Replies

1. 
   jackplane | Jul 20, 2004 10:24pm | #1

   The spiral cutter is an advancement in planing.For one, less load is placed on the motor as the teeth helically move over the wood. Secondly, a smoother cut is given for this same action- not as many visible planer marks.

     I use an old Whitney with spiral knives, works very well.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/20/2004 3:25 pm ET by JACKPLANE

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/20/2004 4:03 pm ET by JACKPLANE

2. 
   JerryPacMan | Jul 21, 2004 12:28am | #2

   I have had a G0543 spiral cutter head 8" jointer on order since April 16th.  I am patiently awaiting it's arrival.  I'll will post a report on how I like it when it arrives.  

    

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/20/2004 5:29 pm ET by Jerry P

3. 
   Mackwood | Jul 21, 2004 05:17am | #3

   There is a gaggle of posts about this a few months ago but I don't know how to search either  LOL

   I have found out that there is a significant difference in cut quality and in purchase price between SPIRAL and HELICAL.  Do your homework before you buy either.  Grizzly offers the spiral at a cost increase of about $300 over a regular cutter.  The Bryd, true helical cutter head costs double that or more and must be retrofit to your machine. 

   It is my understanding (and I've been known to be wrong) that the spiral cutter still cuts with the cutting edge perpendicular to the line of feed.  The true helical cuts at a skewed angle which is supposed to give a dramatically better cut with virtually no tear out.

   This is only food for thought or further research as I have no personal experience with either.  I was toying with the idea of the 8" Grizzly with the spiral head.  Then I obtained an older 8" Rockwell for free but needing a table repair.  I hoping to get it up and running for under $500.  Off on another project!  LOL

   Regards,

   Mack

   "WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"

1. 
   BarryO | Jul 21, 2004 08:35pm | #4

   I asked the same question a little while ago.  Got the same spiral vs. helical replies.

   I have a 6" Grizzly with standard knives; looking at getting an 8" and considering the spiral.  To me, it's worth it not to have to bother with sharpening and setting the knives.  I'd be satisfied if the cut quality is as good as standard knives.  It sounds like that is the case.

1. 
   Jellyrug | Jul 22, 2004 03:51am | #5

   After reviewing a lot of old posts on this forum, I'm having doubts about the spiral cutter. I'm not running a production shop, meaning blade life is not that important.

   Some of the posts refer to cut lines which are visible, others say the cut was perfect until they applied a stain and the carbide cutting lines started showing.

   If I have to sand after planing, to remove lines, there is no point in getting a spiral cutter.

   Willie

1. 
   jackplane | Jul 22, 2004 06:16pm | #8

   Wood from any planer,spiral or not, will have to be sanded or hand-planed before finishing. Spiral planers leave less work for you, and run quieter than regular planers.

   The choice is yours.

4. 
   Quickstep | Jul 22, 2004 04:41pm | #6

   I have a small hand planer with a spiral cutter. The cut is definetly smoother and seems to feed more easily. I accidentally nicked a nail and have a chip in the cutter, so it produces a small hill when planing because of the chip. I mention this because unlike flat blades, you can't shift a knive to avoid the chip, and replacing or sharpening the spiral cutter is an expensive proposition (unless that has changed in recent years).

1. 
   AlanTurner | Jul 22, 2004 04:49pm | #7

   I have the Byrd on my 12" jointer. It does leave ridges, running the direction of the grain. Others have said like RR tracks. But, the important thing for me is that on figured woods, there is little or no tearout, and little or none when the grain switches, as it does in many boards.

   I would never leave the machine surface alone regardless, so these tracks are not a problem. A card scraper removes them in a heartbeat. A big plus is reduced feed pressure. On a 12" jointer with standard knives, if I were surfacing say 12" hard maple, one could work up a sweat in a hurry, but not with the Shelix. Much less pressure is required to push it.

   I haven't hit a nail yet, but if I do, each of the cutters has 4 sides, and can be rotated. They are not sharpenable, but each of the carbide inserts is replaceable. 10 extra come with the head, and I doubt I'll ever need to use them. I think they are about $2 @. My head had to be custom milled as it is a 1925 or so jointer. Big and heavy! I shipped the head to them, with the pillow blocks (probably built as a babbit bearing machine) and had them install the new head, with fresh bearings, right into the pillow blocks, so when I got it back, 4 bolts and I was up and running. They are fine people to deal with.

   I also have a 3" by 3" shaper head from them, which I use for pattern shaping, and it will do endgrain without tearout as well, which is pretty impressive to me.

   AlanAlan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

1. 
   Jellyrug | Jul 22, 2004 06:44pm | #9

   S4S,

   Can you do an air tight laminated glue-up, directly from the spiral cutter finished board?

   Don't have a jointer yet, hence the plan to purchase, but I do find the finish from my Stanley bench plane far superior, to a sanded finish. It's about cutting the fibers, rather than tearing them when sanding.

   Willie

1. 
   AlanTurner | Jul 22, 2004 11:39pm | #10

   The answer would be no, but I wouldn't try it. For that I have a drum sander, and would use it on the laminations for a bent lam. I agree with you on the hand planed surface, and if the wood is even modestly cooperative, then that is the way I go. A scraper is the alternative. With a 12" jointer, I don't need to flatten stock by hand too often, although once in a while I do.Alan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

2. 
   dlwheel | Jul 23, 2004 05:20am | #11

   I've been using my 12" SAC jointer with a Byrd head for the last two weeks... on white oak and walnut, there are NO ridges whatsoever. The surface is completely smooth. The main differences between this and my knife edge jointer are 1) noise level (Byrd is quieter by 25%); 2) less force to push the wood across the head; 3) the Byrd surface is not as shiny (the reason for this, IMO, is that the knife edge pounds on the surface and burnishes it; whereas the Byrd cuts with a sheering action).

   The only other head i would consider would be the tersa; but I'm very happy with the Byrd.

2. 
   301 | Jul 23, 2004 08:06am | #12

   Let me ask you a question:  do you think the ridges left in your surfaces have anything to do with feedrate?  I never hear people talk about slowing down feed rate when using a jointer but you know it just might make a difference.  Please try it and report back.

1. 
   RickL | Jul 23, 2004 10:39am | #13

   S4S said...

   "I have the Byrd on my 12" jointer. It does leave ridges, running the direction of the grain. Others have said like RR tracks."

   The clue is he said with the grain so feed isn't a factor. This is typical on this type of head in my experience. We run a staggered helical head on our moulder as a roughing head and it leaves those lines. The Byrd has the inserts on a slight skew which gives it that shearing action while our cutters are are straight but arranged in a helical pattern.

   http://olivermachinery.net/machines.asp?machine=4240

   Check out the new Oliver head. Powermatic has a similar thing in their new planer. HSS keeps a sharper edge initially than carbide and certainly is a lot cheaper. I've pretty much worked with every cutterhead style out there except this new Oliver. I'd be interested to try one out as well as try changing the blades to compare.

2. 
   AlanTurner | Jul 23, 2004 07:07pm | #14

   Rick has it right. Feed rate is not relevant to this type of mark. He has also correctly described the details of the Byrd "Shelix" head.

   AlanAlan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

1. 
   tufenhundel | Jul 23, 2004 07:44pm | #15

   Hi Alan:

   In addition to the reduced feed force with the Byrd, how does the noise level compare with a standard cutterhead?  Thanks.

2. 
   AlanTurner | Jul 23, 2004 09:32pm | #16

   It is much quieter! A very noticable difference. Mike Mastin at Curly Woods, in Tx., has them on his planer, and says that with a big planer running, he can stand close by and have a conversation with a customer. I talkded with him before making the purchase since is was a bit of an expenditure.

   Alan

   http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com

3. 
   tufenhundel | Jul 24, 2004 08:39am | #17

   Excellent!  I was also thinking of another high decibel tool like the planer.  I will have to relocate my shop soon, and noise control will be a big challenge.   Thanks.