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Cutter head and non-turning bolts: edit - BANG!

S

StevieB

Nordic Pine
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I have an Axminster CT330 thicknesser, about 5 years old. The knives are held in the cutter head by a gib strip, with 6 bolts that go through both the strip and the knife and into the head itself. Each bolt has a hex recess for a supplied allan key. Of the 12 bolts, only 1 turned. Application of heat (blow torch) released another 9 but I have 2 bolts that will not shift, and the heads are of course made of cheese and round over inside the recess as soon as any force is applied. So a couple of questions:

Is there anything I can do apart from drill these out, which will then mean those bolt holes are useless. If I don't then I cannot change the blades. There is no room to file a slot as the cutter head is recessed into the thicknesser.

I have tried heat and WD40 - is there anything else I can try to release these bolts and perhaps get enough purchase to remove them? They are dome headed so spanners will not work.

Really annoyed at this silliest of designs - I cannot see an obvious way to get the cutter head out either. If anyone else has come across this problem how did you solve it without ruining the machine, skinning your knuckles or throwing an allan key across the workshop in a fit of frustration?!

Steve
 
Drilling out doesn't necessarily ruin the thread if you use a smaller sized drill and take great care - I drilled out a 3mm bolt that had lost its head yesterday.
Have you tried Plusgas?

Rod
 
Try brake fluid rather than WD40. Just don't spill it on the paintwork.
 
Many thanks - just ordered some plusgas!

Rod - but how did you extract the bolt once you had a 3mm hole in the end of it? I might be being dense here, but I cannot see how having a hole in the top of the bolt helps :eusa-think:

Steve
 
The broken off bolt actually came out with the drilling. It broke the bond and came out with the drill.
You can get screw extractors but I don't know if they go that small?

Rod
 
Another approach when getting fairly desperate is to weld a lever onto the damaged head. The heat of the welding and the increased leverage usually loosen them. Once it's moving you might need to angle grind the lever off in order to turn it more than 180 degrees. THINK ahead when you first weld on the lever so you have both room to turn it in the right direction and also to get a grinder in.

Bob
 
Have you called Axminster ? They might have a suggestion.
 
along with Rogers idea, I would suggest welding (if you have a welder) .. but ! .. weld a nut to the head :-)
put the nut over the head and weld through the center. Same thing with the heat shock etc, and then you can get a decent spanner on the bolt. .. it can take a couple of goes depending on how stuck it is :-)
 
Thanks chaps - I have plusgas and screw extractors on order which will hopefully arrive today or Monday. I don't have a welder but I could be tempted.... another slope I fear! Will let you know how I get on.

Steve
 
You may not have access to do it but could you cut a screwdriver slot in the dome head with either a hacksaw or dremel disc then just undo with a big screwdriver?
 
Success! Drilled a small hole in the bolt head and used screw extractors with a socket wrench to get the last 2 out. I then spend a frustrating 5 minutes getting the bolt off the screw extractor, which by definition needs to cut into the bolt head :eusa-doh: All sorted now and will be sourcing some M6 x 16mm hex head bolts as replacements!

Thanks for all the advice, I will keep an eye out for other jobs that might necessitate me buying a welder!

Steve
 
'High tensile' allen screws/bolts should have tougher heads than softer mild steel ones. Stainless is pretty hard too if you don't see HT in the size you want.
 
My experience seems to differ from Roberts. I would hold out for high tensile steel - usually black, and avoid stainless steel for this sort of job.
Go for a known brand ideally rather than risking Chinese cheese set screws. Despite the naff sounding name, Unbrako are one of the very good brands.

Bob
 
Oh Dear, and I thought I was doing so well..... having put it all back together with new knives I fired it up and BANG :o I think heating the bolts to get them out may have weakened them - heads sheared off at least 2, gib strip then came loose and started to flail about, cutter head got jammed and the belt then melted and snapped

cutter2_zps1gdecepz.jpg


cuter3_zpsdexqhdge.jpg


cutter1_zpsn6bwp0ue.jpg


The inside of the case is now bent as well and I am not sure whether this can be repaired. Will be on the phone to Axminster tomorrow to see if they can supply bolts, gib strip and a belt, but this model is not now current so might be a long shot. I would also need new knives as one has snapped. There is also a small release bolt inside that seems to keep an arm locked onto the cutter head when not in use to stop it turning. I cannot for the life of me see how this is released when the machine is fired up, but this has also sheared off and might mean the arm has to be removed to make it work as well - but will it then not brake? :eusa-think:

At least nobody was hurt as pieces didn't go flying, but I am part way through a job and therefore need this repaired or to buy a replacement asap, an expense I could well do without currently :evil:

Steve
 
Bloody hell! Glad you're OK, Steve. That could have been really nasty.
 
Steve, I don't know whereabouts you are but you are welcome to borrow my Delta thicknesser while you get yours' sorted out.
 
'kinell!! that could have been so very nasty.

That little locking device is common to many lunch box planers and is released when the dust cover/extraction chute is re-fitted.

If the planer frame has been bent in the accident, you might find it will never plane true and with zero snipe a bit like a car that has been in a shunt will often eat tyres as it has a twist in it.

I'd spend a bit of time making sure the cutter block runs absolutely true to the other rollers and the table before spending out too much on spare parts for it.

I sold my DW733 only a few weeks back as you could have had that off me.....

Good Luck

Bob
 
Thanks chaps. Too far away Roger, but thanks for the offer - very generous of you. On looking at costs I think I am going to pick up a new Jet from Axminster tomorrow rather than try and repair - as you say Bob it might not run true and it will cost me £48 for new knives plus spares if I can get them so a significant chunk of the cost of a new one.

Good call on the lever Bob, makes perfect sense looking at it!

Steve
 
Like the others have said the most important thing is that you are OK.

Can't say I understand what happened though. I can see bolt heats coming off if the blades impact something but it seems unlikely they would just fall off due to the head spinning.

Did the machine run for a while and then destroy itself or was it instant upon switch on?
 
oh dear .. you had an oopsie ! lol

just keeping it light hearted ! :-)



I guess I thought it was too obvious to say get new bolts ? :-( .. Sorry
I'm into classic cars, and important bolts are always replaced for new
just standard practise, so I didn't think to say

glad all is safe and everyone is uninjured :)
 
Jet collected and job finished, Axminster reckon they can get spares so I may try and repair the CT330 but not urgent.

Rob - it went bang very quickly then spun quite happily - on opening it up clearly the gib strip let loose (I presume after bolt heads sheared off through the gib strip pressing upwards due to centrifugal force - the cutter head spins at 9000 rpm) the cutter head then stopped spinning as the gib strip hit the case, and the belt then melted/split meaning the motor then spun quite happily as it had no load.

Didn't feel dangerous, didn't have time to panic either!

Steve
 
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