Why would someone spend $500 for a spiral cutter head that goes in the planer which is only $230?

10/03/2023 Mike Xu


Whether the planer is expensive or not, the value of the spiral cutterhead remains unaffected. The spiral cutterhead can bring about a substantial difference that a brand new planer is unable to provide.

Whether the planer is expensive or not, the value of the spiral cutterhead remains unaffected. A brand new planer still produces loud noise, causes tear-out, requires frequent blade sharpening, and consumes significant time for setup. Conversely, even a very cheap used and cheaper planer  can yield a superior surface finish with the spiral cutterhead, minimizing tear-out, reducing noise, producing shorter chips for convenient dust extraction, and utilizing a set of carbide inserts that can remain functional for several months or even years with their four sharp edges. Thus, the spiral cutterhead can bring about a substantial difference that a brand new planer is unable to provide. If one is accustomed to the loud noise, unconcerned about tear-out, and indifferent to blade sharpening, then upgrading may not make sense. Nonetheless, many customers have purchased used machines at good prices and subsequently retrofitted them with spiral cutterheads. Upon checking various forums, it becomes evident that most individuals are pleased with their upgrades.

Mario Davis provided feedback on the performance of the Sheartak spiral cutterhead used on his Craftsman CMEW020 Electric Benchtop Jointer.

 

Your spiral head works wonderfully. It cuts with almost no resistance and provides glass smooth surfacing. Once I got it installed my simple $400 jointer now performs like a very high end one that would cost two or three times that price. The quality of the Sheartak spiral heads is exceptional.

 

 

Below are some of the characteristics that the Sheartak spiral cutterheads possess.

No tear out even on highly figured wood. 

Woodworkers often encounter tear-outs, which is a common issue. This occurs when old cutterheads with straight blades cut straight through the wood in a hammering motion, causing chips to tear off the boards instead of being properly cut. This problem is particularly noticeable when cutting hard or soft woods. However, the Sheartak spiral cutterhead is designed with carbide inserts angled towards the feeding direction, allowing for a shear-cut that eliminates tear-out and produces a superior surface finish. Customers have reported a 3/4 reduction in sanding work, and in many cases, sanding is no longer required at all.

 

Noise is hugely reduced. 

Noise is an important Occupational Health and Safety issue that all businesses, woodworking shops, schools, and hobbyists should be aware of. It is crucial to reduce the noise produced by machinery, not only for the safety of those operating the equipment but also for the well-being of their family members and neighbors, as well as the environment and general functioning of the facility.

 

Looking at all OHS issues, documenting and improving conditions wherever possible to reduce risk, will be a real advantage for your cause should the Company ever be challenged in court by authorities.

 

Planing and thicknessing machines are notorious for generating high levels of noise, particularly when the standard straight cutters make contact with wood at high speeds, causing chatter noise. This noise is further amplified when a dust extractor is attached to the machine, as the air flow passing through the chip-limiter can create a loud howling noise that reverberates throughout the entire workshop. This noise can be disruptive and may cause inconvenience to your family members and neighbors who have to endure it.

 

The Sheartak spiral cutterhead is designed with inserts angled towards the feeding direction, enabling it to perform a helical cut with shear force. This cutting method operates continuously at a 15mm friction level, resulting in a significant reduction in noise levels. Reports indicate that the noise reduction achieved is at least 10 decibels. 

 

Dust collection is signicantly impvoed. 

Traditional cuttherheads are installed straight blades. The long blade remove strips of materials at the exactly the same lengths as the blades themselves. For a 25" planer, the wood chips are 25" long. If the dust collection system is not powerful to generate sufficient sucking force, the materials will fall in the tubes and push up together and finally ends up cloged at the duct chuts. You will have to stop your dust collection, clean up the chute. Sheartak shearcut cutterheads cut at the length of 15mm at any given time in a helically staggered way, the materials chips are lighter and narrower. Even if a less powerful dust collection can easily suck off the materials with no chute clogging. 

 

It's cheap to cut with spiral cutterhead for the long run. 

Blades must be sharpened or replaced when they become dull. However, often the need for replacement arises from hidden obstacles such as nails, rocks, or bullets embedded in the wood that nick the blades. Additionally, blades do not wear out uniformly, resulting in an uneven and unsightly surface finish on the board.

 

In contrast, spiral cutterheads have individual carbide inserts that can be easily replaced when necessary. Each insert has four sharp edges, and only one or two of them may be affected. By simply rotating the inserts 90°, a new sharp edge can be revealed, and they only need to be replaced when all four edges are dull or chipped. These carbide inserts can last up to 50 times longer than HSS straight blades.

 

 

Furthermore, the carbide inserts are securely locked in matching pockets, ensuring perfect alignment and reducing setup time. It's also worth noting that the carbide inserts don't require sharpening, further simplifying maintenance.

 

 



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