Spiral Cutterheads

[Eric.]

Worth the cost?  Thinking of upgrading...

[Sac]

What jointer are you planning on going with? I have a spiral head on my 12" Grizzly jointer. I love it. The blades are solid carbide and will last much longer than a HSS knife. It take a little longer to turn them for a new sharp tooth, but you also get four sides on each one. That is like four sets of blades. It will be nicer oif you ever plan to work with figured wood. I personally think that they are worth the money. I am going to upgrade my planer in the future and you better believe that it will have a spiral head.

[Vic]

I have the same jointer Sac has...LOVE it. I actually find the knives faster than trying to perfectly set the normal blades of a jointer. Just loosen, turn, tighten, done.

[flairwoodworks]

Eric,

Are you aware that all spiral cutterheads are not equal? Some present the cutter at 90-degrees, others at a slight shear angle (such as the Byrd Shelix). I upgraded to a Byrd because I liked the idea of not having to sharpen knives and having long-lasting carbide cutters with four edges. Also, the front cutters on my jointer are used more than the ones at the back so I can change them independantly as need be. Also, they are quick and easy to set (no fiddling, no jigs - just a Torx driver). I'm happy with the shear cutting spiral cutter head I have. I haven't used a straight spiral cutterhead.

[Mike M]

My Grizzly 8" jointer has the straight cutters and I have been very happy with it. The cutters seem to stay sharp forever. I used to have a straight blade jointer and planer and it was a PITA to change out the blades and then another pain to get them sharpened. The spiral cutters are virtually no maintenance.

I also have the Grizzly 15" planer with the same type of head.

Mike

[Eric.]

As usual, the answer is yes, get out the wallet.  

[mlingenfelter]

I recently bought the G0490X. This is the first spiral offset cutter I've used, and it's working great. I've been working with some Sapele lately, and I was getting a fare amount of tear out on my older jointer. With this new jointer, no tear out and a very smooth surface. The one thing I will say about the G0490X, is that it makes a somewhat loud clunking sound when it powers off. I talked to Grizzly about this. They say it's normal, and that it's a magnetic "brake" that stops the motor. I've gotten used to now, but at first I was concerned. Otherwise I'm loving this machine.

Mike

[Don65]

Hey guys, I need some advice.

I'm in te market for a joiner, probally a 6 in since size or space is limited in my shop.

I was looking at the Jet, which is very nice but pricy.

So now i'm look at the grizzly, and look like the spiral head cutter seems to be a forum favorite.

How does the Grizzly perform compared to others?

Any other brand I should look at in the same price range?

Hows the straight blade G0452P 6" x 46 compare?

Don

[Sac]

Hey guys, I need some advice.

I'm in te market for a joiner, probally a 6 in since size or space is limited in my shop.

I was looking at the Jet, which is very nice but pricy.

So now i'm look at the grizzly, and look like the spiral head cutter seems to be a forum favorite.

How does the Grizzly perform compared to others?

Any other brand I should look at in the same price range?

Hows the straight blade G0452P 6" x 46 compare?

Don

Hey Don, I had the same version of this, but without the "P". I also had it with the spiral head. I really enjoyed this machine. I did me just fine till I got my 12" Griz. I would recommend this machine to anyone want a good 6" machine.

[Hans Chen]

Grizzly helical cutter head use the straight carbide cutter and make will big noise when it cut the wood cause it use its full face to cut , the noise mainly because its design , not the other reason . maybe you can try the radius face carbide cutter and it might lower down the noise .

Byrd use the shear cutter design , when it cut the wood , the cutter will not totally meet the wood , so the machine will quieter than the Grizzly .

 

[Brendon_t]

Hans,  good info but fyi, that thread is almost 5 years old. 

[Eric.]

And I can answer my own question all these years later.  The answer is yes. 

[Brendon_t]

5 minutes ago, Eric. said:

And I can answer my own question all these years later.  The answer is yes. 

E did you go spiral on both your jointer and planer?

[Llama]

On 5/5/2011 at 10:37 PM, Eric. said:

Worth the cost?  Thinking of upgrading...

No.

[Eric.]

17 minutes ago, Brendon_t said:

E did you go spiral on both your jointer and planer?

Yes I did.  However, the Byrd I installed on the jointer now belongs to Cliff, but the new PM came with one, too.  The spiral in the jointer is only for convenience, but oh how convenient it is.  I wouldn't want to go back to straight knives, I can tell you that.  They're not cheap for sure, but worth every penny IMO.

[Tom King]

I've never used anything but straight knives, and have no reason to change.  I've installed knives so many times that I can install one in about 30 seconds though.

[Guest]

I have had a byrd head on my jointer for about 2 years.  I have never had a byrd head on my planer.   Overall I do think the byrd head is a net positive but not nearly as much as people think:

1) Sharp straight knives cut just as well as a byrd head, in my experience.  Even with figured stock (birdseye maple, most recently), light passes and slow speed with straight knives has worked fine for me.  

2) Carbide inserts do stay sharp (or sharp enough) longer 

3) to get the full benefits from a Byrd head, you do need to rotate every single cutter when it starts to dull.  If not, you will get ridges.  Not a huge deal, but it does negate one of the benefits of having a byrd head.  Rotating 50+ inserts is is no easier than replacing 3 knives.

4) A carbide insert can randomly shatter for no apparent reason.  Ask me how I know.  

My knives are starting to dull on my DW 735 planer (after about 6 months of hobby level use).  I am tempted to replace with a Byrd head simply so I won't have to worry about it for 2 years.  But $480 vs. $50 for new/sharpened knives seems kinda dumb.  

At the end of the day, I would say the primary benefit of a byrd head is about convenience, rather than quality of cut.  

 

[Chestnut]

1 hour ago, Mike. said:

I have had a byrd head on my jointer for about 2 years.  I have never had a byrd head on my planer.   Overall I do think the byrd head is a net positive but not nearly as much as people think:

1) Sharp straight knives cut just as well as a byrd head, in my experience.  Even with figured stock (birdseye maple, most recently), light passes and slow speed with straight knives has worked fine for me.  

2) Carbide inserts do stay sharp (or sharp enough) longer 

3) to get the full benefits from a Byrd head, you do need to rotate every single cutter when it starts to dull.  If not, you will get ridges.  Not a huge deal, but it does negate one of the benefits of having a byrd head.  Rotating 50+ inserts is is no easier than replacing 3 knives.

4) A carbide insert can randomly shatter for no apparent reason.  Ask me how I know.  

My knives are starting to dull on my DW 735 planer (after about 6 months of hobby level use).  I am tempted to replace with a Byrd head simply so I won't have to worry about it for 2 years.  But $480 vs. $50 for new/sharpened knives seems kinda dumb.  

At the end of the day, I would say the primary benefit of a byrd head is about convenience, rather than quality of cut.  

 

I'm having a hard time finding the bryd anymore for the 735. It used to be consistently in stock on amazon for $440 now it's $500 and only spotty. Grizzly doesn't have it on their website that i could find earlier today. I would buy one but i guess the strait knives have worked for me. If i stop trying to plane dirty wood they'd last longer but the carbide wouldn't help me there anyway.

Is any one else finding the bryd head hard to find for the 735?

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

I'm having a hard time finding the bryd anymore for the 735. It used to be consistently in stock on amazon for $440 now it's $500 and only spotty. Grizzly doesn't have it on their website that i could find earlier today. I would buy one but i guess the strait knives have worked for me. If i stop trying to plane dirty wood they'd last longer but the carbide wouldn't help me there anyway.

Is any one else finding the bryd head hard to find for the 735?

http://www.holbren.com/byrd-shelix-planer-heads/byrd-shelix-head-for-dewalt-dw735-planer-bearings-included-and-installed/

i think you can also buy directly from byrd. 

[Chestnut]

1 minute ago, Mike. said:

http://www.holbren.com/byrd-shelix-planer-heads/byrd-shelix-head-for-dewalt-dw735-planer-bearings-included-and-installed/

i think you can also buy directly from byrd. 

Thanks .... i guess I'm just bad at this search game, guess i should stop using amazon so much it's making me lazy.

[Eric.]

1 hour ago, Mike. said:

 

At the end of the day, I would say the primary benefit of a byrd head is about convenience, rather than quality of cut.  

 

 

Absolutely agree.  But it is a huge convenience IMO, and it all but eliminates the hassle of blade maintenance.  I don't plane "dirty" wood or reclaimed wood or anything that would prematurely dull or chip my cutters...so they stay sharp FOREVER.  I've had the Byrd in my planer for almost a year and a half now and I haven't touched a single cutter and it still cuts like the day I installed it.  I don't think the cut quality is that much better than freshly sharpened straight knives, but because the carbide stays sharp so much longer, the cut quality is better longer.  Straight knives dull fairly quickly in my experience.

 

15 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

I'm having a hard time finding the bryd anymore for the 735. It used to be consistently in stock on amazon for $440 now it's $500 and only spotty. Grizzly doesn't have it on their website that i could find earlier today. I would buy one but i guess the strait knives have worked for me. If i stop trying to plane dirty wood they'd last longer but the carbide wouldn't help me there anyway.

Is any one else finding the bryd head hard to find for the 735?

 

I wouldn't even bother putting a Byrd head on a 735.  It's like dropping a big block in a Chevette.  You need a four-poster to justify the expense.  IMO.

[Chestnut]

26 minutes ago, Eric. said:

I wouldn't even bother putting a Byrd head on a 735.  It's like dropping a big block in a Chevette.  You need a four-poster to justify the expense.  IMO.

I was always on the fence and this may be the convincing words for it. I was thinking it was more like attaching a blower to an anemic 283. I'll save my pennies for a jointer that has a helical head instead. I need a new jointer any way, i don't know how well the crapsman one that i have works.

[Cliff]

2 hours ago, Mike. said:

 

My knives are starting to dull on my DW 735 planer (after about 6 months of hobby level use).  I am tempted to replace with a Byrd head simply so I won't have to worry about it for 2 years.  But $480 vs. $50 for new/sharpened knives seems kinda dumb.  

 

 

I'm with you. I didn't wax my bed and used the 735 for the first time - caused the blades to get chipped or whatever so it leaves stupid gouges on one side. I turned two knives around but I still get a ridge so I need to get in there and do the third. But I'm just thinking how much easier life would be without straight blades. 

 

1 hour ago, Chestnut said:

I'm having a hard time finding the bryd anymore for the 735. It used to be consistently in stock on amazon for $440 now it's $500 and only spotty. Grizzly doesn't have it on their website that i could find earlier today. I would buy one but i guess the strait knives have worked for me. If i stop trying to plane dirty wood they'd last longer but the carbide wouldn't help me there anyway.

Is any one else finding the bryd head hard to find for the 735?

 

I noticed it disappeared from amazon too. The popularity of that planer is so high I can't see it possibly going away. 

 

1 hour ago, Chestnut said:

Thanks .... i guess I'm just bad at this search game, guess i should stop using amazon so much it's making me lazy.

Nonsense. Amazon is often my first and only stop  I average about 150-175 orders per year there. Which is probably going to be good for Marc since I changed my bookmark to his affiliate page recently.

I disagree with @Eric not because I know more than him (I don't,) but because a big boy planer isn't right for everyone, but nice cuts, ignoring grain direction and not having to deal with dumb straight blade replacement is for everyone! I'd love me a 15-20" planer but I have no idea where I would put it, in fact I'm gonna be hosed when I finally get a drum sander.

[Guest]

@Cliffhow did not waxing the bed cause damage to your planer knives?   FWIW I have never waxed my planer bed.  

[Cliff]

Just now, Mike. said:

@Cliffhow did not waxing the bed cause damage to your planer knives?   FWIW I have never waxed my planer bed.  

Honestly I don't know if that is what did it or not. Just a guess. Maybe someone else can enlighten me. It was 25 degrees, first time using it, put maple through it, it got stuck. I don't remember if I tried to nudge it through or not. I was taking a VERY light pass according to the gauge. I turned it off, raised the head and put wax on then put the board back through and had track marks all over the one side.  

Anyway - just a guess cause I couldn't figure out what else would cause it. It works great besides those tracks from the nicks.