Molding Head

i have used the craftsman molding head for years - 3 cutter model - doing just what you are - putting a bead on some pine boards for wainscotting - it is a bit unnerving with all that metal spinning but doable and usually with no throat plate.  although now my sawstop won't run it (too many electronic safety measures) so i have  to "borrow" someones unisaw.  just think it through as you set it up and make your cuts.
jc

First......How is the router table more work than a molding head in a table saw?
Second....I have used the 3 blade heads many times for a variety of profiles.  It is no more....or less.....dangerous than any other spinning cutter.  Make or buy a throat plate to fit your saw.....be aware of what you are doing....gotta have your head in the game like when using any other saw, router, jointer, shaper....etc..

Work might have been a bad way of saying it.  It was more difficult because the wood was on edge and harder to hold flat against the router fence.
If I could have done it with the face flat on the router table, I don't think it would have been as hard to do and I probably wouldn't be looking for alternatives.

If you use a Molding Head make seure you use Hold Downs! I used to use Molding Heads all the time. Now retired!

I got a Craftsman 3 cutter head at a garage sale many years ago. Bought a throat plate and have used it too many times to count with all kinds of cutters taking off way more than you are planning. So far I haven't used a hold down or feather board because I didn't have them at the time. Now I do and will use them to hold down and against the fence - not for safety, but to make sure I don't bugger up the wood as it passes by the head. I never did but having the wood secured makes it a ton easier. 

Since I'm 76 I don't have to be told not to stick my fingers in the way of anything while it is still moving (Sawstop my a$$). Used to be the owners manual for a car told you how to set the valves. Now it tells you not to drink the battery acid. Somebody left the bag of idiots open. Personally I think we should remove all the warning labels and let Darwin clean up the gene pool.

Using a table saw molding head like the Magic Molder can be a safe and efficient way to add decorative profiles like small beads to door jambs and boards, with the right precautions:

• Ensure your table saw is tuned up and aligned properly - this is key for any accessories to operate safely.

• Feed stock through with a push block, not just by hand, to keep hands at a safe distance.

• Use featherboards or hold downs (JessEm are great choices) to securely hold the stock tight to the table and against the fence as it passes the cutter head. This prevents kickback risk.

• Take light passes, don't try to remove too much material in one pass. Multiple shallow passes are safer.

• Keep your hands well clear of the cutter head, avoid any awkward hand positions.

• Use scrap test pieces to dial in the cut depth and feed rate until the profile is cleanly cutting before running your workpieces.

Go slowly, don't force anything, and use adequate work holding aids. This will minimize the risk of the molding head causing kickback so you can achieve the beaded profiles you need safely. Proper setup and light passes are key.

I think one of the things that make molding heads seem scarier than they are is the noise. I haven't used one for years but I remember that sucker being loud! There is a company still selling molding heads and cutters - corobcutters.com. There's not really any sort of cut limiter like on modern router bits so I imagine if the back of the work piece tipped up you'd get a dandy of a kickback. A tight fitting throat plate should help with that.