Tutorial with pics - Upgrading XSD-31 with a byrd cutterhead & new fence

[Andy Pratt]

After purchasing a Robland/Laguna XSD-31 Jointer/Planer off craigslist, I set about to upgrade it with a byrd cutterhead and new fence. There were numerous difficult parts to the installation, and no available manuals to help me through the process. My intent in posting this is to help anyone who is going to embark on the same process avoid some of the difficulties I faced, and to provide credit to the people who helped me along the way.

Edit: Here's a summary (this ended up way longer than I thought, for finished pic go to post 6): This was a roughly 20 work hour process that I did largely by myself. I am good with tools, but this was well above my comfort level and I would not recommend it unless you like this sort of thing and have mechanical knowledge. I could have easily made a costly mistake and if I knew what it would take to do this up front, I don't think I would have bothered. My machine is an old model, and I felt that Laguna supported me more than adequately given that I did not purchase it, or the cutterhead from them. I recieved a number of incorrect parts and multiple shipments were necessary on the fence upgrade (this was purchased from laguna), but that was due to the age of my machine and my rep resolved each issue fairly quickly. I'm happy with both upgrades and also with the service I received. Contact me via PM if you are going to do this upgrade and I'll be happy to help you out.

I purchased the cutterhead through Brian at Holbren tools. He was very helpful, had the best price, listed for MS cashback and offers a discount to SMC members, I would recommend him again. There was a hangup in ordering, as Byrd has 3 different files on-hand for dimensions for the XSD-31 cutterhead. All were very close to one another, and there was no way to easily know which one was mine. I took a gamble and ordered the one they currently ship to laguna (U.S. importer for Robland), and it worked out. I believe the other two were individual customs for people outside the country, so the "laguna" version is your best bet if you have to take a guess.

I tried to get a detailed mechanical manual from Laguna but didn't have any luck. I didn't get the impression one existed, and the user manual is a joke. I was directed to their support website which has very little traffic and not much information. I called into their customer service line and was put in touch with Jason, who had done this upgrade before. He informed me that he was only able to give me 20min of free consultation, as I had not purchased either the machine or part from Laguna directly. This was a bummer, but certainly understandable and he was helpful in letting me use that time over separate phone calls while I worked on the machine. He immediately went into explaining the most important parts of the upgrade to me, and walking me through all of the non-intuitive portions of the process. He clearly knew exactly what he was talking about, and I would recommend that anyone who runs into trouble during their upgrade call Laguna and ask for him by name. Although everyone at Laguna was helpful and polite, I did not have the same luck as far as technical expertise with the other people I spoke to at the company. After the whole thing was over I found out that this isn't a very common thing for people to do themselves (with this model), and that Laguna usually gets the machines shipped to them with the cutterhead already installed. In general, I thought laguna was very good to me, for me not having purchased either the machine or part through them.

I'll try to list the process as best I can from memory (it was before Christmas) and the pictures I have. I will probably forget some of the common sense parts, but this will help you out immeasurably compared to learning it on your own.

Tools-
You will need a quality set of metric allen wrenches for this, including one large one (can substitute vise grips for large one if you need to). These bolts take a ton of force to undo, and you'll probably break a set of cheapos, or strip your bolts out. You will also need a pair of large C-ring pulling/installing pliers, it is impossible to do this without them and they need a 1&1/4" eye-to-eye capacity or you'll have a lot of trouble (I did it with about 3/4" capacity and it was a major pain). You will need two high-quality clamps to exert a lot of force in spreading and clamping directions. You'll need a decent hammer and a flat-faced pin punch. An adjustable wrench and metrick sockets in the 10-15mm range are the only other things I can think of.

Task 1 - Unhook the drive chain fromthe planer feed rollers

1. Unplug the machine and get it out where you have room on every side to work around, you'll need to move the tables up/down and access the electrical compartent/motor screws multiple times throughout the process so you won't get this done in a cramped area without going nuts.

2. Remove the bolts for the electrical compartment/motor access area. You can't put this off to the side without undoing wiring, but there's a way to hang it off the machine frame on one of it's notches without stressing the cords, do that and it should be hanging toward the infeed side of the machine.

3. Loosen the motor mounting screws (outside) and set-up a lever system to raise the motor with a foot while you work with your hands standing up on the outfeed side, rear (non jointing side) of the machine, or get someone to help. Jiggle the lever, causing the motor to raise upwards, releasing tension on the two drive belts, remove those one by one. A thin stick helps here.

4. Undo the large rubber wheel on the non-motor side of the gear assemblies, now you can easily work on the chain.

5. There is a spring loaded wheel keeping tension on the chain, lift this and you will have just barely enough slack to remove the chain from the planer feed roller gears, do that and put a stick through the chain to keep it from falling down, that way you don't have to remember where it went on which gear first.

6. You are done with this step, there should be nothing attached to the feed roller gears or cutterhead drive pulley at this point.

My pictures aren't great, but I figure they are better than nothing.

[Andy Pratt]

Task 2 - Remove cutterhead assembly

At this point, the only things keeping the cutterhead from being removed are the 4 allen bolts going through the 'pillow-blocks' (dark grey cast iron housings for cutterhead/bearings and feed rollers) and a light grey shroud on the infeed side.

1. Make sure your tables are up, remove the light grey angled shroud from the infeed side of the cutterhead assembly. The cutterhead can be freed up without removing this, but you can't actually get the assembly out unless you have this off too. This is where you need a large allen wrench (don't know size) or good vise grips, which you'll strip the heads of the two bolts but it works. Remove this plate.

2. Loosen the vertical allen bolts that hold the pillow blocks down one by one. These have springs exerting upward force, don't remove them all the way until you read item #3. If yours is anything like mine, this will be extremely difficult and it's easy to strip the allen heads, do not try this with the wrong allen wrench or you don't even have a chance. I ended up having to put a long socket on the allen wrench end for leverage, as they were really hard to get unstuck. I soaked them in WD-40 beforehand and it didn't work until I got the better leverage. If you absolutely can't get it, try heating with a propane torch.

3. Before you remove these bolts all the way, pay attention to the spring power underneath, and adjust accordingly. I was cautiond by Jason to wrap the entire assembly in duct tape beforehand to prevent it springing off and losing a spring. Mine didn't end up being that strong, but I don't think that is always the case. In any case, once the bolts are loose, if you can puch the pillow block up and down against the spring (still captive), you are probably save to remove it without duct tape. Do whatever is appropriate and remove the bolts.

4. remove the entire cutterhead assembly, including infeed and outfeed rollers and dust chute all as one unit. It's a bit cumbersome and you probably want to wear gloves since the knives are open here and it's easy to cut yourself while handling it.

5. Put this assembly on a very solid bench where you have some space to work at a comfortable height, you will be here a while. If you're already frustrated at this point, take a break and continue later, it will get really annoying here.

These pictures are of the byrd head already on, but they show you the easiest way the carry the assembly and the grey pillow blocks so you know what I'm referencing.

[Andy Pratt]

Task 3 - Remove the old cutterhead

To remove the old cutterhead you need to exert a huge amount of spreading force in two locations at once, I used two K-body clamps and it worked great. A solid tail vise with two dogs might work also, I wouldn't bother with this if you don't have something appropriate, I don't think it will work. I don't think you have to worry about removing C-clips here but I really can't remember, and I know I had to take them off somewhere. If you do have to remove C-clips, they are only on the outboard and inboard (not cutterhead side) sides of the pillowblocks, there is no way you could get to the cutterhead side ones anyway.

Before you start this, remove the feed rollers from the assembly and tape each spring in place. Apparently the springs are specific to each location, so don't let them fall out and get swapped around. Set the feed rollers aside (good time to clean them).

1. If the outboard end of your cutterhead doesn't look like mine in picture 3, and you have something else on the threads (horizontal mortising attachment), you need to remove that first. I didn't have one so I can't help you here, but I think it's simple.

2. Your inboard (motor side) side of the cutterhead should not look like my picture 4 yet, it should still have the belt pully flange thing on it. To remove this you have to punch out a cotter pin and get creative with a hammer. I heated this d___ thing with a propane torch for at least 5 min over and over again while tapping on it with a hammer and wasn't getting anywhere. Part of the problem is that you can't beat on it too much because you need to put it back on your new cutterhead later. A determined neighbor came over and literally rapped on it for about 10 min straight while I heated it and kept turning it (gloves), and it finally came off. I'm not exaggerating here, I hope you have better luck on this part. Once it's off your cutterhead end will look like my picture 4.

3. Remove the allen bolt from the anti-kickback finger rod and the smooth rod next to this (if applicable). I these rods just flopped in place once this was gone and I didn't have to remove the other side If you stripped one of the allen bolts during disassembly you can swap it for the anti-kickback rod bolt, they are identical and this one isn't a crucial spot.

4. The dust shroud is held in place by a weird assembly and is only captive on one side. If you can remove it now, go ahead. It may have already slid off once you did step 3. Either way, remove the bolt on the outboard side and it will come out later on it's own. When it does come out, there will be a lock washer on the inboard side, make sure you don't lose this or the dust shroud won't work right and you'll have to find another tiny lock washer.

Once these three bars (steps 3&4) are free you should be able to get a small amount of play in the pillow blocks when you exert hand force on them. This lets you know you're ready to put real force on them.

5. The cutterhead is held in place by very tightly fitting bearings, to get it off you have to exert a lot of force in the right place so you don't break anything. This may be where I removed the C-clips but I'm not sure. Position a spreading clamp as close to the cutterhead as possible on each side (watch fingers on knives - gloves again, I got a bad cut here and I was paying attention) and slowly alternate spreading a bit on each side so as not too put too much force one way or the other. You will probably have to readjust your clamps but that's no problem, it will stay where you get it. Keep going until one pillow block comes off the cutterhead.

6. That was the easy side, now you can't use the clamps anymore as you no longer have a pillow block opposite the remaining one. Set up a saddle with identical-height scrap wood so that the pillow block is resting on the wood but the free end of the cutterhead is above your bench. The captive end of the cutterhead (still on the pillowblock) is what you'll be pounding on. Start pounding on this end of the cutterhead, making sure to use a wood block to keep your hammer from distorting the cutterhead end. Even though you will be throwing this away, you'll never get it through the bearing if it's peened out from hammering.

7. After you get it through the bearing you can place the old cutterhead aside, you don't need it anymore and you're halfway done.

[Andy Pratt]

Task 4 - Install the new cutterhead

You'll want a lower version of the same saddle you used previously to allow you to apply proper hammering force while doing this. If you didn't need to remove the C-clips on the bearing housings before, you will have to do it at some point here. I know it was a crucial step, sorry I can't remember where, just keep it in mind and it should be obvious when you need to do it.

1. Get the first pillow block/bearing on the cutterhead and pound (with wooden block) until it's seated on the end of the cutterhead enough to stay put.

2. Do the same on the other end and now you can use your clamps (as clamping force) in the opposite way as you did to remove the old cutterhead, to install this one. If you have trouble, use heat to help you out, it was the only way that worked for me. When the pillowblocks start getting close to the cutterhead, make sure you line the 3 bars (anti-kickback, smooth bar and dust chute (remember the lock washer on the opposite side) back up in place. There is a little wiggle room to do it later but this is the correct time. The dust chute will fall out on it's own until you are all the way tightened, so it can be a bit annoying. If you don't put the washer in, it will never be tight enough and will come loose and not be easily reattached every time you switch from jointer to planer, do not neglect this stupid detail.

3. You will only get it so far with the clamps, I belive this is where the C-clips came in. You may need to remove them to properly seat the cutterhead in the pillowblocks/bearings for some reason.

4. Once the pillowblocks are as close to the cutterhead as possible you're done with them. Now check the location of the main bearings (holding the cutterhead bar in place) so that you can reinstall the c-clips. They will probably have slipped away from the toothed portion of the cutterhead. If this is the case, you will need to tap around their edges (not the rubbery middle or you will damage them) a million times to get them seated all the way back down. You will definitely need to use heat to assist you here. The rubbery portion does not seem to be affected by it so no worries there.

5. You will know the bearings are fully seated when you see the recess where the C-clips go in to lock them in place. (wondering if I needed to remove them in the first place, but my memory is that I absolutely had to for some reason). Use your C-clip pliers and get them in the hole, you can poke them into place with a flathead screwdriver or two more effectively than with the pliers, once you get it captive in the hole.

6. Once the rings are in you have the hardest part of the installation completed.

7. The second hardest part is to reinstall the cutterhead drive pulley in line with the cotter pin hole. You'll have to pound it on and somehow get it lined up without being able to twist it. In retrospect, it was so hard to get all the way on that I'm not sure it matters if the pin is in there or not, I doubt it would slip. In any case, you'll have a bit of trial and error if you want to get the pin back in. With heat, again, it's doable but time consuming.

Now you're done with the frustrating portion, the rest is a little monotonous but fairly easy in comparison. Picture 6 from before is what the whole thing should look like when you're done.

[Andy Pratt]

Task 5 - realigning feed rollers for new cutterhead

This is the most helpful thing I can offer, learned only through multiple trial&error installations on my part. The byrd cutterhead is slightly larger in diameter than the stock one, and you have to adjust the rollers accordingly or the machine will not work, as the cutterhead will hit the wood before the rollers grab it. It may also contact the dust shroud if you don't modify it.

1. You must adjust the allen bolts that determine the height of the planer feed rollers before putting the cutterhead assembly back on the machine. These bolts are located in the machine frame at the bottom of the "u" shaped cutouts the feed roller bearings rest in.

2. Remember this number: You need to make sure the allen bolt tops are 3/8-1/2" below the surface that the pillowblocks rest on, this will get you at the correct cutterhead/feed roller difference. Yours may be a little different, but it requires something in this range. These bolts are coated with loc-tite at the factory and are nearly impossible to move. I heated the surrounding metal with a propane torch for 2-5 minutes for each one. As soon as the temp goes down a bit you have to heat again, plan on doing it twice for each bolt at least.

I couldn't get the bolts to move at all the first time, so I tried shimming the cutterhead up. I wasted a lot of time on this and it never worked, don't bother with it.

3. Make sure the bolts are all exactly the same height below the horizontal.

4. Reinstall the cutterhead assembly but don't worry abou the gears yet. Tighten everything down and do you best to determine if the cutterhead is still below the height of the infeed roller. If it isn't, lower the bolts in step 2 a little more.

** once the bolts are in the correct position, reinstall that grey angled bar with the large allen bolts (from task 2) and verify that the cutterhead doesn't hit the dust collection shroud. To do this, put the dust collection shroud in the planer position and rotate the cutterhead by hand. If it contacts the dust shroud you will need to remove material from the dust shroud. It is steel, so a dremel stone works best. Do a little extra in case you have to adjust later.

5. Once everything looks good, reconnect the chain and drive belts and large rubber pulley

6. You can retension the motor yourself with another lever (what I had to do), but it would really pay to have a helper for this part.

7. Double check everything to make sure the machine is safe to run - no loose parts, bolts etc.

8. Set the machine up for planing, stand to the side and try a deep pass on a board. This should work even if you're a little off on the cutterhead/roller difference. If you are way off you could get a kickback, so be careful.

9. If this works okay, try a light pass on a board. If you are a little off on the cutterhead height, a light pass is the only way you will see it. The board will cock off to the side at the end of the cut and you'll get something that almost looks like snipe but isn't. Readjust as necessary.

10. Once the planer works, then worry about the jointer, that's the easy part.

11. Have a few beers, you definitely earned it. It took me a 10 hr day and a 6 hour day to get to this part.

[Andy Pratt]

Task 6 - Installing the new fence

This has nothing to do with the cutterhead installation, but I bought the newer fence and did them in the same timeframe. It was also a bit annoying, so I'll detail it in this post.

Machines made in the past decade or so have the "retrofit jointer fence" you see on the laguna webpage. My machine (purchased used) did not, and the old fence was not even close to flat, and didn't hold a position anyway. The new fence is much better and easier to use.

When ordering from laguna, make sure you describe the machine you are upgrading. If they think it is the whole x-31 combo, they will send you the wrong parts.

Laguna has a decent instruction manual that comes with the fence. If you get the right parts, this wil walk you through the process pretty well.

Make sure you get the following:
(1) - mounting bar with 4 adjustment bolts (need to be 1/2" to 3/4" in length I think) used to make a surface perpendicular to the infeed table.
(1) - fence rail with holes to match the above bar - holes must be countersunk (I only got this on the third mailing)
(2) - Bushings to stand the fence rail off from the perpendicular plate
(2) - Bolts sized to the bushings, threaded the same as the holes in the perpendicular plate, with heads smaller than the contersink on the fence rail
(1) - Fence assembly
(1) - Fence trailing guard

Make sure to follow the dimensions listed in the manual exactly. If your infeed holes aren't drilled in the right spot you will not be able to fix it and your fence will either ride to high and not clamp down, or ride too low (hits the infeed table) and not be useable at all.

The fence can go off square if you don't tighten it down the right way after moving it/removing it, so watch for that. After a few times, you'll know what way works.

Here are the pics of the overall project completed. I hope this whole thing is helpful to someone someday. I'll be writing another thread for how I did the wixey planer gauge.

Thanks,
Andy

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Good stuff Andy, thanks for taking the time to catalog and post this.

[Mike Wilkins]

Great article on the cutter head and fence upgrade. I have a similar machine from Andreou Machinery, and have looked at the upgrade fence for my machine. Just a question about the mobile base; who is the manufacturer or dealer for that part? I have considered making one out of angle iron and a wire-feed MIG welder, but may just buy one instead. Thanks.

[Andy Pratt]

Mike,

This is the HTC 3000 universal mobile base. It's rated for up to 700 lbs and I feel that it is very well suited for the roughly 550 lbs. this machine weighs. I put a piece of 1/2" OSB along the bottom to make sure the weight was evenly distributed on the load points.

Aside from rolling very smoothly and easily when I move it, I am certain I couldn't tell the difference if the bottom was hidden (between mobile base or not, I've used it both ways) while jointing. I'm a big fan of these HTC 3000 bases, and the 1000 and 2000 versions just don't look as good so I would go with this one if you get one.

Major bonus is that if you ever lose the need for mobility on this machine you can then adjust it to use for something else.

I also have this same base for my 14" powermatic bandsaw. While it holds the weight well, that footprint/height of the machine doesn't seem to be 100% perfect on a mobile base so there's a little bit of wobble when moving it. With the J/P it's no-contest - no negatives and great mobility. Just wanted to tell you this so you know I'm being objective in my assessment of it.

Hope this is useful, you can get them on amazon around $90 and there are occasionally deals through other companys (search HTC 3000 on google shopping for a comparison) as low as $70, maybe $60 on a steal.

Edit: Just read that you mentioned the fence too. I think it's pretty well made, and a huge improvement over the original on my machine (basically unuseable for a true 90 edge). It doesn't slide perfectly but that's not a functional problem (just noisy). The way it mounts, i would think you could use the laguna fence as long as the edge of the infeed table you mount to is the same size as the xsd or larger. The mount is very adjustable, so small differences shouldn't be an issue. Their locking mechanism isn't perfect, but it holds a position once set and that's the main issue.

Andy