a few weeks adjusting the planer and it really didn’t work as well as the Woodmaster.”

— Richard Hollander, Kansas City KS

Earl asked Mrs. Bryam to step in while he snapped the photo of his Woodmaster. “I buy American whenever I can.”

“HARD TO FIND MACHINES THAT AREN’T MADE IN CHINA.”

“I mill my own lumber and make cabinets. I was looking for a good sander to run door panels, I came across Woodmaster and I have been really happy with it. It’s an excellent piece of machinery.

It’s important to me that Woodmaster is made in the USA. I’m sure I have Chinese stuff in my shop. It’s hard to buy something that isn’t made in China these days but I don’t do it knowingly. I buy American-made whenever I can.”

— Earl Byram, Gooding ID

Come tour our USA Factory…FREE

“If you’re ever in Kansas City, please come by for a tour,” says Barry Bland, our VP of Manufacturing. “We really enjoy showing Woodmaster customers and Owners through our Factory.

Phone in advance TOLL FREE 1-800-821-6651 for directions and to reserve time for a free tour. Tours are available weekdays 8 am to 5 pm with some exceptions. Individuals and groups are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Molder/Planers – sale prices, online specials

SAVE BIG NOW on Woodmaster Drum Sanders – sale prices, online specials

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

3 WAYS we can help you!

Call us TOLL FREE 1-800-821-6651
• Email us info@woodmastertools.com
• Connect with us on Facebook

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