glenn bradley
12-16-2015, 7:58 PM
Any of us with spiral heads are aware of the initial premium we pay for these cutters. Hopefully we are all aware of how quickly you more than pay for that premium in the extended life of four-sided carbide inserts versus knives. Some day you will need to replace those cutters and I am always on the lookout for a source more reasonable than Grizzly (at almost $6 each!!!).
I contacted our own Tom Waltz and got a hold of some Southeast Tool 141420’s (http://www.carbideprocessors.com/4-sided-1-hole-insert-knife-14mm-x-14mm-x-2-0mm-southeast-tool-si-141420/) at about $2 each. I was concerned as they are a decimal point or so smaller than the Grizzly although both are spec’d as 14mm x 14mm x 2mm. I went ahead and installed a couple in my existing jointer head full of original Grizzly inserts on their 2nd edge.
The cuts came out great. There was no indication of the minor size difference probably due to the overlap geometry of the spiral head. Whatever the reason, they performed fine and I now have another source for these inserts. Since my jointer and planer both use them I tend to pick up a 10pack here and there to help me avoid sticker shock when I finally get to the fourth side of the current sets of inserts.
I contacted our own Tom Waltz and got a hold of some Southeast Tool 141420’s (http://www.carbideprocessors.com/4-sided-1-hole-insert-knife-14mm-x-14mm-x-2-0mm-southeast-tool-si-141420/) at about $2 each. I was concerned as they are a decimal point or so smaller than the Grizzly although both are spec’d as 14mm x 14mm x 2mm. I went ahead and installed a couple in my existing jointer head full of original Grizzly inserts on their 2nd edge.
The cuts came out great. There was no indication of the minor size difference probably due to the overlap geometry of the spiral head. Whatever the reason, they performed fine and I now have another source for these inserts. Since my jointer and planer both use them I tend to pick up a 10pack here and there to help me avoid sticker shock when I finally get to the fourth side of the current sets of inserts.