Page History: Clamshell Cutterheads
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Page Revision: 2008/04/06 17:18
A wide-ranging discussion of clamshell issues such as bolt head size, torque, use of loctite, etc. here
http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?t=31531
Ray Munro and Kirk Poore posted a number of photos of jointer clamshell heads here
http://owwm.org/viewtopic.php?t=28844
Oliver Clamshell in the front of this picture
Side view showing the cap. Oliver Clamshell is on the left (wood filler substituting for the knife). SCMI replacement head on the right (with knives in backwards so I do not cut myself)
Here is a picture of a square head that is set up to use thin (non slotted knives) with knife caps. The knives are retained by the cap, not the bolts directly. Could be called a "clamshell" I guess.
Here is a "Stutzman" head. It can be used as a square head, with slotted knives, or with caps that clamp the knives.
Clamshell illustration from an Oliver Catalog.
Porter Style "A" safety cylinder
The Porter Style "A" safety cylinder uses a slotted knife and has an unsupported "cap" portion that gives the head a cylindrical profile. The Porter had a replaceable wear strip/chip breaker located at the cutting edge of the knife. The Oliver head incorporated a similar replaceable strip that served as the knife seat and chipbreaker.
Cross section diagram of a Hall & Brown clamshell, contrasted with a square head.