Replies

1. 
   RalphBarker | May 18, 2009 05:01am | #1

   I like to set mine at 1/32" (0.03125" or 0.79375mm), and then take that into consideration when I'm making rough cuts on the table saw. That way, I know how many passes on the jointer will get me to a typical finished dimension.

2. 
   flairwoodworks | May 19, 2009 03:04am | #2

   Jeff,

   So, just how much did this new jointer cost you? With the sale of your old jointer and dust collector, did you end up with more or less than before?

   I don't have a "general" setting on my jointer. I use my jointer for prepping rough stock and am always changing the setting (lever, not crank).

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
   and now www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

3. 
   JMartinsky | May 19, 2009 05:49am | #3

   Dear Jeff,
   I have a 54A that I put a Shelix in and I think that I am a bit sick over what I spent! One question: What is your opinion of the "Grizzly" spiral vs the Shelix?

   Best,

   John

1. 
   jeff100 | May 19, 2009 06:44am | #4

   I sold the Powermatic jointer for $550.00. I think I gave the buyer a heck of a deal considering the excellent condition of the jointer and the shelix upgrade. The DC sold for $275.00. The Griz jointer is on sale for $895.00 + shipping. Originally I was going to pick up the machine in Bellingham, about 90 miles from where I live and save the shipping costs. Unfortunately the weekend before my trip I was out running my hunting dogs and took a hard fall, doing some significant damage to my ribs and partially collapsing a lung. Out of breath and out of time with Grizzly, I had to opt for shipping my machine. Not counting shipping or sales tax, the upgrade cost me about $75.00 out of pocket.I will say that looking at the pictures of the Grizzly spiral cutter on all the newer 8" Grizzly jointers, they appear to be of different construction from the spiral cutter on the G0593, which is being closed out according to the sales rep I dealt with. So the following comments apply ONLY to the G0593. In appearance, the difference between the Shelix cutter I had in my Powermatic and the Grizzly spiral cutter IN THE G0593 is insignificant IMO. The cutter on the G0593 looks remarkably like the Shelix head, and in use I can not tell the difference between the two. Given the identical performance, my expectation is this cutting head is comparable in every way to the Shelix. I would not be surprised to find out it IS a Shelix cutter, but I don't know that to be true or not.As for the cost of the upgrade in my Powermatic, it was significant at the time. However, I can not compare an indexable carbide spiral cutter with the original three knife HSS cutter. The carbide cutter is vastly superior in every way. Significantly quieter, a dramatic reduction in cutting forces, a smooth finish on the most challenging hardwood grain. I would expect the reduction in cutting forces to dramatically reduce the wear and tear on the jointer motor and bearings, and frankly, for cutting wood, given reasonable judgment and care, with the few extra inserts that came with the machine, I don't expect to ever buy another cutter for this machine in my life. Just as I would not consider using a HSS blade in my table saw in leu of a carbide tipped blade, I would similarly not consider using HSS knives in my jointer. As I expect to continue working wood for the rest of my life, hopefully 20 to 30 more years, when funds become available, I will be upgrading my 16" planer to a spiral carbide cutter as well.I find it remarkable that carbide insert cutting technology has taken so long to find it's way into use in mainstream woodworking. I suppose cost is the reason why. Yet if you factor in savings from the requisite sharpening that HSS knives require that carbide cutters do not, over a lifetime of use, I would suggest that cost is not a dramatic advantage for HSS.I don't remember when carbide cutting technology was first introduced to metalworking (I suspect WWII) but I served my apprenticeship as a machinist in the mid seventies. Carbide cutting technology was mainstream in metalworking at that time. Vastly superior to HSS cutters in machining most metals, use of carbide cutting technology then and now was only limited by it's cost. To this day, in production metalworking, carbide cutters still reign superior, HSS is not even a consideration for many machining operations. Some metallic alloys are impossible to effectively machine with any other cutting tools except carbide.

   Edited 5/18/2009 11:50 pm by jeff100