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[Canuck]

Just wondering if any of you are using the new spiral cutterheads in your planer or jointer?  I recently seen them in Grizzly machines although they appear to available to retrofit into many other manufacturers machines.  They look like the answer to tearout!

[Robert Yarger]

Sounds cool, but also sounds expensive to replace.

[Canuck]

Actually, not really because they're carbide inserts that you can replace individually, so I would think they'd be cheaper than replacing HSS cutters, all things being equal.  Here's a link on Grizzly's cutterhead page:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/category.aspx?key=78

[Scott Peterson]

I think the initial switch-over to the spiral cutterheads would be expensive - at least based on what I have seen in Grizzly's catalog for replacing a cutter drum assembly for some of the planers which normally use the HSS blades.  The cutter blades have 4 sides and can be re-used for the equivalent of 4 sharpenings, and they are carbide.  Thus, sharpening should be relatively efficient for these, I suppose.  I have been curious about this too in terms of improving tearout problems.  Thanks for bringing this up, John!

Having a back-bevel machined onto the HSS blades could also improve tearout problems.  I think Eric mentioned he has used this technique.  From what I read about this, the blades with back bevel work more like a scraper than a knife - which can reduce tearout.  I have yet to try this myself.

I bought a Performax 10-20 drum sander to use on woods that tear-out on the planer.  The problem I have found is that I can't get 0.001" tolerances with the sander like I do on the planer.  If I run a board through once, then run it again without changing the thickness setting, it will take more off on the second pass.  This becomes problematic when trying to get sticks all the same size and sized to good accuracy.   The sandpaper also gums up fast with the oily exotic woods...

[Robert Yarger]

If possible, I put small boards into my plainer at a slant, and it sound like this would produce the same results by putting it in straight.  Perhaps it is time for a new plainer for myself anyway.  I have never gotten a .001 tolerance from my boards.  I always attributed variations I got in a plank of wood to the different densities or warping within the boards, but my plainer could be to blame. 

Also the rollers on my planer have mushed down a bit over time, so I have put pressure in the proper area of the board when inserting it and taking it out to keep it from slightly beveling the ends.  And I can't just scrape off 1/64" from a board, ot the rollers do not hold it down hard enough to automatically pull the board through (again, probably due to the roller foam being squished).

I will have to check out this system, as I really should get a new plainer, but I don't know how I will break it to my old one.  I have been at this for about 8 years, and always used the same one.  It would be like getting rid of an old frined.
 

[Canuck]

I'm glad you mentioned the thickness sander, as that was another thought I had in reference to woods that are prone to tearout.  I had a really bad time planing some thuya burl, a couple of weeks ago.  I had a piece tear out and make its way back through the planer while other chunks came flying out everywhere.  The large chunk that made its way back through actually bent the planer blade and clamping bar!!  Luckily no real damage was done but scared the beejeebes out of me just the same.

[Canuck]

Hey Robert, I now know of a good way to destroy your old planer so you can go buy a new one, try planing some thuya burl!

[Robert Yarger]

Hey, what about "hearts" John.  You should bever break "hearts".  Or what about "wind".  I am also a firm beleiver that you should never "break dance", that just went out badly in the 70's.

I have done the same thing as you with a burl knot.  IT shattered my plainer blades and bent the bar that holds them in place.  On top of that, it freaked me so bad that it was a good 10 seconds before I turned the thing off, so it also burned a notch in my motor belt.

Once I took some log sections that I had cut with a chain saw and ran through the plainer as well.  (I wanted a smooth surface to make some rusting looking stools, but it was not one of my brightest moment.  I think I have replaced every part of my plainer at one time or another, but it still keeps on kicking.  Right now it needs a new on/off switch, but I just rewired it turn it on and off from the extension cord switch.

I do need a new plainer real bad, and perhaps I am just being cheap.  I think I paid $140 for it brand new, but I have put that much into fixing it also over the years. 

[Scott Peterson]

Here's my secret flaw which I have used to my advantage with the planer I have - rather than fix it.  The right side of my planer is about 0.005" lower than the left side.  Not a huge amount to make any real problems when doing anything other than puzzles.  Plus, with the puzzles, I usually don't use boards that are 12" wide.  Most of the final sizing passes that need any serious scrutiny are on 3/4" sticks.

To make tiny adjustments, I just remember where the board was sent through on the previous path, and move it right a little for the next pass to take a little more off.  This wears the knives a little faster all in one spot - but only for the final passes.  Otherwise, this is a pretty "analog" type setting and I don't usually end up with the final sizing pass in the same location.

[Canuck]

The planer I'm running is the Dewalt  DW735, but unclear if I can fit it with the new spiral cutter head?  As far as I know that cutter head is not on any machine I can buy in Canada?

[Eric Fuller]

Sadly, no spiral head is available for the DW735.  That's the same one I use.  Love and hate it - with fresh blades the finish is amazing, but the blades themselves are pure crap and wear out in no time.  I actually budget a fresh set for every project.  I've spent at LEAST $1000 on those damn blades.  Can't get rid of it because no other planer gives the finish it does, plus the indexed blades are very parallel to the bed.  Someday when I have more shop space I'll plunge on a 15" stationary planer with a helical cutterhead.

[Robert Yarger]

Scott,

The way you think sends shivers down my spine.  You work to adjust slight variances in equipment in the same way I do, and I just love the way you do that.  You have to know the personality of your machine, which is why I have such a hard time parting with my old plainer.  

As far as I know, my planer is completely level, but I do use one side mainly to get the bulk of a plank down, and then put it through on the other side for the very last cut so that the surface is very smooth.  So I have a dull side and a very sharp side to my plainer.

I also rub the base plate with a bit of oil at the beginning of several cuts, as this makes movement a lot smoother, especially with really powdery woods like paduk.  The sawdust from some woods make movements a bit jittery.

I also rub a bar of pariffin wax on jigs where I slide the wood into a blade, as this keeps the wood from sticking as you slide it.  Yeah, the wood gets a thin coat of wax on it, but it is going to be sanded off anyway.

Hey it is off the subject a bit, but I have a set up that I use to get (3) 1/4" thick planks of wood from a 1.15" thick board.  Or I can get (2) 1/4" boards from a single 3/4"thick board.  It is a bit of a hassle, but it is a lot more cost effective than plaining a 3/4" board down to 1/4" and loosing the rest in sawdust.

  

[Robert Yarger]

Hey, I have a Delta plainer.  I used to change out the blades on them all the time at $40 a pop.  However, for some reason, I have not had to change the blade in forever.  I think it has been almost 8 months now (probably 25 hours of use), and I have not even had to flip the blades over.  I don't know what I am doing differently, but I still get a smooth finish and the blades keep on going.

Hey John, if you cut that burl and have the plainer kick on you, you might also be sure to check for chips of wood under the blade.  With a lot of force, you sometimes get a splinter under it, and that dulls that area of the blade quicker, and also causes irregular work on down the road.  Anyway, this has been a frequent enough occurance for me when my plainer kicks back from a knot that I always check.

Hey, perhaps the reason my blade is lasting so long now is because I no longer put anything in my plainer that has a knot.  I just cut that part off, as it is not worth the hassle.  OF course, I know John works with burl all the time for his pens, so that might not be an option for him.

[Eric Fuller]

Robert - instead of planing a 3/4 board down to 1/4, why don't you just resaw it on the table saw?

[Robert Yarger]

That was my whole thing.  Why plain something down to a single 1/4" piece when you can slice it in half and get 2 good pieces.  I thought I was being revolutionary in doing this, but I guess you guys are already doing the same thing.  I would be interested in how you guys accomplish this yourselves.  Perhaps your technique is better than mine.  At the most I can only slice a 7" wide board in half, and it takes me about 20 minutes to do a single 8' board.  Also, the very last cut is somewhat scary because the 2 boards separate near the end of the cut and I have to put pressure at all the right points to keep from pinching on or the other.

I thought I was being revolutionary just becasue my exotic wood shop will not split wood planks in half, and only offers to plain it down to a thickness.  I did not think anyone else was doing this.
   
By the way, I think I have had my fill of dominoes.  I really don't care to see another domino for quite a while.  I suppose that the rest of you guys are feeling the same way.  John, I can feel your pain.  You had to cut the ones for not only by box but for the other puzzles as well.