Shelix heads - long shot, I know!

[Steve Maskery]

Hi all,

I realize this is a long shot, but does anyone have any experience of using a Shelix head on a planer/thicknesser, like this
There are a number of companies in the US who make them and they are readily available in Australia, I gather, but I've not found anyone in the UK selling them.

A friend of a friend is thinking of making them, and I have the opportunity to try one out. Sadly, it's not for free

Do you know what the angles are on the WC tips? I don't understand how a square tip can have much of a clearance angle, unless it is very hollow.

I'll be pleasantly astonished if anyone can help me!

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasonB]

I know Felder & Wealdon do short blocks for use on a spindle but have not seen planer blocks.

The square inserts are chamfered about 45 degrees on all for edges. As for clearance I think they have a slight lead, eg the bolt hole is not radial bet slightly forward which gives the back edge clearance.

Don't know what the market would be like as a set of tips would be a lot more expensive than tersa knives and take a lot longer to change.

Jason

 

[FatFreddysCat]

Hi Steve

I use TC-RT cutters on routers a lot. The tips are dead flat on the back and chamfered on the face side. They are often held in place by either a button cap screw or in some cases by a countersunk head cap screw.

I've heard that the Shellix heads leave witness marks which need to be sanded out. Great if you have a wide belt or drum sander. Not so good if you don't. The nearest experience I have is using segmental tip "planer" heads on the spindle moulder for ring fence work. The French-made block I've been using recently uses low cost 12 x 12mm tips (about 60 of them) arranged in spiral pattern and it certainly does leave witness marks which need to be sanded out on the bobbin sander

 

[JonnyD]

This company in Leicester have a range of planer heads as I remember seeing them at the W8 exhibition last year

http://www.coltontooling.co.uk/php_uplo ... 279675.pdf

I think they are more geared up to producing tooling for large planer moulders etc

Jon

 

[ivan]

Have been keeping half an eye on this subject especially as we have relations in USA. I have the impression from reading that the inserts bolt onto a machined bed such that their flat top is not at a tangent to the block; this determines the clearance (as I understand it). Not very interested if they leave witness marks, although FW says "they leave a smoother finish". Keep us posted if you hear more!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank you guys. I must admit I'd not heardof the witness marks issue, although it doesn't surprise me.

Having the bed groove milled at an angle makes sense.

Today I'm really annoyed, because the bloke who (may - now may not) make this for me brought me some oak yesterday to make a pair of bookcases. 20 years old, dry as a bone, swears there is no metal in it.

My brand new knives found it though. Grrrrr!

Thanks again, if I go anywhere with this I'll let you know.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jasonB]

Bet he did it on purpose so you will want one of his blocks then you only need to change a couple of tips if you get a hit, not a whole set of knives

Jason

 

[ProShop]

Steve,
You can get these heads to fit spindle moulders, used as a rebate block, they usually come 80mm or 100 wide X 100mm deep.

Felder as Jason mentions do a similar idea on some of their planers as a kit you can retrofit. The knives are about 100mm long and fit into standard block, the one I've seen didn't appear to have any alteration to the angle from the conventional knife.

But with everything in live things move on, the latest in cutter blocks is spiral knives and you only need two on a 120mm block, the cut quality is amazing especially on difficult grain timbers, which is were all this is aimed at.