Byrd vs. Grizz Cutterhead

[Ed Gibbons]

The shelix cutter head from grizz can come factory installed which is a good thing. However, is the cost of the Byrd (and the installation process) worth it?

Thanks.

[Paul Greathouse]

Ed

I've never used a Byrd but I just bought a 12" jointer with the Grizzly head and I can't see how the Byrd (or anything else for that matter) would be any better. I get a great cut with the Grizzly and couldn't be more satisfied so far.

[Douglas Brummett]

I don't think it is worth any extra expense. From what I have read it is going to boil down to the actual shear cut angle on the cutting insert. I would venture to guess for most the difference is not noteworthy. I have a byrd on my jointer because it was an aftermarket upgrade. If I were buying a new grizzly I wouldn't avoid their cutterhead.

[glenn bradley]

I struggled with this on my G0490 purchase. After a couple conversations with folks at Grizzly, I went with their German-made head (G0490X). Couldn't be happier.

[Dave Verstraete]

Ed
I bought the Grizzly head when I purchased my G0453Z. I'm not sure how I could get a better cut, but have never used a Shelix. I wouldn't pay more for it though.

[John Hedges]

There is another consideration. Byrd's focus is on cutterheads and their shelix technology, while Grizzly is broadbased, selling all kinds of tools. This means that cutterheads are a VERY SMALL portion of what they do. Their inserts are not interchangable with the byrd heads, so if Grizzly decides to get out of the cutterhead business and focus more on other more profitable ventures in the future, you might have some trouble getting replacement inserts for the head.

I think Byrd has enough marketshare that they are not going anywhere soon, so I went with a byrd replacement head on mine.

Also if you look at the 2 heads you will notice how many more cutters are on the Byrd which should mean that it goes longer before dulling since the work is distributed along more cutters. So you are getting more for the extra $$. Of course this also means that you'll be replacing more of them when it is time.

I remember seeing the specs a while ago and IIRC the byrd inserts are thicker and heftier than the Grizzly inserts.

Lastly Grizzly states on its website the following about the Byrd head. (And this is a direct quote from their site) -

Made in the USA by Byrd, these indexable carbide insert cutterheads are the best money can buy - period!

[Shiraz Balolia]

The shelix cutter head from grizz can come factory installed which is a good thing. However, is the cost of the Byrd (and the installation process) worth it?

Thanks.


Ed, there are many, many threads about this issue, including side by side tests that I have done personally with my comments. Plus, numerous comments from Grizzly cutterhead owners.

We sell at least five times more Grizzly cutterheads than Byrd and are not planning on stopping the sale of them anytime soon, contrary to some wild speculative comments above. Our inserts are made in Germany and ground to perfect tolerances.

We also check every insert and every single insert cavity for height tolerances before the cutterheads are even installed. That is why our cutterheads have very few complaints about "lines" being left in the wood. Check the threads on this forum.

Lastly, we sell both, but my recommendation would be to buy a machine with the Grizzly head already preinstalled because we test the cutterheads before they are mounted on the machines and then after assembly with a cut. This is all done at the factory under our people's supervision.

[Clifford Mescher]

Ed, there are many, many threads about this issue, including side by side tests that I have done personally with my comments. Plus, numerous comments from Grizzly cutterhead owners.

We sell at least five times more Grizzly cutterheads than Byrd and are not planning on stopping the sale of them anytime soon, contrary to some wild speculative comments above. Our inserts are made in Germany and ground to perfect tolerances.

We also check every insert and every single insert cavity for height tolerances before the cutterheads are even installed. That is why our cutterheads have very few complaints about "lines" being left in the wood. Check the threads on this forum.

Lastly, we sell both, but my recommendation would be to buy a machine with the Grizzly head already preinstalled because we test the cutterheads before they are mounted on the machines and then after assembly with a cut. This is all done at the factory under our people's supervision.
Testing before and after assembly? Excellent. That is good to know. Clifford.

[Joe Chritz]

I only have a Shelix head but would have no problem having a Grizzly head in another machine. Likely if I get a head for the planer it would be a Shelix to maintain the insert compatibility, I wasn't aware they weren't interchangeable.

I would expect more differences between boards of the same species than between the two heads.

Having it pre and post tested is a good thing and would push me over the edge to get one factory installed if I had the option, which I don't since I already own the machines.

Joe

[John Hedges]

We sell at least five times more Grizzly cutterheads than Byrd and are not planning on stopping the sale of them anytime soon, contrary to some wild speculative comments above.


Sorry but I never speculated that you were stopping the sale of them. I was only pointing out the fact that you never know when a company that produced many products might change their focus is all. Happens all the time in business. I am sure that anyone here with a Grizzly head is glad to hear your reassurances though.



We also check every insert and every single insert cavity for height tolerances before the cutterheads are even installed. That is why our cutterheads have very few complaints about "lines" being left in the wood. Check the threads on this forum.


If you are referring to the scallops left by the Byrd head, then I think you are mistaken. This is due to the radius'ed insert and is an intentional feature of the Byrd head. The lines are so small as not to be noticeable unless seen in a certain light. It only takes less than a single wipe with 220 to get rid of this so it is not a big deal to me as I don't think there is a planer or jointer on the market that leaves a surface ready to go straight to finish.

To the OP, I think you will be happy with either head as I don't think I've ever heard a complaint about either head. Just thought I'd give you some food for thought either way.