[TBFGhost]

So I just got this bad larry....

Byrd Shelix.

I will prob install in this weekend. The new bearings for the planer should arrive tomorrow.



Anyone have one of these in their machines? What do you think?

 

[tyb525]

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.

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

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.

 

[tyb525]

...

 

[tyb525]

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...

 

[J.C.]

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.

 

[TBFGhost]

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

 

[nickko]

like darcy said they leave marks that are hard to sand out. you have to have a wide belt or a drum sander. if you get a speck of dirt or just a thin film of oil under a tooth when changing them or rotating them it will show up on your board.

nicko

 

[TBFGhost]

I dunno. I guess I will fing out. We are all talking about the shelix heads from bird and not the knock offs correct? There isnt one review under 5 stars on amazon.

 

[TBFGhost]

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/821

Its shows two sides. Negative snd positive

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

I dunno. I guess I will fing out. We are all talking about the shelix heads from bird and not the knock offs correct? There isnt one review under 5 stars on amazon.

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.

 

[Spencer]

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.

 

[Spencer]

This is mine. The blades do seat differently.

 

[WarnerConstInc.]

This is mine. The blades do seat differently.

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.

 

[Spencer]

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.

 

[tyb525]

Grizzly has some nice equipment in their higher end, it's the smaller hobby machines that aren't so good. But I am happy with my lunchbox planer, and it does have a faster feed rate than some other brands.

 

[TBFGhost]

http://forum.canadianwoodworking.co...3-Grizzly-Helical-head-vs-Shelix-any-opinions

http://forums.finewoodworking.com/f...d-machinery/helical-vs-straight-blade-planers

http://youtu.be/bb-OUeBRQ24

Thus video shows the sound difference

 

[TBFGhost]

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.

 

[tyb525]

Hey you ponied up the money to buy the thing, not us, so if it does what you want it to, who cares if someone else says it's not "supposed" to be good.

 

[Spencer]

Hey you ponied up the money to buy the thing, not us, so if it does what you want it to, who cares if someone else says it's not "supposed" to be good.

+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.