Old Safe-T-Planer, new cutters?

[putnamm]

Do the StewMac cutters for the Safe-T-Planer work on the original Safe-T-Planer?

I inherited an original from my dad, and I want some additional cutters.

Thanks for your guidance/replies.

-Mark

[Bill McCall]

A question best for StewMac. Judging from their website, I would say probably.

My own take on these devices in drill presses is that they excessively wear the bearings, as drill presses are designed for a load in only the vertical axis, not the side loading that these devices will generate. How quickly that happens is a function of use. You don’t want to discover any wandering when you're drilling for the tuning machines.

Ymmv

[sunburst]

I shouldn't post this because I'm not sure about it, but I have Saf-T-planer and I sometimes use the Stewmac version. The cutters look the same and they look interchangeable. I have not tried to switch them so I'm only going by appearance.

As for lateral load on drill press bearings, it is true that that is not what the tool was designed for, but a sharp, well set-up Saf-T-planer, used correctly to removing an appropriate amount of wood per pass, does not impost an excessive lateral load on the tool. We let it cut more than make it cut.

[Bill McCall]

......... a sharp, well set-up Saf-T-planer, used correctly to removing an appropriate amount of wood per pass, does not impost an excessive lateral load on the tool. We let it cut more than make it cut.

I suspect that's an aspirational goal not practiced consistently and uniformly across all users.

[mikeyb2]

I don't know for sure, but I've searched for an answer to this question before, and concluded by reading through other forums that the cutters are not compatible. I hope somebody proves me wrong as I could do with some new ones myself.
Mike

[Richard500]

Mark,
First, the cutter can be resharpened many, many times. Second, the version I have (unknown origin) uses plain 1/4” square tool bits, (just went downstairs and measured). The bit is ground away on a diagonal, then a small rake ground on. Both easy on anything that will grind hardened steel. Final touch up on a stone, or a fine wheel. !/4” bits are available from any tool supply. Longer, of course. You can break to approximate length, or leave as is.
John is a little more correct: the lateral load is essentially balanced, and the diameter is not large enough to worry about. Some very badly built drill presses might have sloppy bearings, or no bearings at all, and could chatter, but even that shouldn’t harm the action. Where I’ve seen trouble is someone using a rosette cutter (trim work) on a sloppy drill press and having it do badly, but the rosette cutter isn’t moving over the surface. Plus, the usual Jacobs chuck on a drill press seldom has any accuracy, only a collet guarantees that. Even in a milling machine, with excellent bearings, a Jacobs can’t hang onto a milling cutter properly.