Spiral cutter head blades stuck

[mrpercysnodgrass]

I have the Axminster Trade planer/thicknesser I need to rotate the blades but several are stuck tight. I have so far broken six Torx T20 bits trying to get the buggers out. I have been applying plus-gas over several days and resorted to buying an impact driver along with better quality T20 bits, they still will not budge. I have applied some heat with a map-x torch and still they will not budge. I am a bit wary of applying too much heat as I don't want to damage the blades or the block. I am at a loss so if anyone has any ideas I would be grateful to hear them.

 

[Hornbeam]

I'm sorry I cant offer any advice but I do believe this can be an issue with spiral cutter bits, particularly as the tips can last ages before they need turning. I was advised by Peter Sefton to periodically check all screws as they can sieze almost solid

 

[Ollie78]

Soak them in some kind of pitch cleaner or a solvent like cellulose thinners. Might be better at cleaning out pitch/ resin than wd40 type things.

The trouble with heat is the fasteners are so small they will heat up very quick, really you want to expand the block but not the bolt which is tricky.

I have had some be fairly tight before but luckily they always came out. I do wonder if applying a tiny bit of copper slip or ceramic anti seize might be wise when re assembling them, though of course this is no help now.

Good luck.

 

[Distinterior]

I'm not sure from reading your post whether you bought T20 Impact driver bits.....If not, I would suggest you try them as they are a lot harder than normal T20 bits.....I would suggest Wera brand ....They are really tough and last for ages.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

I'm not sure from reading your post whether you bought T20 Impact driver bits.....If not, I would suggest you try them as they are a lot harder than normal T20 bits.....I would suggest Wera brand ....They are really tough and last for ages.

I bought the Dewalt impact driver bits sold as lasting up to 50X longer than ordinary bits, I have broken three of them so far and that is just using them fairly gently with a ratchet wrench! I did look at the Wera ones but they had mixed reviews!

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Soak them in some kind of pitch cleaner or a solvent like cellulose thinners. Might be better at cleaning out pitch/ resin than wd40 type things.

All the timber I put through is period hardwood, mostly mahogany and oak so I don't have any problem with resin around the cutters.
I have got twelve out but they all came out easily, just forty four to go! I did contemplate breaking the blades and replacing them but that would cost about £175 and would be an awful waste!

 

[Distinterior]

I bought the Dewalt impact driver bits sold as lasting up to 50X longer than ordinary bits, I have broken three of them so far and that is just using them fairly gently with a ratchet wrench! I did look at the Wera ones but they had mixed reviews!

Oh..Right!
I really rate my Wera impact driver bits, so I'm a bit surprised at the mixed reviews!
I'm sorry, I dont know what else to suggest.

Edit.
This is the bit I'm referring to....
https://toolstoredirect.co.uk/produ...BKaGh71QV-vcuyOJfVhJ20F0I1JKh_68aAvbNEALw_wcB

 

[Spectric]

If you can find them then Durum bits are good, but also I have used a lot of Wera products and had no problems at all. If you have never undone these screws before then this could be a case of dry assembly by the OEM, so the screws have just seized. What you don't want is to break the actual screws, it might be a right pita but when I have had seized components or assemblies that you just know that the stud will snap if you carry on then I would soak it in a bucket of diesel for a day or two which even with corroded aluminium assemblies would often free them. This is unfortunately one of the downsides to either spiral or helical cutter blocks when compared to Tersa or Eskra bruck.

 

[johnnyb]

are the bits really tight in the fixing. I only ask as I'm think they maybe be t22 size. maybe....



anway put a soldering iron on them. then let them cool. don't use an impact driver as there's not much control. use a quality 3/8 drive socket torx.

 

[johnnyb]

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/In...les/Keys-Drivers-For-Indexables?navid=2107176

 

[Phill05]

Use some WD 40 to soak for an hour and you will find it helps.
If you can find a local Snap-On van get a set of driver bits off them you pay a bit more but they have a no quibble exchange if they break

 

[baldkev]

I dont have much to offer beyond what has been suggested, but in the past, turning a bolt to tighten just slightly, then undo, has worked.
I'd be very interested to hear the ending to this, so keep us updated when you get them undone.... anti sieze sounds like a plan for when you put it back together!

 

[clogs]

norm torx bits are a diff animall to impact....they are just as tough but more springy.....
Wera are very good....
a flat faced punch hitting on the top of the screw will shock it.....thats after ur fav lube soak.....
def use an hammer type impact....
if the head breaks there will be enough stud to grip to twist it out.....
I always use a little engine oil on all screws.....
Copperslip will dry out over time......get some and mix it *like heavy cream* with EP 80-90 gear box oil if u want it to stay soft....
we used this on crawler crane undercarriage.....all fixings treated this way would come out even after years submerged in water n mud.........
good luck...
PS replace all the screws with new.....available from engineering suppliers......just pence each.....

 

[deema]

One of the many troubles with this type of block is that the cutters can move if they are not tightened down fully. The chamfer on the underside of the cutter then moves up on the stop causing the bolt to be tightened (lengthens the bolt) causing them to be pain the rectum to get out.
Try artic spray, you want to ‘shrink’ the cutter to release the tension on the bolt. It also has the advantage it doesn’t soften the bolts which can shear if they do get too soft.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I think a combination might do the trick, so first off I will order some Wera bits, as heat has not worked I will try the freezing method as that seems logical and I will keep you posted.

 

[Stevekane]

Ive found the simple Impact drivers that you hit with a heavy hammer to work well on siezed bolts rather than the battery ones,,, not sure which one your using? And the Plus Gas your using is the best of the bunch.
Steve.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Below are most but not all of the bits I broke trying to get the bolts out, I soaked the bolts for two weeks with plus gas, I heated the bolts with a blow torch, I got them really cold with an ice pack, I used the T bar wrench that came with the machine, a ratchet wrench and an impact driver (hit with a hammer type), nothing worked. On Disinteriors advise I bought a pack of ten Wera bits, the first three broke with using very little pressure, with the T bar and ratchet wrench. My son then lent me his Dewalt impact driver and I could not believe it but every one of the 44 bolts remaining just popped out with ease using just one more wera bit, it was a bit distorted at the end but worked! I then soaked all of the bolts and cutter blades in the plus gas overnight, there was a little build up of resin on two sides of each blade but it came off with a light scrub with a toothbrush (my wife's scrubbed all the bolts and blew out the bolt holes with the air compressor. needless to say I ordered an impact driver for myself which arrived today.

 

[Lefley]

Try heat the block then putting a smart piece of ice in bolt head then try and extract. Expand block. Shrink bolt. Might release.

also try pb blaster soak. And when you do get the cheap supplied bolts out replace with high quality ones.

 

[Distinterior]

Wera Impact bits in a battery powered Impact Driver.....Exactly the right tool for the job!!.....

Glad you finally got it sorted.

 

[deema]

Tersa block, no tools required, takes about 2 mins to replace all 4 cutters in my block. Cost of new blades about the same per sharp edge as standard cutters. Ie not a great expense that makes you hesitate replacing them for fear of breaking the bank……which means it’s safer! Absolutely impossible to insert them wrong / have a risk of them coming out. Just a few of the reasons virtually all professional shops use Tersa heads and not spiral / helical.
IMO it’s been great marketing with little substance that has pushed this system and made it desirable. Sure, every hobby wood worker is planing up hardwoods with convoluted grain patterns that tear out as soon as they see a sharp edge. (Nope!) Every hobby wood worker is running the PT 8 hours a day every day annoying the neighbours with noise (Nope) Well, that covers the two main positive claims for the system.