planer and byrd head question

[MattJ]

Guys -

I have a powermatic 100 that's been a great 12" planer.  Right now it has straight HSS knives and I've though about the byrd insert head for it as changing blades is a pain and tearout can get bad with the figured wood I like to feed it.  My only issue is it has a non-original 1.5hp GE triclad motor.  That limits most planing to 1/16" per pass with some softer wood OK running at 1/8".  I'm wondering if I could still do these passes with a Byrd head or if I'd need to kick up the HP to maybe 3.

Also has anyone heard of CTS manufacturing heads?  They have a head for this planer as well.

Thanks

Matt

[Just Me]

 You are borderline on HP now, adding a Byrd type head will make it a bit worse. You may be able to change sprockets and slow down your feed rate a bit which is the same as adding HP if you don't mind the slower speed.

[Bill Gaiche]

I think you would be ok. I feel that my 20" planer pulls less amps than with the knives. Call Byrd and ask them about it. bg

[Just Me]

I had a Powermatic 50 I used on site that was low on HP. When I added the Byrd I could not take as heavy a cut. Bumped up the HP and it was fine. Bill may have excess HP so it doesn't show.

A 100 was my first planer. Nice machine.

The other Larry

[MattJ]

Thanks, I've liked it as well.  Thanks all for the advice.  I might combo the motor and head together as an upgrade.  I bought it in great shape from a school surplus for $100 and its been an awesome planer. 

[Cedarman]

When I switched our 26" from straight knives to helical head.  We could plane a much deeper and wider, so the HP needed was a good bit less.  We used to smoke belts with the straight knives, very rarely with the new heads that have been on for many years now.
Don't know why smaller machines would need more HP with Byrd heads.

[hackberry jake]

It seems to me like the older electric motors were under-rated. I went from an 18" woodmaster with a modern 5hp motor to an old powermatic 160 (16") with a 3hp motor. The powermatic will plane circles around the woodmaster. I can take off over 1/4" planing a 12" wide board with the powermatic. The woodmaster would've fell on its face if I would've tried that.