Using off-brand carbide inserts for spiral head planer?

[Michael Yadfar]

I have a Grizzly GO453z 15" Spiral head planer, which has 72 carbide inserts. While Byrds inserts run about $3.50 each, the inserts for Grizzlys are about $7 each. So while the inserts should last awhile, it would cost about $500 to replace all the inserts on the head. Grizzlys inserts are made in Germany which I find a bit unusual considering the planer was made in China.

Anyway, I found off-brand inserts that are $1.72 each. They are the same exact material, dimensions, and physically appear the same. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this?

[Brian Gumpper]

Be careful they are not Chinese carbide. We sell CMT brand in these applications and they are also German carbide and have had no complaints. We sell the Byrd ones for $2.80 in your quantity so sounds like Grizzly is gouging a little on them. One of our suppliers even has the Chinese carbide versions of the Byrds but would not touch them for a minimal cost savings.

If you wanted a quote on CMT, send me a PM and would be happy to do so.

[Dave Kirby]

Let me ask you if I may, how long has it been up to now having to replace all of your cutter inserts? What kind of a lifespan did they have (especially since they can all rotate to four cutting sides as they wear)? I will be upgrading to a spiral cutterhead eventually and I'm very curious. Thanks!

[Michael Yadfar]

Let me ask you if I may, how long has it been up to now having to replace all of your cutter inserts? What kind of a lifespan did they have (especially since they can all rotate to four cutting sides as they wear)? I will be upgrading to a spiral cutterhead eventually and I'm very curious. Thanks!

Quite honestly I haven't even used my planer yet. I figure they would last awhile, because most times you aren't actually planing the full 15", so you rotate left/right/middle for each pass. With the addition of 4 sides, that makes it last even longer, unless you are not checking your board for nails or you are planing something like plywood. Still though, $500 isn't cheap for reaching blades regardless the time they last.

[Dave Cav]

First off, unless you're planing something like teak eight hours a day, you will probably wear the bearings out in the planer before you wear out all four faces of the inserts. You will probably chip the occasional insert, but wear them out, that's going to take a while. I ran a Byrd head in a high school shop for a couple of years and never even turned them, let alone replaced them.

That being said, years ago when I bought my first Grizzly planer with a helical head I had the same question, and I did a little searching on the web and found German inserts with exactly the same specs for about a third the cost of the Grizzlies. I bought a box of them (10, I think) and may have used one or two and they worked fine.

[Jim Andrew]

I have found that cleaning your inserts will make them cut very good again. After you plane for some time, you can run your finger over the edges and find they feel dull. Instead of rotating the cutters, spray with blade cleaner and use an old toothbrush to scrub them. After you clean them, your planer will cut like new again. The tips build up a thin coating of pitch, and makes them seem dull.

[Peter Froh]

I own a 15" General Int planer with a spiral head. I tried the non-general kind. Although the dimensions were all the same the angle of the blade edges were different and they left pronounced lines on the boards. Lesson learned, I bought the general ones and was able to return the others. Although expensive general misquoted me and I got them for cost!

So in summary my easiest solution was to buy the more expensive manufacture branded knives.