Thread: Q's About 8" Helical Head Upgrade on CTJ-350

Perhaps a little out of budget but made for your jointer. So the extra cost is for peace of mind.

SHELIX for CARBA TEC 8'' Jointer, CTJ-350

Thanks, yes the Shelix heads are out of my price range especially since the CTS ones are pretty good too and usually about $100 cheaper or more. I just need to figure which CTS head I need for my jointer.

I did mine using the Shellix head. I had to take the the old head to a mechanic shop to get the pulley off. Otherwise, it was a fairly easy changeover, and I’m not particularly mechanically minded. Produces a brilliant result. Can’t help regarding the Hafco choice though..

cheers,

ajw

mmm. You may be safest getting at the head and measuring it. Maybe timed for when you decide you definitely want to go ahead - pull the old head, check measurements, order and replace.

Mine's in pieces at the moment, so I checked - cutter head is 84mm OD, which doesn't correspond to either of the Hafco's. I can't check the shaft size as it's still buried in the bearing housing blocks.

Think my machine is older than your though (around 15 years), so there may be differences, but the Shelix website only has one option for a replacement CTJ-350 head, which makes me wonder if they ever changed. ie the Hafco's won't fit.

I was quoted $695 for a CTS cutter head (wizardproducts), which is not much more than the 2nd HAFCO option

Hi Phil, I have a 6" carbatec jointer about 8 years old which I recently converted to a CTS helical from Robert Gregory Woodcraft Supplies in QLD.
Extremely happy with it and very easy to fit although I also had to have someone else take the bearings off. I would recommend buying new bearings also.

Sweet, thanks for the replies guys

This is the link to Wizard and they mention the CTJ-350

Spiral Cutter blocks - Helical Cutter Blocks

Originally Posted by samo

Perhaps a little out of budget but made for your jointer. So the extra cost is for peace of mind.

SHELIX for CARBA TEC 8'' Jointer, CTJ-350

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Bernmc

mmm. You may be safest getting at the head and measuring it. Maybe timed for when you decide you definitely want to go ahead - pull the old head, check measurements, order and replace.

Mine's in pieces at the moment, so I checked - cutter head is 84mm OD, which doesn't correspond to either of the Hafco's. I can't check the shaft size as it's still buried in the bearing housing blocks.

Think my machine is older than your though (around 15 years), so there may be differences, but the Shelix website only has one option for a replacement CTJ-350 head, which makes me wonder if they ever changed. ie the Hafco's won't fit.

I was quoted $695 for a CTS cutter head (wizardproducts), which is not much more than the 2nd HAFCO option

I helped with one of these conversions albeit a different machine. The blade cutting diameter is greater than the new head because the cutters do not protrude from the head anywhere near what straight blade does.

Originally Posted by ajw

I had to take the the old head to a mechanic shop to get the pulley off.

Bearing pullers are cheap. I think I paid $40 for mine at Supercheap. Easy to use as well. I have used it a fair bit since I have had it, works on pulleys as well.

I did my Shelix upgrade to my 8" jointer and 15" thicknesser a few years ago. Jointer was a CTJ-350. I can't remember any discussion on the age of the machine as far as selecting the right head to fit, so I believe it is one size fits all CTJ-350's.