Jet jointer with spiral-toothed cutter block?

At the melbourne wood show (that I wasn't going to go to except that I had a free ticket and needed some polish reviver) I pulled back the safety on a Jet jointer to reveal a cutter block configuration I've only ever seen once before and not on woodworking machinery - a 30 tooth spiral cutter block.

Each tooth is four sided so you effectively get four sets of blades, albeit thery are TC and thus disposable. No need for magnets or jigs to align each tooth as you do with blades as they are keyed into the cutter head. The idea of a spiral cutter is long overdue, but does anyone know much about the ones (aftermarket I believe - like that attached below) that are being used on the JET gear (from woodworking warehouse)?

Cheers,
Eastie

More info please Eastie!

There's a bit of info about them back here. Another good feature is that if you send a nail through you only have to replace the damaged inserts not the whole lot.

Many thanks Dan - my search didn't reveal much

Brilliant cutter block:D Not so brilliant $$$$ :( Try around $700 for the 6" I have never used a finner cutter head and its whisper quiet. Simply outstanding.

These have been around for a while now. You can buy kits to replace your current cutters too.

I have my eye on these, and as soon as I can afford it I will get them.

http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FU...ARTNUM=120-041

http://www.woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FU...ARTNUM=120-047

Al :)

Just thinking laterally here, has it occured to anyone they could buy another jointer for that kind of money?

Have one jointer to rough down and another for fine finish passes?

:confused:

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Originally Posted by Groggy

Just thinking laterally here, has it occured to anyone they could buy another jointer for that kind of money?

Have one jointer to rough down and another for fine finish passes?

:confused:

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The 6" Jet on its own at the show is $650 with standard cutter block and with the Helical Tungsten Head is :eek: $1395 :eek: But i used it a fair bit to day and just loved it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lignum

The 6" Jet on its own at the show is $650 with standard cutter block and with the Helical Tungsten Head is :eek: $1395 :eek: But i used it a fair bit to day and just loved it.

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And no where as noisy as a straight cutter head from what I hear.

Al :cool:

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Originally Posted by ozwinner

And no where as noisy as a straight cutter head from what I hear.

Al :cool:

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Whisper quiet. Amazing it was. If anyone is at the show tomorrow they should pop over to the W W House stand and make your self known as a forumite and ill give you a good squiz at the cutter ;)

From what i have been told, the major advantage is for curlie grain timbers. The spiral will help reduce tear out quite a bit from what i have been told. As for the finish quality it is apparently not quite as good as HSS blades. There is also a few different ideas on the spiral configuration also.
Sinjin