For the last 50 years, the cutters on planing machines were usually 2 or 3
straight high speed steel (HSS) knives rotating with a scalloping action to
remove material and produce an apparent smooth, straight surface.
The truth is that this rotating action traditionally left lines in the timber
that required sanding prior to assembly or application of liquid finishes.
High speed steel knives are very effective but can lose the sharp edges
quite quickly on wood that is very hard or contains natural minerals.
From the experience with hand tools, most woodworkers know that a
"shear" cut is far more effective than a straight plane down the length
of timber. By staggering the cutters and segmenting them into practical,
square Tungsten inserts, the cut is smoother, quieter and dust extraction
efficiency is improved dramatically
"Shelix Spiral cutter blocks are manufactured in Kentucky in the USA to
stringent engineering standards as replacements for existing spindles in
Thicknessers, Jointers and even Planer/Thicknessers (over/under planning
machines)
Each Shelix is supplied with many rows of 15mm square solid Tungsten
carbide inserts and each "seat" is machined so that the cutters self-align
and lock into position without the use of jigs or gauges.
Therefore, each model of machine has different physical cutter dimensions,
bearing fits and pulley mounting so, different Shelix cutters are produced for
each machine so what cutter comes out of your machine is replicated
exactly by the new Shelix being installed.
Please refer to the machine-model tables to assess your requirements
