Inserts for Jointer/Planer heads.

[Ray Selinger]

This is just a general knowledge question. I switched over to carbide insert tooling for my metal lathe, there was much learning on shapes, connections and compositions, but in the end, there are industrial standards. Once understood, I was able to order the correct inserts for my tooling. Are there such standards for the inserts ? BTW I had to switch over to Easy Turn wood lathe chisels when I turned baltic birch plywood into wheels to make a Richardson Wheel for a lapidary polisher for my wife. The high speed steel tools wouldn't hold an edge. I think Easy Turn were designed by a machinist.

I can't afford the motor upgrades or the heads for my General 130 planer or my General 480 jointer, so it's purely academic question.

[Andrew Hughes]

I have a insert head in my planer. My jointer has T1 high speed steel knives.
My jointer leaves a far better surface then the planer.
Too me it’s a best setup for amateur woodworking
Good Luck

[glenn bradley]

The size and geometry will vary with your head. IIRC mine are 14x14x2mm. The screw hole geometry is also important. The only reason I bought a set was that a new player was entering the field and was offering a special. Even their regular price was much more attractive than the machine maker's price. I bought my first insert head on a home shop machine in 2008 and still have one unused side to go on that machine. I guess I jumped the gun on buying replacements.

[Andrew Hughes]

After reading Glenn’s response I think you were seeking different information then my first response.
I apologize for any confusion.
My experience with inserts. I’ve had two different makers of heads both took the same inserts but different screws.
one was made by bryd another made in Germany. One a geetec jointer my planer is powermatic with bryd.
Good Luck

[Ray Selinger]

Yes ,Andrew, you're right. But your answer was very encouraging.

[Brian Gumpper]

There is a handful of sizes based on who makes the head. Grizzly used some 14mm, very common in molding machines and less expensive. They also had some inserts that I think were 14.2mm and gouge for them. The most common these days is the 15mm with Byrd having a 100mm face radius and others having a 150mm face radius. The radius is for the inserts being at a shear angle. The new Lux Cut and Laguna heads use an insert that is propriety to whoever the making in China is and they gouge for them as well. Byrd being the only company selling heads that actually makes them.

There are different grades of carbide and the Asian suppliers use phrases like K10 and K20 which really doesn't tell you much. I ordered some Chinese inserts that had good specs to see how they compared to the ones we sell from Tigra and they were clearly not as sharp. For wood cutting carbide inserts I like Tigra but Ceratizit is good too.

[Bill Dufour]

Insert grades by a well known maker. Looks like the K series is for cast iron. That makes sense since cast iron tends to break off in dust like wood chips/dust rather then long shavings.
BilL D

https://asia.kyocera.com/products/cu...t-Grade-17.pdf

[glenn bradley]

For wood cutting carbide inserts I like Tigra but Ceratizit is good too.

For any newer folks that may not be aware, Brian has been in the business for years via Holbren. Real world experience is a wonderful thing.