# Obsolete planer knives



## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

So just a few weeks ago I got a good deal on a Craftsman planer...model # 351.217130. The planer is in great shape and cuts really well. But...when I was looking for a used planer I didn't consider buying replacement knives. The direct replacement knives for this planer are model # 16121.00 and are not available ANYWHERE. 

I'm flipping this thing and buying a reconditioned Dewalt like I should have in the first place, aren't I? :furious:

Any other options?


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

I wouldn't be discouraged just because Craftsman blades are no longer available. Lot of the other manufactures use the same knives. Just measure the thickness, width and length of the knives. Then go to other Manfactures like Grizzly. etc and compare the dimensions. Chances are, someone will carry what you need.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

These blades have pre-drilled holes though, that haven't matched anything else I've seen. http://www.ereplacementparts.com/blade-p-976331.html


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## misterextreme (Sep 18, 2014)

Look up Huntley Audio on eBay. They have several packs of Craftsman knives with dims and pics.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Does your planer use all the holes in the knives as shown? Usually there's only 3 nibs per blade. Dewalt, etc have those disposable ones that might fit.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

I honestly haven't even taken them out. But, I know there are 8 pre-drilled holes and there are 6 screws holding the gibs down...so I assume that those 6 screws go through pre-drilled holes. I started to take the knives out the other day and those 6 screws were so tight I was bending the allen wrench, they never budged.

I emailed Huntley Audio and struck out.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

How many of the holes does your planer require? Take a look at the actual cutter head and see if the holes have anything in them.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

I've spent the past 20 minutes trying to get the screws out just to get to the gib/blades and they're not budging. Not one of the twelve (six on each side) will turn. Two of them are dangerously close to stripping. Such a stupid problem, but I'm about at a loss (and a loss of the $175 I paid for the planer, lol...)


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Do you have an impact driver that you could put the correct bit in?


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

I've got a beast of an impact driver, but it's going to take some thought to get an allen head bit in it. It looks like that's my best shot, I'll try it tomorrow. I've spent the last few minutes googling and it seems this isn't a unique problem.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

The holes are just for alignment pins and the bolts draw up to the sides of the knives and not actually through the holes. Get some RustBlaster and spray on all the bolts making sure a lot runs down the threads. Walk away and come back tomorrow. Don't worry about oil all over everything, you can clean it all up later. If you can remove the WHOLE cutter head, then you could use a propane torch on the bolts too. Heat them up and them spray with RustBlaster while hot. When it cools, the oil will get wicked into the crevices and you should eventually be able to loosen then. Be Patient and don't over torque the bolts; you'll twist then right off.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Bleedinblue said:


> I've spent the past 20 minutes trying to get the screws out just to get to the gib/blades and they're not budging. Not one of the twelve (six on each side) will turn. Two of them are dangerously close to stripping. Such a stupid problem, but I'm about at a loss (and a loss of the $175 I paid for the planer, lol...)


What penetrating oil have you used?

George


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## Stevedore (Dec 28, 2011)

I would try heat, as someone else suggested. It's possible that the screws were installed with some sort of thread locker, which heat may help release. I'd try playing a small flame across one of the screw heads, then see if I could loosen it. More torque, or an impact driver, may strip or break the screw head. 

To minimize the chance of stripping the screw head socket, I'd make sure my hex bit was in good shape. If the end is rounded at all, I'd grind a flat face on it, to get the maximum usable depth possible.

Good luck!


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Heating the bolt won't work, you need to heat the area around it, which will be difficult as its under the knives.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Sorry to disagree, but HEATING it will Work. It helps break the bolt free. I've done it lots of times. True, I think you are talking about thermal expansion of the bolt inside a 'colder' hole, but when used in conjunction with some sort of penetrating oil, it will work. Let the bolt cool some before trying to loosen it with a wrench.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I'd agree if you could get penetrating oil into the hole, but it's a blind hole, covered by a knife and a knife cap, then covered by a screw head. I agree it would work on a stud with a nut, but don't see how it would work this way. 

I still maintain an impact driver is a good option. I've used them many times to get stubborn bolts out. 

Who knows...we both could be wrong. I'm just stating what my plan would be.


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

Are you guys talking about an impact driver that a battery goes in, or one of the old kind where you hit it with a hammer? I've used the latter many times and have yet to find something it won't get out, and it never strips anything.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I'm taking about a battery operated one, as hitting the cutter head with sufficient force to dislodge the bolt could bend the cutter head.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

I don't have any penetrating oil on hand, I sprayed it last night with some dry lubricant but that didn't do anything, not surprisingly. I really don't see how any oil is going to get to the threads at all, nothing is exposed.

I picked up a new hex bit to go onto my impact. Now I have three stripped bolts and all twelve are just as tight as they were before. I didn't try heat (I don't have a torch)

I'm punting this thing. All this aggrevation just to get the blades out, just so I can try to figure out how to make some other blades fit, just doesn't seem worth it to me. It's a shame because it's a perfectly decent planer. The way used lunchbox planers sell around here I'm pretty sure I can be completely honest and still get a good chunk of my money back.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I can't think of too much of anything that heat won't work on. 

When I have a lot of trouble with rusted screws and bolts I use acid. But I'm not saying YOU should. I'm an acid expert. And I fear it not. 

Al


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

_Unnecessary comment removed._


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Lol.....no comment


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

ryan50hrl said:


> Lol.....no comment


lol :thumbsup:


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## misterextreme (Sep 18, 2014)

Bleedinblue said:


> I don't have any penetrating oil on hand, I sprayed it last night with some dry lubricant but that didn't do anything, not surprisingly. I really don't see how any oil is going to get to the threads at all, nothing is exposed.
> 
> I picked up a new hex bit to go onto my impact. Now I have three stripped bolts and all twelve are just as tight as they were before. I didn't try heat (I don't have a torch)
> 
> I'm punting this thing. All this aggrevation just to get the blades out, just so I can try to figure out how to make some other blades fit, just doesn't seem worth it to me. It's a shame because it's a perfectly decent planer. The way used lunchbox planers sell around here I'm pretty sure I can be completely honest and still get a good chunk of my money back.



I feel your pain Bleedinblue. I experienced almost the same situation with my Craftsman Professional 13". Replacement knives were in my opinion were pricy with outrageous shipping cost from Searspartsdirect. When I went to measure the knives, the bolts were extremely difficult to remove. Ended up stripping out one bolt on each of the three hold downs. What made me more frustrated was that this happened on a NEW planer. Exchanging it for another was not an option since it was a nib close out, and may have been the last available in my state. Ended up spending three hours with vice grips to remove the three stripped mushroom bolts. Replaced all 18 bolts with stainless ones and found replacement knives on eBay for a fraction of cost.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

To be fair.....I stripped 2 of the bolts in my dw735 planer too.....it's not just the cheap lunchbox planers.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Yeah, the bolts probably need some anti-seize on them. If I knew I could get blades, I'd get these bolts out. But wasting more time on them just to get to another problem? Ehhhh...

So I need to order a new one. The DW734R is still $360 on Amazon, but there is a seller on Ebay who sells Delta 22-555's for $299 with free shipping. Is the third blade on the Dewalt so great? Pretty much all of these things seem dang near identical when it comes down to it, there are just minor differences. The Delta has an extra half inch of width, but maaaybe the Dewalt's tables are longer?


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

The dewalt is the better in my opinion.....and knives are stocked just about everywhere.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Looking closer I think the infeed and outfeed tables on the Dewalt are definitely longer. I think that seals the deal alone.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Done deal, the DeWalt should be here in a few days. The Craftsman will be back up on Craigslist tomorrow.


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