How long do Shelix heads last?

[Joe Shinall]

I have the Grizzly G1018HW 8" jointer. I need to replace the blades and though maybe to look into the Byrd Shelix head for it. I see it is $376 and comes with 5 extra replacement sets. Does it come with 5 sets because they wear out quicker than regular blades? And how much of a pain are these things to change all the inserts?

To me, if it cuts that much better than straight knives, and isn't such a pain to change and setup then it's worth it.

Any and all opinions would be helpful.

[Myk Rian]

You only need to change 1, 2, or 3 of them when you get a nick. You do that by turning them. 4 faces on each one, 4 turns. The extras are just that, extras. I bought an extra 10 pack when I bought my DW735 shelix. I should be set for a long time.
It is VERY easy to change them. An allen screw.

[Joe Jensen]

My Byrd heads have come with 5 inserts, not 5 sets. Your jointer head would have around 70 inserts. The 5 are meant as spares I think.

I used to change bi-metail high speed steel knives in my planer about 3 times per year. With around the same hobby use I have yet to rotate the inserts in the Byrd head in 2 years. There are 4 sides to the inserts, so I would get at least the equivalent of 12 knife sharpenings with one set of inserts. My planer head has like 108 inserts and they cost around $3 each once I've used all 4 sides. That makes the cost around $30 per sharpening which is less than I used to pay to have 3 twelve inch knives sharpened.

[Joe Shinall]

Sorry, it said 5 sets on this website I was looking at but it meant 5 inserts. That makes more sense. So when you put in the new inserts or rotate them, how hard are they to line up? Or do they have tabs to keep them aligned when you tighten them down?

[Alan Schaffter]

Sorry, it said 5 sets on this website I was looking at but it meant 5 inserts. That makes more sense. So when you put in the new inserts or rotate them, how hard are they to line up? Or do they have tabs to keep them aligned when you tighten them down?

self align.

[Joe Shinall]

Nice! Now does anyone have a grand I can borrow so I can do the jointer and the planer?

[Rick Akl]

Where did you find the Shelix for that price?

[Joe Shinall]

Amazon, 15" for the planer for 616 and 8" for the jointer for 376.

http://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Tool-H7765-Shelix-Cutterhead/dp/B000E9PL9M/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3RKK7XERZF03A&colid=1ECKFHC8289KX

http://www.amazon.com/Byrd-Tool-H7768-Shelix-Cutterhead/dp/B000E9NKL8/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IZZNX8XJRHGAI&colid=1ECKFHC8289KX

[Rick Akl]

Thank you :)

[Glen Butler]

Blade changes do take longer with the shelix because you have so many individual little inserts. But you will be time ahead because you can use them so much longer. I do woodworking full time and have run thousands of board feet and I don't even have to think about rotating them yet.

[Don Morris]

Go for the Shelix head Joe. Love mine. Hated changing and aligning straight blades. It just makes the job a lot more pleasurable to do and after a while you just say that sure was worth it.

[Gary Herrmann]

Haven't had to rotate mine in 3 years yet and I know I've hit at least one with a hidden nail. Sheared the nail right off with no damage.

[Matt Benton]

I am considering making the switch as well, and I can't remember reading where anyone has even had to rotate theirs yet, and if someone has, it's likely taken many thousands of bf to wear them down, and that's just one side.

Less tearout, less noise, less downtime and lower replacement cost (since it doesn't seem like they will ever have to be replaced). Don't see how you could lose...

[Nathan Palenski]

I have both the DW735 and the G1018HW. I'd like to get a better planer but this works for what I use it for now. I am highly disappointed with the knife longevity in it. Is it worth upgrading the head or should I just save for a better planer?

I havent had to sharpen the jointer yet and I've run a pretty good amount of board feet through it. Is this a must have upgrade or is there a cheaper alternative that is a compromise between stock and shelix?

[Cary Falk]

I have both the DW735 and the G1018HW. I'd like to get a better planer but this works for what I use it for now. I am highly disappointed with the knife longevity in it. Is it worth upgrading the head or should I just save for a better planer?

I havent had to sharpen the jointer yet and I've run a pretty good amount of board feet through it. Is this a must have upgrade or is there a cheaper alternative that is a compromise between stock and shelix?

It wouldn't be worth it to me to put a shelix head in a lunchbox planer. Lunchbox planers already have quickset knives. Part of the appeal of the shelix for me is ease of setting knives. Buy the time you put a shelix in the 735, you are pushing $1000 on what I would consider a disposable planer. I have the Delta 22-580 and I conside it disposable also. I intend to replace it with a 15" industrial model with a shelix head. That being said, many people have put a shelix in the 735 and love the combination.

I looked at alternatives to the shelix on my jointer. I looked at quick set knives and I found that for <$100 more I could get a shelix over quick set knives. It was money well spent for me. I think you can get carbide knives for jointers for better wear but you still have to set them.

[Nathan Palenski]

It wouldn't be worth it to me to put a shelix head in a lunchbox planer. Lunchbox planers already have quickset knives. Part of the appeal of the shelix for me is ease of setting knives. Buy the time you put a shelix in the 735, you are pushing $1000 on what I would consider a disposable planer. I have the Delta 22-580 and I conside it disposable also. I intend to replace it with a 15" industrial model with a shelix head. That being said, many people have put a shelix in the 735 and love the combination.

I looked at alternatives to the shelix on my jointer. I looked at quick set knives and I found that for <$100 more I could get a shelix over quick set knives. It was money well spent for me. I think you can get carbide knives for jointers for better wear but you still have to set them.

Great info. I'll save for a full size planer or at least a drum sander.

I have the setting jig for my jointer. Is it difficult to use the jig to set the knives? I've never done it and I hear a lot of muttering about it.

[Rob Fisher]

I have both the DW735 and the G1018HW. I'd like to get a better planer but this works for what I use it for now. I am highly disappointed with the knife longevity in it. Is it worth upgrading the head or should I just save for a better planer?

I havent had to sharpen the jointer yet and I've run a pretty good amount of board feet through it. Is this a must have upgrade or is there a cheaper alternative that is a compromise between stock and shelix?

You can get aftermarket HSS and carbide tipped knives for the 735 from infinity.

Rob

[Cary Falk]

I have the setting jig for my jointer. Is it difficult to use the jig to set the knives? I've never done it and I hear a lot of muttering about it.

I tried to set my 6" jointer knives once. OK maybe twice since I didn't even get them close the first time.:( They still weren't right. I sold the jointer and upgraded to an 8". I used the straight knives till they got dull and then upgraded to a Byrd head. I have tried using a dial indicator, plate glass with magnets, and strips of wood with magnets attached. I even watched a video or 3 online. I'm not good at it. I don't want to spend the time to figure it out. I will never go back to straight knives if I can avoid it. I say give it a try. You will never know if you can do it if you don't try.

[Joe Shinall]

Thanks for everyone's opinions. Haven't heard someone say "they suck, don't do it" so looks like I'm ordering the planer set now. Gonna do this and the jointer later since I use the planer more.

[Jim King]

I work with a 20 inch general that has 350 chips on the head. I work it 20 hours a day with Blood wood and other tropicals. I rotate the heads once a month with no down time for sharpening and resetting as with the the old type knives. I save many hours a day of down time for sharpening.

I would NEVER consider regular knives again in my life. Be careful, there are a lot of imitations out there that are not equal.

[Myk Rian]

I have both the DW735 and the G1018HW. I'd like to get a better planer but this works for what I use it for now.
Is yours a hobby type shop? If it is, you won't find a better planer, unless you go to a floor model.

[Neal Clayton]

i get about 1500-2000 linear feet of softwood (SYP, cypress) out of mine before i feel like they need rotated. hardwoods probably 3/4 of that.

put it this way, mine is an 18", about ~250 inserts. they sent 20 spares with the head, i've yet to buy more in 3 years, using it an average of every other day in a 5 day week. i'm currently on my third turn, and typically break a couple when rotating em.

[glenn bradley]

Haven't had to rotate mine in 3 years yet and I know I've hit at least one with a hidden nail. Sheared the nail right off with no damage.

This is good to hear. I have about 18 months on my first edge and can't tell the difference from day one. I was wondering how long this might go on ;-)

[Glen Butler]

Haven't had to rotate mine in 3 years yet and I know I've hit at least one with a hidden nail. Sheared the nail right off with no damage.

I ran some screw heads over mine with no noticable affect.

I am surprised that Neal is getting less than 2000 linear feet through a rotation on the inserts. I have gone through a couple thousand bd. ft. of Hickory, pine, fir, alder, cherry, walnut, and maple inclusive, with each piece getting at least two passes. All that wood has also gone across the jointer with an average of two passes and it is holding up the same as the planer. Additionally most of the wood I have run is rustic, and knots are harder on knives that premium woods. I have had a couple unpleasant knicks so I traded positions of a couple inserts, but other than insert shelix heads hold up well.

[Neal Clayton]

I ran some screw heads over mine with no noticable affect.

I am surprised that Neal is getting less than 2000 linear feet through a rotation on the inserts. I have gone through a couple thousand bd. ft. of Hickory, pine, fir, alder, cherry, walnut, and maple inclusive, with each piece getting at least two passes. All that wood has also gone across the jointer with an average of two passes and it is holding up the same as the planer. Additionally most of the wood I have run is rustic, and knots are harder on knives that premium woods. I have had a couple unpleasant knicks so I traded positions of a couple inserts, but other than insert shelix heads hold up well.

with the planer i have (woodmaster) the dust and sap is struggling to get past the head and up to the DC outlet, and tends to circulate around the head and work itself between the inserts and the blades, affecting their position slightly and causing more nicks and premature wear. probably as much to do with poor dust collection design on the planer as the blades wearing out. lots of folks seem to complain about the dust collection limitations on this particular planer.

[Nathan Palenski]

Edit: I'll start a new thread.

[Rick Fisher]

I run pretty much all hardwood through mine.. After 2 years, I have rotated quite a few of them due to nicks.

Mine are only 2 sided so after this, they are done.

I had a mishap with mine not too long ago where I had to replace about 11 cutters due to them disintegrating .. it was operator error.. (me) .. lol.