Have you ever used a power feeder? They are commonly seen in professional woodworking shops feeding material through all sorts of machines like spindle shapers, bandsaws, and straight-line rip saws, (basically dedicated ripping table saws). The full-sized power feeders feed material automatically just like a thickness planer. These industrial feeders are expensive and way too big and heavy to be used on the tools commonly found in a small production or hobbyist workshop. The Infinity Mini Power feeder (MPF-001) is specifically designed for smaller machines and shops, and allows you to enjoy the benefits of a power feeder without the drawbacks or the price tag of industrial versions.
Why would you want a power feeder? Simple, they improve consistency and safety. While a lot of commercial shops use feeders to speed-up production, the real benefit comes from the consistent feed rate and pressure they produce. This is exceptionally valuable when making anything from cabinet doors to crown molding. Even if you just want to add a smooth edge bead to a workpiece, a feeder will hold the material down to the table securely and feed it at a constant speed. Why is this important? Because it means you'll get a smooth cut with no burn marks or ripples while also making woodworking so much safer because your fingers and hands will not be anywhere near the spinning cutting tool.
The Infinity Mini Power Feeder is fully adjustable and can be positioned to work with any thickness of material. It can also be adjusted to hold workpieces down against the table or tightly against a fence. This is ideal when making moldings with a tall router bit, or when resawing at the bandsaw. Don't be intimidated by the adjustment levers and knobs when setting up the feeder for a specific task. Once familiar, setup will become quick and easy.
Though compact, our power feeder is definitely not a toy. It features a cast iron body and uses a chain drive mechanism with metal gears for feeding. The spring loaded feed wheels with polyurethane tires provide consistent feed pressure even on irregular materials and they won't slip. They also apply consistent downward pressure to reduce vibration and chatter. The 1/8 hp 110 volt constant output motor is designed to run for extended periods of time under load. The variable speed range of 6.5 to 40 feet per minute gives you plenty of room to dial-in the right speed for almost any application. And because it runs on standard US 110 volt service there is no need to worry about special outlets or extension chords, just plug it in and go. Full disclosure; if your plan is to build 30 kitchens every year you should consider a much larger and more powerful feeder. But then again, you should also consider using a shaper. For most home workshops, this little guy will work beautifully and will be easy to manage.
Our Feeder weighs in at 26 pounds, making it easy to install and remove when needed. We like this feeder so much that we pre-drilled and installed the correct size threaded insert into our Plycore router table top (RTT-002) so that setup will be a breeze. The Infinity Plycore Router Table Top is included with our popular RTP-103 router table package.
We also offer a Universal Power Feeder Adapter Plate that allows you to install this feeder to any cast iron table in your shop without drilling and tapping holes. This bracket is ideal for when you want to install the feeder onto your bandsaw, small shaper, or cast iron router tabletop.
If you're a DIY'er, we also offer a set of Threaded Inserts (RTT-M10TI) and include a template with each feeder so you can drill any table you have and install the same inserts we use in our Plycore Router Table Top. Using our threaded inserts is a real time saver because it means you won't have to reach under the table to tighten or loosen nuts and washers.
Not only will a Power Feeder improve the quality of your work, it will make your woodworking more safe. Freeing you from using your hands, fingers, or awkward push sticks to feed your workpiece, there is no danger of slipping and being bitten by a spinning bit or blade. There is no reason to struggle with the inconsistency of hand feeding stock. Start using the Infinity Mini Power Feeder to achieve professional quality results in your shop.
