Grizzly Spiral Head Jointer Insert Rotation - G0490X

[glenn bradley]

Just finished rotating the inserts on my G0490X for the first time. Total time spent was about 2 hours for 40 inserts. Pretty uneventful. The main risk is getting bored doing the same thing 40 times and hurrying or skipping a step. Another tip of the hat to the forums at large. I had read many a sorry tale of the person who was inconsistent or not careful enough. The report is that a very tiny piece of crud can make this effort a do-over so I took my time and was very methodical.

Here's my setup:



The first couple took me about 4 minutes apiece. I clocked it again around insert 25 and was down to about 2-1/2 minutes apiece. The last 10 took about 12 minutes but, I will have lost ALL that skill by the time I do it again ;-) The routine goes like this:

• Unplug jointer
• Remove guard
• Use wedge and a light tap from the hammer to lock the head in position
• Loosen screw with small torx #20 and handle
• Back out screw with magnetic tip so as not to become unhappy
• Remove insert and wipe the bulk of the crud off of it
• Drop insert into cleaner
• Use nylon brush to scrub seat area on the head with cleaner
• Blow seat area clean with compressed air
• Scrub insert clean and then dry with paper towel
• Inspect insert to assure no foreign matter is anywhere (X-Acto knife helps if you find anything stubborn)
• Seat insert
• Apply small drop of 3-in-1 to threads of screw
• Insert screw with magnetic tip and finger tighten
• Apply 50 - 55 inch pounds with torque wrench
• Repeat (more or less)

I stopped after each helix of 10 and ran a test cut. My (potentially flawed) logic here was that if there were a problem I could locate the problem out of the 10 I just did easier than out of 40. Each test after each helix of 10 was perfect and I am very happy. I have run this side of the four sided inserts for about 2 years; your mileage will most certainly vary. My advice on this task is to take your time, get comfortable, take breaks and stay diligent. The extra time spent on each insert is way less than doing the whole job again. I'm no mechanic and I had no mishaps and got a perfect result. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

[Dan Mooney]

Great post Glenn, I've been thinking about doing mine, I've got the GO452Z 6" so I only have to keep track of 8 per helix, no pressure!
I don't have an Inch pound torque wrench, just a big one.

[Bob Gibson]

Thanks Glenn. I'm saving up for the same jointer and wondered how difficult it is to change the cutters.

[Jeb Taylor]

I changed out my 15" grizzly planer, I think it took about 2 hrs for the whole thing. Probably half that time was cleaning the inserts. If I'd taken them all out, cleaned, then put all back in it would have been faster. Did you notice grizzly's idea of 55 in-lbs seemed awful high? I stripped 3 bolts getting the insert screws out on mine, luckily they shipped extras.

Also a 12v dewalt screwdriver set on lowest torque sped up running the screws in and out. It wasn't strong enough to break them loose though. Think I'll get a socket to go with an impact driver/mallet for the next time around, just in case.

[larry merlau]

I changed out my 15" grizzly planer, I think it took about 2 hrs for the whole thing. Probably half that time was cleaning the inserts. If I'd taken them all out, cleaned, then put all back in it would have been faster. Did you notice grizzly's idea of 55 in-lbs seemed awful high? I stripped 3 bolts getting the insert screws out on mine, luckily they shipped extras.

Also a 12v dewalt screwdriver set on lowest torque sped up running the screws in and out. It wasn't strong enough to break them loose though. Think I'll get a socket to go with an impact driver/mallet for the next time around, just in case.

so after running your planer awhile jeb how do you like the helix heads finish on the lumber? does it do good on tough reversed grain

[glenn bradley]

I don't have an Inch pound torque wrench, just a big one.

I ponied up the dough as I had read enough posts about folks having to go over everything a second time, or breaking inserts, or getting poor surface results, or whatever. I eased the pain of the $80 by using a 20% off at Sears and thinking about my planer which will be due somewhere down the line. I will say that 55 inch-pounds ain't much but, the proof is in the pudding; she cuts like a dream.

Did you notice grizzly's idea of 55 in-lbs seemed awful high? I stripped 3 bolts getting the insert screws out on mine, luckily they shipped extras.

The amount of use between initial install and my wanting to change them probably didn't make things any looser . I broke the torx tools Grizzly supplied on insert #18 and then changed from a steady counter-clockwise pressure to a controlled but firm "bump" with the heel of my hand on the 4" breaker bar I was holding the new torx bit with. This jarred them loose every time without further trouble. When I first broke a bit I stopped and wrote Grizzly tech support about the problem. The next day (after I was done) they responded saying to tap or "bump" the breaker as I had done. I guess that means they were right .

so after running your planer awhile jeb how do you like the helix heads finish on the lumber? does it do good on tough reversed grain

Not Jeb (nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night) but, I did just plane a stack of curly and bird's eye maple without incident.

[Jeb Taylor]

The amount of use between initial install and my wanting to change them probably didn't make things any looser . I broke the torx tools Grizzly supplied on insert #18 and then changed from a steady counter-clockwise pressure to a controlled but firm "bump" with the heel of my hand on the 4" breaker bar I was holding the new torx bit with. This jarred them loose every time without further trouble. When I first broke a bit I stopped and wrote Grizzly tech support about the problem. The next day (after I was done) they responded saying to tap or "bump" the breaker as I had done. I guess that means they were right .

An impact driver is a pretty handy tool if you haven't used one for that. You tap the back wtih a mallet, and it pushes in on the screw head while the impact makes it turn about 1/4 turn. I've removed many stripped socket head cap screws with one at work before. Didn't have a 3/8" drive torx socket to use it on the planer though.

Larry: Performance is great on it. It does great with reversing grains, you can put a board through it in just about any direction on the slower speed with sharp inserts and I can't tell the difference. Only minor tearing on the faster spead with reversing grains. You can easily rough plane at high speed, then just slow down for a 1/64" final pass and clean it up.

There are two things that might be a negative about it. My 1hp portable delta DC isn't strong enough on heavy cuts, I'd recommend a 1.5hp or better DC to go with the planer. It works fine on the main DC though The finish on the spiral head takes a little more sanding at the first grit to get rid of than my old lunchbox planer too. Very happy with it though, good finish, good power. If I were going to do a lot of 12-15" stuff I'd go with a 20" planer and 5hp motor. I planed a 15" walnut board and ended up backing my cuts down to about 1/32-3/64 because of the motor sounds. It does 10-12" at 1/16" cut without too much trouble though. It might have been fine with the 15" board, but I only had a short piece and didnt' want to push it.

[glenn bradley]

An impact driver is a pretty handy tool if you haven't used one for that.

A nice impact is on my lust list. Too many people have too many good things to say about owning one. There's gotta be something to it .

[larry merlau]

jeb,, are you using a 3hp planer on the 15" stuff or a lunch box one at smaller hp.. i had heard that the shelix heads take more hp to run because they are constantly cutting rather than cut and miss and cut again

[Jeb Taylor]

That's with the 3hp grizzly. Their 3hp 15" planers spec 3/32" max cut at full width, both straight blade and hellical. It's possible that the planer was fine to cut thicker and I was worrying without any need. It was the first time I had noticed the planer motor seem to strain. You should stop by and try it yourself next time you come this way

Glen, I wasn't talkign about an impact wrench. http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-29200-Ha...0964843&sr=1-1
Great tool for stuck bolts. I think mine's a proto. HF sells one for about $5, but I've never used theirs before.