New Planer Head
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I don't have one, but I want one! They are awesome, have heard lots of good things! Quiter, smoother, less readout. Only downside is the carbide teeth can break easier if you hit metal or a really hard knot, but at least you don't have to replace all of them if that happens.
If only I could get them for my 12 1/2" grizzly.
If only I could get them for my 12 1/2" grizzly.
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In my honest opinion, they are over priced. Not a true helical head, leave marks that are more work to sand out then straight knives, take more hp then straight knives, can't take as deep of a cut and they will not hold up to a feeding mishap. They get hyped for tear out in exotics, but every exotic I have bought surfaced, was done so with straight knives. Most that buy them do so becsuse they can't set knives properly.
Knives are so easy to set...this shouldn't be an excuse...
We installed them on the jointer and planer a few years ago. I can't think of one reason why we would ever go back to a straight knife. In a perfect world, you can get a better cut with a straight knife but most times you're far better off with the shelix. How much better is going to depend on your machine.
As far as I understood it is a true helical and unlike the knock offs, the inserts are set at an angle like in a shear bit used on a router. I guess we will find out. One of the other reasons is fast ability to swap out knicked inserts vs shifting or re setting knives. I also dont have the worlds best dust extraction and would get a clog now and again. Thia head ia supposed to make smaller chips
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Yes those heads. Each cutter takes a scallop. It is not a smooth cut like a real helical head or straight knives.
I would put one in a jointer but never in my planer, unless I had a wide belt to run them through.
It also does not cost anywhere near what a true helical costs.
I've got the 20" on my planer at work and it is amazing. I do a ton of planing and can tell you that those teeth will cut forever. The 4 sides of those teeth should last you a very very long time with what you do.
You do need to make sure you clean very well before installing the blades so they seat properly but you should be able to run those for years before rotating unless you run stupid things through it. I run all kinds of wood plus composite decking through mine and they stay sharp. You'll figure out quickly the limits of your machine with varied stock. I can't see any HP difference being an issue.
Our planer was ran for years without a decent wide belt sander to compliment it and there was never a problem. I have found that having my infeed/outfeed rollers is much more critical to avoid chatter on the wood. I've never had a problem with my blades giving me marks unless I tried to take off to much. Its like anything you have to have common sense about it. If you try and take off 1/8" on your last pass you aren't going to have a silky smooth cut.
As happy as I am with mine, Darcy knows his stuff. You may have something different.
You do need to make sure you clean very well before installing the blades so they seat properly but you should be able to run those for years before rotating unless you run stupid things through it. I run all kinds of wood plus composite decking through mine and they stay sharp. You'll figure out quickly the limits of your machine with varied stock. I can't see any HP difference being an issue.
Our planer was ran for years without a decent wide belt sander to compliment it and there was never a problem. I have found that having my infeed/outfeed rollers is much more critical to avoid chatter on the wood. I've never had a problem with my blades giving me marks unless I tried to take off to much. Its like anything you have to have common sense about it. If you try and take off 1/8" on your last pass you aren't going to have a silky smooth cut.
As happy as I am with mine, Darcy knows his stuff. You may have something different.
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23,050 Posts
Grizzly makes a totally different insert type head. Just look at the geometry and the noticble difference in the way the cutters wrap the head and how many fewer there are.
I dislike grizzly, but that head is better then a byrd.
I don't like grizzly either but to be fair to them this planer has been put through **** and is still performing very well. That's all the grizzly we've got.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?105492-Spiral-Cutterhead-vs-Byrd-Shelix
It was posts from wood working forums and the made in the usa part that made me choose thr byrd.
It was posts from wood working forums and the made in the usa part that made me choose thr byrd.
+1
Woodworking is a realm where the sky is the limit on what you can get and what you can pay. You'll be fine. Us young guys can't have it all with the snap the fingers, it takes time to build up to the absolute best.
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