G0490X Carbide Insert Rotation

[gee-dub]

My insert cutterheads let me know when its time for a change.  I intended to change the jointer and planer both before the current piece got started; I finally decided to do the jointer. The feed gets a little harder and the head leaves impressions on the material.  The fibers get hammered a bit when a dulling cutter goes by.  This "bruising" will show up even after a stroke with a hand plane.  The surface will feel smooth but show a pattern when held to the light.  If ignored this will telegraph the pattern when the finish hits.DAMHIKT.

The process is quick and painless if you use a little preparation and care.  My sequence goes something like this:

• Unplug jointer
• Remove guard
• Use wedge to lock the head in position
• Loosen screw with small torx #20 and handle
• Back out screw with magnetic tip so as not to become unhappy
• Remove insert and wipe the bulk of the crud off of it
• Drop insert into some mineral spirits
• Use nylon brush dampened with a bit of mineral spirits to scrub the seat area on the head
• Blow seat area clean with compressed air
• Scrub insert clean and blow dry with compressed air
• Inspect insert to assure no foreign matter is anywhere (X-Acto knife helps if you find anything stubborn)
• Seat insert
• Apply small drop of light machine oil to the threads of the screw
• Insert screw with magnetic tip and finger tighten
• Apply 50 - 55 inch pounds with torque wrench
• Repeat

I did a 40 insert head just now which took about an hour with me taking breaks now and then if my back started griping.

I'll try to do the planer before I mill up the maple that will be used as back-slats on the carcass that's crowding the shop right now.

[wtnhighlander]

What method do you use to keep track of which edges have been used on the cutters? And do you rotate all at once, or only those leaving marks?

[gee-dub]

There is a mark in one corner of each insert. I rotate them all as a set and always rotate clockwise.  It is so long between rotations that this helps my feeble brain keep track more easily.

The cost of the insert head was recovered somewhere during the use of the second edge of the 4 edged inserts. It's all gravy from this point so I have no problem rotating the full set.

Rotating individual inserts is OK if you are really trying to milk every last drop out of these things, however the irregularity in surface finish left when doing this offsets any gain in my humble opinion.

I would not hesitate to rotate an individual insert if one got damaged somehow.  This is one of the benefits of this type of cutterhead.

[nerdbot]

I had to fully clean my G0490X when I bought it, including the cutterhead.  I went through a similar process, cleaning every cutter, screw, and landing/seat area.  I wondered if it might be overkill, but I figured why not, I cleaned every other nut and bolt on this machine.  Glad to know that at least one other person does this, and does it regularly!  I picked up a few good tips (magnetic torx head), and I'll definitely be referring back to this thread the next time I need to do cutterhead maintenance on mine.