Larger diameter spoilboard bits

[SCHEPEBC]

I have a panther with a carousel ATC and 5 hp spindle. Looking at buying a larger diameter spoilboard surfacing bit with inserts. Was looking at the vortex 7040 or 7030. These are 4” or 3” 3 wing surfacing bits with inserts. Seeing if anyone had any luck with these. They are so big I may have to take the cover off the carousel. Also worried if they will hit the puck that determines the height of the tool.
Thanks

[Gary Campbell]

Use the Amana 2 1/2" versions.

I always advise guys to surface with a "zero tool". In other words, unload your existing tools into the carousel. Place the surfacer in manually with the button, lower to surface, zero the z and run the file with no tool number in it.

Surfacers will conflict with many types and sizes of tool holders. They can also mess with low boundaries, if set tight. Use the "Zero tool"

[rcrawford]

I agree with Gary. Don't waste a precious toolholder for a spoil board tool! Buy an extra cone and load the spindle manually.

If you want to get real fancy, you can number the tool and have it load and unload at the front of your table (just make sure you are ready to catch it when it unloads!).

Then you can edit your spoil board surfacing file so that it automatically resets all the tools to a new Z0 that is 0.01" lower, then 'loads' your spoil board bit, and surfaces the table to the new Z0. This saves you from doing a tool measure on all the existing tools, and since you reset the offsets BEFORE surfacing the table, you don't have to worry about hitting the soft low Z boundary when trying to surface with the large bit. I have a post on here somewhere about adding the g-code to reset all your tool offsets without remeasuring. Saves a lot of time, especially if you are measuring 10 tools.

[Mick Martin]

I use a 4" Diameter Souhteast Tools Spoilboard Surfacing Cutter with Inserts.

[Rlee1972]

Originally Posted by Gary Campbell

Use the Amana 2 1/2" versions.

I always advise guys to surface with a "zero tool". In other words, unload your existing tools into the carousel. Place the surfacer in manually with the button, lower to surface, zero the z and run the file with no tool number in it.

Surfacers will conflict with many types and sizes of tool holders. They can also mess with low boundaries, if set tight. Use the "Zero tool"

If I can get you cornered long enough in line behind the other 100 people that have questions for you in a couple of weeks, I want to discuss this one a "bit" farther.

[Gary Campbell]

Ron...
Donations, cocktails and promises of semi cooked beef get you to the front of the line.

[Ger21]

On thing to be aware of with large diameter bits, is that the tramming of the spindle is much more critical. A very slightly out of tram spindle can leave ridges when surfacing with a large bit, while it may be perfectly fine for everything else you do.