Jointer head install...sounds weird? Listen...

[Eric.]

==>Now as long as that motor doesn't explode, I'm golden

That.... and an insert shattering, being thrown back in you face and killing you... Those carbide inserts sure are brittle... I wonder is it's still illegal to use them on jointers in the EU? Oh, well... I'm sure you'll be fine...

 

Thanks for the confidence booster, Trip!   LOL

 

Meh, I'll take my chances...I'd rather get killed in the face than deal with tearout on my precious figured wood.

[Trip]

No problem... Always trying to help...

 

On a more serious note: shattering inserts are an issue... Obviously no big deal with a planer, but a jointer... Just don't do any pallet-wood projects... And get yourself a good metal detector… And BTW: I wasn't kidding about being banned in the EU... I think you're required to use a stock-feeder with carbide inserts on a jointer...

[Eric.]

Just don't do any pallet-wood projects... And get yourself a good metal detector…

 

You know I don't mess around with that garbage.

 

Worst thing my blades encounter is a little filth from just being wood in general.

[Trip]

BTW: The inserts require a specific torque (55-inch-pounds, if memory serves) -- over-torqueing is as dangerous as under-torqueing... I'd also use a drop or two of 222...

 

 

Before you get hot-and-heavy with the thing, I'd double-check the torque...

[Eric.]

Even though they came factory installed?  (The same factory that felt 12 holes was an appropriate number to drill in something they planned to sell...nevermind.)

 

I checked every cutter before I turned it on.  Gave them all a twist with a screwdriver...that's what I hear is about the right amount of torque.  None of them moved a hair.

[Trip]

==>factory installed?

Wasn't going to mention it... but, there have been real QC issues at Byrd -- there are many reports of shattered inserts during early use... I've seen it myself.

 

==>that's what I hear is about the right amount of torque

Ahhhh, no... Just get yourself a 1/4 drive torque wrench -- they are cheap...  I think Byrd will sell you a purpose-made one with the T-30 bit in an all-in-one tool... Too much torque will crack the insert and too little... Well, you know... On a planer, who cares... But a jointer...

 

==>I don't mess around with that garbage

Sames goes for species with pin knots...  If you want to read the scarry stories, head over to LJ... I've seen it happen in a planer and it's quite exciting... I've never seen it on a jointer, but I bet it's much more exciting...

 

==>222

http://www.henkelna.com/us/content_data/339213_11656_LT4985_ThreadlockerGuide_v6_F_LR.pdf

[Eric.]

If you want to read the scarry stories, head over to LJ...

 

No thanks.

 

I've heard stories about carbide teeth flying off a table saw blade...I ignore that danger as well.  I prefer to live my life like this whenever possible:

 

 

[estesbubba]

A better ending to this than Shane's used Lagina ordeal.

[bgreenb]

This is most likely my being naive, but even if you chip a carbide cutter on a jointer it seems incredibly unlikely to cause you any damage. Unless the knot (or source of the chip) is right on the leading edge of the board, won't the errant carbide be blocked by the workpiece before it hits your face (or any other part of your body)? And even if it's on the leading edge the impact will almost certainly change the trajectory enough to miss any critical part of your body?

Not that I'd wish for any flying carbide in my shop, but it seems like it'd be low on my list of worries.

Someone tell me why I'm an idiot.

[Eric.]

Lagina

 

I know this was a typo, but it made a Bud Select fly from my nostrils.

[estesbubba]

Maybe it wasn't a typo...wait you're a moderator...yes it was an honest mistake

[Immortan D]

And even if it's on the leading edge the impact will almost certainly change the trajectory enough to miss any critical part of your body?

Well it might deflect on the piece and hit you on "the" critical part of your body.

[shaneymack]

A better ending to this than Shane's used Lagina ordeal.

What did you say about my wife?!?

[Mick S]

55 inch pounds isn't that much.  It's very easy to over tighten the screws on carbide inserts.  The carbide insert tooling supplied to CNC machines usually comes with a "key" not much larger than a standard Allen key to torque down the inserts.  They definitely will shatter if over tightened.

[Trip]

Sorry to open a can of worms… But there are some misunderstandings about segmented heads with carbide inserts used on jointers...

 

==>if you chip a carbide cutter on a jointer it seems incredibly unlikely to cause you any damage
Not talking about chipping. I'm talking about shattering.

 

 

Basically, when one insers shatters, it shatters between one to three more (I've seen the 4-insert case). The pieces are quite a bit larger than a table saw blade carbide cutter. The newly-created anti-personel weapon then shoots out of the jointer at just about the right angle to hit the operator... Converting RPM to MPH in these cases is straightforward, but it's too late in the day... I suspect it's around 50MPH...

 

==>tell me why I'm an idiot.

You're not an idiot... It doesn't happen all that often, but it does happen... I've seen it happen on a planer... I suspect as spiral heads become more popular on jointers, you'll here more about it...

 

==>I've heard stories about carbide teeth flying off a table saw blade...I ignore that danger as well.

Heard these as well... Hasn't happened to me... But on a percentage basis -- carbide insert failure is [probably] way more likely...

 

Not trying to be the safety police... Just saying that the mfgs, talking heads sponsered by the mfgs and mags that accept adverts from the mfgs don't go out of their way to mention it -- wonder why?

[Eric.]

I'm sure it could happen and I'm aware that it has.  It's a calculated risk...everything in the shop is.  But if incidents were that common and pervasive, there would be more discussion about it and lawsuits abounding.  I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope I don't take a cutter in the jewels one day...it's worth the gamble to me.  I hate dealing with maintaining straight knives and I hate tearout.   

[Janello]

This is why I wear the festool armor suit in my shop. 

 

[pghmyn]

This is why I wear the festool armor suit in my shop. 

 

Protecting the important parts I see. Wrists and shoulders.

[drzaius]

Think of the lots of holes drilled in the head as a good thing.  That means they are using an extremely sophisticated balancing machine.  Maybe?

[Immortan D]

I'm sure it could happen and I'm aware that it has.  It's a calculated risk...everything in the shop is.  But if incidents were that common and pervasive, there would be more discussion about it and lawsuits abounding.  I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope I don't take a cutter in the jewels one day...it's worth the gamble to me.  I hate dealing with maintaining straight knives and I hate tearout. 

 

I agree, but while we wait for the lawsuits and class actions to show up, you can wear a welders apron. They can even look cool.

[TerryMcK]

It does have a sort of cyclical regular rhythm superimposed on the main sound like an out of balance noise. But it may be the air noise caused by the multiple inserts - you know when you put a table saw blade on with a few teeth and one with many teeth. They sound much different. 

Although having said that I've not heard a helical head before so don't have a frame of reference.

[Eric.]

It sounds fine now...about like it did before the install.  It's much quieter when milling though.  I'm actually getting more noise out of the motor and cabinet than the head.  Just waiting for it to burn my shop down then I'll get a new jointer.

[Trip]

==>may be the air noise caused by the multiple inserts
Exactly... Well, kind of...

 

Avoided addressing this in my first post, and won't get into detail... In short, the noise Kiki is reporting is expected...

 

Has to do with the amount of air moved, and its flow over the cutter block... Traditional knives with say 50-70thou protrusion will be noisier than helical heads… The noise of helical heads will decrease as airflow is constrained… In a similar fashion, Tersa produces much less noise then helical heads because protrusion is almost nill (maybe 1mm) and the vastly different geometry. Each style of head has its own noise profile...

 

==>Just waiting for it to burn my shop down then I'll get a new jointer.

That's taking the long view... Of course, we're talking that jointer... Maybe it won't take so long...

[bushwacked]

You ever figure out what the issue was? Or is the the multiple inserts making a new noise from the air flow?