As a craftsman woodworker, you know the quality of your work is predicated upon the quality of tools at your disposal. When it comes to moulding knives to cut moulding, you absolutely get what you pay for. Sometimes, stock knives just won’t cut it– no pun intended– and you should be thinking about ordering custom knives to make your work truly stand out.
One of the first things to demand from a custom knife-making manufacturer is that the knives and templates they use are made from equipment using computer numerical controls. This means the reputable moulding knives you receive will be of the highest precision and highest quality possible. It also means if you need to order additional knives in the future, the exact measurements of the knives are stored electronically and can be reproduced to the exact dimensions of the original knives.
The manufacturer you hire will take the design specifications you have provided and input them into a computer which will drive the machines. The more data you can provide, the better the knives can be fabricated which in turn means the more satisfied your client will be with the quality of work you produce. Although you can send the manufacturer a rendering or sketch of the moulding knives you want make, it is better to supply an actual sample so that it can be imaged into a CAD-drawing with better precision.
Make sure the wood sample you send is in good shape with all of the required pattern present. If the wood is weathered or cracked or has layers of paint on it, it will be difficult to get and accurate CAD-drawing made for your moulding knife. It cannot be overstated that the quality of sample you provide determines the quality of the CAD-drawing, and the CAD-drawing is the template from which your knives will be made.
If you do not have the ability to send a sample, you can supply a sketch or drawing of your moulding knife. Some companies will have available to use a knife designers worksheet. Use a sharp pencil or, even better, a mechanical pencil with a fine point and a softer lead. Do not use a pen or marker or sharpie as it will not translate well to the CAD.
The paper you use can be white or yellow, legal or letter. Use a hard surface to render your sketch on, keeping in mind your drawing is going to be scanned into a computer. You could scan the image yourself and send it in or send in the physical sketch and allow the manufacturer to do the scanning. Lastly, if you can sketch your drawing to scale, you give them manufacturers the truest idea of what you are wanting made.
Hot Knives is professional and reputable manufacturer making custom moulding knives. We can offer some great cutting solutions to run your job on your shaper.
