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Spiral heads

Started by xlogger, November 23, 2014, 05:54:59 AM

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Larry

I'm not sure who was the first with the concept of an spiral inserted tooth head but it wasn't Byrd.  Oliver had there ITCH head years before and actually may still be the leader.  The inserts can be re-sharpened in place with a diamond wheel which completely eliminates the faint lines common on today's insert heads.

Byrd does have one feature that separates them from the rest on the market.  The inserts have a shearing cut.  I'm not sure this is a big advantage in use, but it certainly is a selling point.  BTW the Oliver ITCH also had a shearing cut.

It would not surprise me if others had insert heads even earlier.

I will agree that they are expensive but worth the price.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Don_Papenburg

I prefer the inserts to contact the wood straight on .The one I put in my jointer is set up that way and it does a good job with no lines.  The byrd that I put in my planer leaves the faint lines in the wood and pronounced lines in knots and the wood surrounding the knots.  It adds sanding time to the job . I hate sanding.
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

WDH

I believe as the cutters dull down, those faint lines start appearing. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Larry

When my Byrd was new I got those faint lines.  I never investigated or tried to correct as they were so light that one swipe with fine sandpaper would erase them.  The first time I turned the inserts I pulled them all (after marking the used edge).  Washed the head with lacquer thinner and scrubbed with a brass brush.  Blew it out with compressed air.  Re-installed the inserts and presto....no more lines.

Based on that experience I think there may have been a chip or two of metal under an insert when it was assembled.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Bill Gaiche

Larry, I haven't seen any lines in the lumber that I have ran thru my Byrd heads on jointer or planer. I did check all the screws that hold the carbide cutters and found that they were not all tightened equally. I checked everyone and tightened as needed. This may be a problem with leaving lines if they aren't all tightened the same also. bg

xlogger

local wood workers shop has the jet 20", 5hp with the spiral head on sale with 15% off. I kind of wanted a woodmaster but just might go that way. Now to just off my wallet. Also going to get a router table, is the router lift worth the extra money?
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

Evergreen Man

I'm thinking of getting a spiral head for my woodmaster with carbides, but I'm nervous of how long they will last. It's pretty common for me to be planing lumber with some grit on it, nothing I can do to avoid it. It's not uncommon for my straight blades to start leaving lines after less than a 1'000 feet, thier cheap to get sharpened, but most of the time I have to just put up with nasty lines and try to sand them out.

Will the spiral carbide stand up to a little grit or will I be wasting my money?
I used to think I was crazy, then I realized: I'm the only normal one.

Bill Gaiche

E/M I can't say for sure how much longer a carbide cutter will last over a high speed steel blade. But I would think it will last at least 3 to 4 times longer. You can change the dull ones as needed without doing all that blade setup every time. It only takes a few minutes to rotate or change a cutter. That alone would be a big time saver. bg

21incher

Quote from: Evergreen Man on February 28, 2015, 11:40:47 PM
I'm thinking of getting a spiral head for my woodmaster with carbides, but I'm nervous of how long they will last. It's pretty common for me to be planing lumber with some grit on it, nothing I can do to avoid it. It's not uncommon for my straight blades to start leaving lines after less than a 1'000 feet, thier cheap to get sharpened, but most of the time I have to just put up with nasty lines and try to sand them out.

Will the spiral carbide stand up to a little grit or will I be wasting my money?
I just made a bunch of glue ups for maple tops and the inserts on my jointer head stood up to the hardened glue with no problem while the steel blades on my planer got small nicks in a short time. I think the carbide inserts will take 10 times the abuse of steel blades. :)
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Evergreen Man

I used to think I was crazy, then I realized: I'm the only normal one.

petefrom bearswamp

Takes me a good hr to rotate the cutters on my 20" bridgewood, 128 cutters,
I clean the head well to be certain no stuff is under when rotating.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

xlogger

The sale on the 20" jet planer with the spiral head ends Monday. The reviews I see are mostly good on the machine. But most are about 4 years back with one newer one being not so good. Anyone here got one and can tell me how it does? I think most what I hear is about the motors, probably China made.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

WDH

Most all the new planers are all made in the same factories in China. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

xlogger

After looking for over a year I went ahead and order one today so now I guess I will give the reviews. Thanks for all the advise I got here.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

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