A Tough Choice

[Hans Braul]

Hello all,
I'm a button click away from ordering a Grizzly G0609 12" jointer and would like your opinion on the relative merits of:
With 4 knife cutter head $1895
With spiral cutterhead $2250
With Byrd shelix cutterhead $2573
Thoughts?

Thanks for your input

Hans

[Myk Rian]

$700 for the Shelix is pricey, but it may pay for itself over the long run. The inserts are pretty cheap compared to knives.

[Neil Brooks]

I'm with Myk.

But ... remember ... I'm exceedingly generous when it comes to spending other people's money :D

[Cary Falk]

I vote for the Grizzly spiral head. I have seen several reports taht say you can't tell the difference in the finish.

[Don Morris]

I love my Byrd shelix cutters. But they didn't cost me too much more on my 8" years ago. I don't do that much highly figured wood, but it sure helped the little of it that has passed over the head. I remember setting knives in the 6" jointer I had. That's what convinced me to go to the shelix route. They've been in a long time and haven't needed any attention so far. Don't know about the spirals. If they're just as good, great. Have to ask those who have had both. I only know, I wouldn't go back to straight knives...that's a given.

[Shiraz Balolia]

Hello all,
I'm a button click away from ordering a Grizzly G0609 12" jointer and would like your opinion on the relative merits of:
With 4 knife cutter head $1895
With spiral cutterhead $2250
With Byrd shelix cutterhead $2573
Thoughts?

Thanks for your input

Hans

Hans - buy the machine with the spiral cutterhad preinstalled. They are fine and you will never know the diffrence between it and the Bryd in use. Spend the extra money on some nice figured wood.

[Mike Hoyt]

I agree 100% with Shiraz, I have the 409x and all I can say is wow. I have had it for over a year with many hundreds of feet of mixed hard and softwood passed over the grizzly spiral without even needing to turn the inserts!! What else is there to say, very durable and the and the only time I notice any scalloping is when I try to feed too fast. go for it you will not be sorry.

Mike

[Dave Cav]

I have the 8" long bed Griz with the Griz head and it works great for edging or facing. I can't see any advantage to spending more money for the Byrd.

[Van Huskey]

I am looking at the 609 for my new shop and I would not even think of getting it with knives. If it came preinstalled with the Byrd I would probably spend an extra $100 for it BUT given the situation I will be getting the 609X and be done with it. Based on personal experience wth seeing wood from a Grizzly head and a Byrd head the difference is not warranted particularly having to install the Byrd. (note neither of these were on a 609) My "up to $100" preference of the Byrd really is more a matter of made in America and the DESIRE to believe the shear action is "better" than from any demonstrable improvement over the Grizzly heads.

[Frank Martin]

I sure would not get the straight blade head. I have a J/P combo with Grizzly spiral head that I really like. Never used a Byrd head, so I don't know the difference, but mine is just fine and a huge step-up from straight blade head.

[Philip Johnson]

I have the shopfox 12 inch with spiral head same as the grizzly. I would not consider getting one without spiral head, had it about a year and have not even thought about turning blades yet.

The finish on the bed was very nice, the only compliant I have is I wish it had a bit more horsepower. It seems to bog down a bit when face jointing a wide board. I suppose I could take a lighter cut. I probably have it set a little heavy for edge jointing and never change it. Other then that no complaints and highly reccomend it, I can never see going back to an 8 inch after having it.

There is not too much to decide...get grizz and spiral head a few hundred on a couple thousand dollar tool isn't worth worring about. If you don.t get what you want, you will always think you should have. I don.t think there is any other 12 inch jointer in this price range or close to it. Powermatic may have a bit better fit and finsih but is twice the price and both will give you a nice flat board.

Phil

[Montgomery Scott]

Buy the Byrd and you'll help keep US machine workers employed, unlike the Grizzly option.

[Don Bullock]

Hans - buy the machine with the spiral cutterhad preinstalled. They are fine and you will never know the diffrence between it and the Bryd in use. Spend the extra money on some nice figured wood.

You're not going to find a better answer than this one from the president of the company. He should know more about his machines than anyone else.

[Joe Shinall]

I'd go spiral if I was spending your money. I'd go bone cheapest if it was my money.

I would go with the Spiral. Once you get to a certain point you have to ask yourself is the shelix gonna be really that much better? Maybe so, but all depends on how damn picky you really want to be.

I mean I have straight knives and I'm happy. But would probably be much happier with spiral but not spending the money to upgrade because I don't think it's worth it myself for what I do.