I'm looking for a true multiprofile insert cutterhead. One where i can have any door profile ground into the knives.

I have seen a few systems that use interchangeable steel backers and carbide knives. Has anyone here used something like that?

Ive also read about corregated head but have no experience.

Any recommendations?

I use the HD heads from Global Tooling, lots of options for those. Vexor tooling has a similar head but have not used those. I've had custom knives ground for them using Dimensions in Tooling, another great company. The heads I use are available for a shaper as well as a molder which are the ones I use. Changing tips and backers can take a few but not to bad. If you change a lot, look at getting more heads so as to keep production moving vs spending time moving the backers and tips.
As far as corrugated heads, unless you have a good profile grinder and a scope to measure dimensions, I would not go that route. Just a few thousands of mis alignment and your door parts don't fit or are sloppy.
Overall, I would recommend one set of heads to start with depending on your production level, one for cope and one for stick.

Thanks for the message Dustin, its exactly what i needed. I got a quote on the Global Tooling Mini-HD multi pro last week.

Is indexing the knives difficult? which head are you using from them? I also looked at vexor and I believe they were a little more expensive.

We have used Great Lakes tooling heads with the steel backer. We did not use them for doors but other profiles.

The problem with corrugated knives is that every time they are sharpened the diameter changes.

Good luck.

Bill

I too have used the Great-Loc heads from Great Lakes Custom Tooling as well.

I have had backers and inserts ground for cabinet doors as well as other profiles and I highly recommend them.

Mark

are the great-loc heads easy to change profiles? Whats the ballpark price on those?

They are not cheap, but worth the money. If memory serves me correct, they are about $900 for a 125mm diameter head. The knives are easy to change and they locate perfectly.

Because I am running door profiles, I have 5 heads always set up so I don't have to swap out as often.

Mark

I'm using the 60mm wide x 5" dia ones that fit on my molder. Indexing is easy, remove the profile and if needed the backer. Toothbrush and air hose the pockets clean and install new ones again the locator screw on one end. I have used my molder tooling scope to double check alignment and don't think I have had to readjust them one time. I mainly use them for different tongue and groove profiles, not cabinet door stuff. I know it's available but I don't make cabinets so it's not needed for me.

Thanks Dustin, I feel better about them now, do you use them on the shaper with bushings (since they are 1 1/2") or do you only use on molder?

Mark, i contacted great lakes to get a quote thanks for the info!

Generally I only use them on the molder, I have used them on a shaper with T bushings. Not as good of results as the runout between the shaper spindle, the bushings and then the head don't give near as good of a finish as a direct bore. I know if I was going to do a lot of shaper work, I would invest in a few heads just for the shaper. I agree with Karl, if you are going to be swapping profiles often, buy more heads. As far as the shaper, make sure it's a big one with lots of weight, a good spindle and large power feed. I wouldn't go less than 7 1/2 HP, 10 would be better. That way you could also do raised panels or other deep heavy cuts in 1 pass making you more efficient.

Karl,
I have a t120c 7.5HP, that i use for coping, I have a 9hp Rockwell branded t120c with sliding table that i use for sticking. I also have a 7.5hp powermatic 28 and a 7.5 hp delta 43-792 sliding table shaper. All but the PM use 1 1/4 tooling but the t 120c's have interchangeable spindles. I have had issues with chatter in the past with the scm t-120c but its fine for cope. I use two 3 wheel powerfeeders for the sticking. I am considering a 7 wheel DC powerfeeder if $ permits they are on sale a shopgear.com rn.

Decent shapers. I always worry when shaper topics come up and people are swinging big diameter and heavy professional heads on hobbyist grade machines.

I do most of my sticking on a SCM T130 and coping on a PMK.

The rest of the shaper work is handled by 3 SAC shapers and I just picked up a Martin T26. I'm excited to get that Martin into the mix even though it won't see much use as a unit for doing miscellaneous work.