Spiral Cutter Head for Woodmaster Planer

[James White]

I am thinking of selling my DW735 with spiral head. Then using the money toward the spiral cutterhead for my 725 Woodmaster. I would like to know if anyone here has made the plunge and if you are happy with the results you get. There is 164 cutters and Woodmaster is getting $50/10 cutters. That is a lot of $$ for replacements. The other thing may be to source the cutters from another vendor. If they are standard. If Woodmaster ever went out of buisness, it would be nice to know that the cutters are available elsewhere.

[Bob Wingard]

I can't say for sure, but I would be very surprised to find that Woodmaster uses anything other than standard cutters. If you can find out what the dimensions are on the ones they use, you should be able to locate them from McMaster & CARR ... MSC ... GRAINGER ... even Grizzly ... and hopefully for much less $$$$. I have the WM 718 and have often considered the insert head ... just can't handle the price.

[Van Huskey]

If you do a search there have been some discussions about this. My take (I researched it recently) is the ones that have done it have been happy. One of the positives about that conversion is it is probably the quickest and easiest conversion for obvious reasons.

As for the replacement costs it will likely be less money than replacing knives over the same period of time so although it may come in one big pop thats the only negative. As Bob mentioned it is HIGHLY likely they can be sourced from many places, there are too many of these inserts used in industrial applications for a small player like WM to use a proprietary bit.

[James White]

I believe they are 15mm but I am not sure. I actually mistakenly thought they where HSS because they described the insert as being made from European tool steel. Therefore my concern about the cost. Since HSS would mean more frequent changes.
As it is now I try to use my 735 so that I do not wear my knives on the big planer. It's about $30 to sharpen a set and about an hour to set them within .002" of each other. Near impossible to get it perfect. If I sell my 735 and a metal mini lathe. I will have the funds to do this and not have an extra planer in the way.

James

[Simon Cole]

Lot of money but for me what a pleasure to use quieter, superior cutting & becareful changing and adjusting break if not clean under knife. Put a head on jointer also wow love it!!!!!

[James White]

Hi Simon,

I have already decided to go forward with this. It is just a matter of getting up the funds to buy it.

James

[Van Huskey]

Hi Simon,

I have already decided to go forward with this. It is just a matter of getting up the funds to buy it.

James

Make suer you give us a full review when you take the plunge.

[Jim Andrew]

My woodmaster 718 has the insert cutterhead, and also have a shelix on my jointer. The cutters interchange on both. Only reason I've had to replace any is knots that have come loose while planing. Been using the superglue jel, but doesn't always hold a loose knot in the hole.