Much to our disappointment we discovered today that a team member who is no longer here torqued the inserts on our helical planer cutterhead like an ape.

We are struggling to get them out, we've broken several Torx bits and twisted several others and are starting to run out of ideas. Thankfully we haven't broken a screw but we have one that's starting to strip.

Any suggestions here? My last thought is to pull the whole cutterhead and use the smoke wrench, but that's also going to destroy the temper on the carbide inserts, and I'm trying to avoid that because these inserts still have at least one good edge on them.

Get replacement screws
Fight the old ones out.
Put the knew ones in with a torque limiting tool. I use one from fixit sticks.
Check with the manufacture, but I think most of those fasteners are around only 30 in/lbs

I've had a similar situation, used molder head. Ended up drilling the screws and then using an easy out. I tried breaking the carbide tips but that was a long tedious process that caused more problems than solutions. Definitely worth getting the torque driver to not over do the screws.

Yeah we have some of the small "two finger" tab type keys for installing these and that's what I gave the guy who swapped them out.

I appreciate the help, we'll do what we can here. Thanks!

We use Torx screwdriver to install then and remove them. If I have trouble to remove one I use a Torx Bit in ratchet wrench the extra lever helps to get it released. We never install them that way.

Before laying the torch on the head try dribbling penetrating fluid between the insert and the body in the hope of working its way into the threads. Let it sit for half an hour. A cordless impact driver is good for breaking loose stuck bolts. An alternative is to hammer on the fastener with a brass punch. The percussion helps to loosen the fastener.

Hello,
I had the same problem with a moulder head. The solution I finally came up with is to break the inserts with a center punch I found they crack surprisingly easily when the insert is removed the screw should unscrew relatively easily. Always replace your screws they are very inexpensive compared to your cutter head.
good luck.

You don’t need to worry about annealing carbide with heat. It maintains the same hardness up to 1400* as at room temp.
An old machinist shared that with me, saying it can perform like a hot knife through butter.
Then I ask why it dulls so fast in wood when we use them dirty. I think that is from the chemicals in the wood vaporizing causes erosion more than the usual wear when the proper chip size takes the heat away with it.

A few other things you can try. Put the Torx bit into an impact driver and see if that will break them free. A 12v driver might do it but an 18v driver would give you a better shot at success.

The other thing to try is to simulate a hammer driver. Use an old insert tip screw driver and hammer tap the top as you apply twist to the screw driver.

Finally, while I never had an success with it, there is an alternative to penetrating oils like Kroil and PB Blaster. It is a spray on product that supposedly freezes the screw and causes it to shrink enough to release. I bought a can of it once and never got anywhere with it. But if it's still made it is an alternative to heating the inserts with a torch.

BH Davis