THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT? Include a Woodmaster in your Retirement Plan

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Way up in Canada, 220 miles north of Toronto, lives a former antique dealer who has the ideal retirement plan: he’s using retirement to do extensive woodworking using his Woodmaster Molder/Planer. Ferdinand Bellavance has the time, talent, and tools — and a 100-acre woodlot — to renovate his home with his skilled handiwork.

Among many other things, Canadian, Ferdinand Bellavance makes curved molding with his Woodmaster 725.
Just one of the many things, Canadian, Ferdinand Bellavance makes with his Woodmaster 725 is handsome, solid wood curved molding.

“I was an antique dealer for 25 years. I’d purchase wooden furniture and items that needed repair or parts and I’d repair and refinish them. I’m very handy with wood from a long time ago. Now I’m retired.

He’s building kitchen cabinets, adding a porch, constructing a gazebo, a camp, more

Ferdinand glues up thin strips of wood into a curved arch on a curved molding jig, then runs it through his Woodmaster.
Ferdinand glues up thin strips of wood into a curved arch on a curved molding jig, then runs it through his Woodmaster.

I had a planer before, a very old machine. It did the job I wanted at the time but now that I’ve retired I have more time and I’ve been busy building things around here. I built a beautiful porch on the back of our home, all cedar. I just finished my kitchen cupboards. I made them with all beautiful solid oak doors with oak raised panels from wood cut from my property. I built a camp — I planed some 2 x 8 hemlock and spruce for the siding. Now I’m building a gazebo in my garage. I’ve used the planer for all those projects. Without the planer I couldn’t have done these jobs.

I’m kind of blessed because I have 100 acres with mixed hardwood and softwood and a fair amount of good cedar in the back where it’s swampy. All kinds of hardwood. Yellow birch, white birch, hemlock, cedar, some oak, black cherry that hasn’t been cut for a long time. I heat with wood in central air wood furnace. But I don’t cut good trees for firewood. Any good trees are just for myself to make lumber. I don’t sell any.

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I saw your videos and testimonials on your website of some other men who had Woodmasters and I could see most people are using it as a business. But I bet there are a lot of retired people like me who purchase Woodmasters.

For his next project, Ferdinand is building a handsome gazebo.
For his next project, Ferdinand is building a handsome gazebo.

“Your people were so good to do business with.”

I bought the 12” Woodmaster 712. It would be nice to have a 25” planer if you have door panels to put through. Your people were so good to do business with. When I ordered my Woodmaster, the Sales Rep, Joe, told me about how it makes molding. (Watch the video!) And I paid extra to get your heavy duty motor. This is a great thing because my older planer would get hot and stop and you’d have to hit the reset button. When Joe told me about your bigger motor, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take that one.’

That's some impressive fretwork, Mr. Bellavance!
That’s some impressive fretwork, Mr. Bellavance!

I’m very, very satisfied and happy. When the planer came, it was well crated. They brought it right to my door. That machine…I didn’t see anything in Ontario that could compare with this machine. It does what it says and that’s what I like.  I didn’t know how good it was until I got it and started using it. I never had anybody else to tell me more about Woodmaster except the testimonials you guys put on your website.

4 functions in 1 machine: planer, molder, sander, saw

Speed control and 4-functionality sold me. There are other planers but I chose Woodmaster. I studied on the Internet and took my time. I looked at many different machines. I looked at all the testimonials people had. What made me buy were the 4 functions this machine does: planes wood, sands wood, saws wood, molds wood. That is what sold me, that and the variable feed rate. Those two things drew me to say yes.

What kind of camp would YOU build in retirement? Hunting cam? Weekend getaway? Ferdinand planed his camp's siding from 2 x 8 material. When you have 100 acres of woods, you can build your camp any way you want to.
What kind of camp would YOU build in retirement? Hunting camp? Weekend getaway? Ferdinand planed his camp’s siding from 2 x 8 material. When you have 100 acres of woods, you can build your camp precisely the way you feel like doing it!

“Variable Feed Rate is really the key”

The Variable Feed Rate is really the key to this machine making molding. It lets you go fast or slow or anywhere in between. My older planer had only two speeds. So I knew you need a machine that goes very slow or you’ll take big chunk out of your workpiece. I use one knife for baseboard and casing. I’ve used it for 3 years without sharpening. I go very slowly, at 20 or 25 on the speed control. The wood comes out very smooth.

Here's the Bellavance's beautiful new kitchen -- handmade cabinets made of solid native oak.
Here’s the Bellavance’s beautiful new kitchen — handmade cabinets made of solid native oak.

I just got your Spiral Cutterhead. What a difference. It’s really sweet. It’s just amazing when the wood goes through. You can see and feel it; it just finishes up so nice. I showed my wife a piece planed with the planer head and another one where I used the Spiral Cutterhead. I put them side by side – what a difference. She said, ‘Wow! This one is smoother!’ She saw the difference right away.

“Would you check that price again, please?”

Ferdinand Ballavance -- a talented woodworker who's enjoying retirement!
Ferdinand Ballavance — a talented woodworker who’s enjoying retirement!

When you shipped me the Spiral Cutterhead, it arrived very quick and was packed was in foam so there was no way the piece would get damaged even if someone threw the box or if the box fell. It was so well packed. I thought, if someone did that packing, they must care.

I was quite pleased to see the feed rollers weren’t that expensive. When your sales rep told me the price, I asked, ‘Are you sure, would you check that again?’ Your price is reasonable for your parts. That’s very important. I am really happy with the Woodmaster Planer. I bought it maybe 3-1/2 years ago and I have done a lot of work with it. It’s a really good machine. Maybe some other Canadian woodworkers will see my story on the Woodmaster blog.”

— Ferdinand Bellavance — Woodmaster Owner, Bonfield, Ontario, Canada

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

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