Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 27

Thread: Spiral cutterheads

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    so. jersey
    Posts
    192

    Spiral cutterheads

    Would like to hear from folks who have jointers or planers with spiral cutterheads. Were these heads factory installed or installed by owner/users? what do you think? Waiting to hear. Thanks/Ed

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Ogden, UT
    Posts
    947
    Here are some recent thread talking about spiral cutterheads.

    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ral+cutterhead
    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ral+cutterhead
    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ral+cutterhead
    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ral+cutterhead
    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ral+cutterhead

    Mine were installed by the dealer to accompany new purchases. I got some great deals on them. The spiral cutterheads were essentially free.

    There are two cons to spiral cutterheads: higher initial cost and the cutter leaves scallops width way of the boards. Pros are: they give a cleaner cut especially in figured woods, they are quieter, the long term cost is less, less blade changes.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Mosby's Confederacy
    Posts
    657
    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Butler View Post
    Pros are: they give a cleaner cut especially in figured woods, they are quieter, the long term cost is less, less blade changes.
    And knife height is fixed. I dropped one in my PM 54. And when I say dropped it in, it was almost literally that easy. Pull the old one, swap bearings, replace. 45 minutes, taking my time.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
    Posts
    11,896
    I put one in my Powermatic model 50 yesterday and it was maybe 45 minutes extra over a thorough tuneup.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Courtenay BC Canada
    Posts
    2,750
    I bought my planer with the cutterhead installed already.. I highly recommend it..
    I have to plane some 3A figured maple this afternoon.. looking forward to it..

  6. #6
    Matt - Where did you get your spiral head for your PM 50? I''m too lazy to look. I have not been looking forward to changing the blades and think that would be a great solution.
    Thanks John
    Don't take life too seriously. No one gets out alive anyway!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    The Hartland of Michigan
    Posts
    7,628
    If by spiral you also mean shelix, I recommend them. I put a Byrd shelix in my DW735 and couldn't be happier.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
    Posts
    11,896
    I ordered my Byrd through Holbren.


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Richmond, TX
    Posts
    409
    I have the Byrd on my 8" shopfox jointer and really like it. I ran a 6" wide board through the jointer last night, it sure does a nice job. I am considering a Byrd for the 18" woodmaster planer. What ever brand you get it will do a nice job, I think its worth the investment.

    Regards!
    Ed

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Stony Plain, Alberta
    Posts
    2,702
    I put a Byrd head in my General 480-1 a couple of years ago.
    Simple swap taking about an hour.
    Liked the job it did so much I upgraded to a new planer just about a year ago.
    Bought a 15" Powermatic that had a Byrd head in it from the factory.

    The scallops that are left by the cutters are long gone after the stock is sanded.

    Best upside for me is I haven't had to adjust a knife since...
    The jointer was not a big deal but I sure hated to change the knives on the planer.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Allen, TX
    Posts
    2,017
    Quote Originally Posted by ed vitanovec View Post
    I have the Byrd on my 8" shopfox jointer and really like it. I ran a 6" wide board through the jointer last night, it sure does a nice job. I am considering a Byrd for the 18" woodmaster planer. What ever brand you get it will do a nice job, I think its worth the investment.

    Regards!
    Ed
    i've got woodmaster's spiral head on my 718.

    it's passable as a planer with it, not so much without it really. the snipe is still there due to the rubber rollers and what not, but the cut is smooth.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,492
    Blog Entries
    1
    Have one in the jointer, love it. Wish I had one in the planer. I will have to decide whether to do as Myk did or just get a new machine. Tough times will help delay that decision . . . I knew there was an upside ;-)
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Spokane, Washington
    Posts
    4,021
    I put a Byrd in my MiniMax FS 35 J/P. Very pleased. Doesn't mind the curly stuff or knots either.

    Dan
    Eternity is an awfully long time, especially toward the end.

    -Woody Allen-

    Critiques on works posted are always welcome

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Camas, Wa
    Posts
    3,853
    I installed one in my Shop Fox W1741 8" jointer and love it. It wasn't difficult but I would describe it as a PITA. I am looking at getting a planner with one already installed.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Butler View Post
    the cutter leaves scallops
    Scalloping comes from too high a feed speed, i.e. the cuts don't have a chance to overlap. The Byrd cutter on my Grizzly 8" jointer applies three cuts per rotation, so the original 4-blade head has an theoretical advantage since it leaves 33% less room between cuts at a given speed.

    From a practical perspective, the ability to joint other materials without damaging the knives, the long life without sharpening, etc, far outweighs any theoretical loss from slower speed.

    It took me about three hours to replace the head, mainly because I cut my hand removing the original head and, not learning my lesson, cut my hand in seven different spots installing the new one. It slipped and in that split second I decided that cutting up my hand was preferable to dropping that brand new $350 head on the concrete. Wear gloves!!!
    Last edited by Cliff Holmes; 01-04-2010 at 8:11 AM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •