Spiral head cutter for Jointer

[robert cohen]

I have a Delta DJ-20. I was wanted to install a Byrd head but thought straight blades like the Grizzly would be better on a jointer. Does the Grizzly head fit the DJ-20.

Which would give better results for edge jointing? Shelix or Grizzly?

[David Helm]

I have a jointer with the Grizzly head and have used other people's jointers with the Shelix head. I mostly use highly figured maple. Don't see much of a difference between the two. In theory, the shear cut of the Shelix should be better, but in actual practice I don't see it.

[Dave Cav]

I have an 8" Grizzly jointer with the Grizzly head, and I have a Byrd head in my thickness planer. When I face joint boards I really can't tell much, if any, difference in the quality of the cut between the two. When edge jointing there is some scalloping on the edges, but the amount of scalloping is directly proportional to the depth of cut and feed speed. When rough jointing it's not a problem and when finish jointing for edge gluing, I take a very light cut and feed slowly (and alternate which face is against the fence), and I get excellent glue joints. I don't think you'll be unhappy with either head.

[glenn bradley]

Spiral serves me best. It is also more economical over the long haul when compared to knives.

[Bill Wyko]

I too have a DJ 20 and would like to do the same thing....Do tell please.

[Rick Fisher]

I don't think there is a whole lot of difference between any of the helical heads but if I where buying one today I would buy Byrd because its made in North America .. It matters to me now, but I don't expect it to matter to everyone. Just an FYI .

[Mark Carlson]

I have two machines with byrd heads a jointer and a jointer/planer, and thats what I recommend. I like that they share inserts. I've heard that the grizzly head is also good.

~mark

[Russell Sansom]

I'm not familiar with the Grizzly head. Is it simply knives? I switched my DJ-20 from OEM knives to the Byrd head and I'm thrilled with the improvement. Primarily it's the nick factor. I'm having a decent morning jointing some of my wood pile for a project. Half way through I see I've picked up a pretty big nick. Annoyance. I stop production and shift one knife. Half an hour later, another nick. Another 10 - 20 minutes down the drain to shift another knife. By the end of the day or perhaps the end of the milling job I might have to swap out the blades. There's 30 to 60 more minutes down the drain and all that time is just to get back to ground zero. Not to mention the cost of having the knives sharpened, either with my time or sent out with my dollars. A jointing session with the small carbide "bits" is completely different, both physically and emotionally. A nick is very quickly repaired. I don't start kicking things and swearing at the walls when it happens. The consequence of a nick and the difference in swap out are quite valuable to me. Your values may very well differ.

I don't know if this is one of the questions you're asking, but there you go.
russ

[Phil Thien]

I don't have a jointer, I use a planer with a sled. And a straight-line rip jig for my table saw.

BUT if I DID have a jointer, and a planer, I'd only bother with the fancy head on the planer, figuring I only need a jointer to get a board flat on once face. If there is any tear-out, I can clean that up on the planer when I'm thicknessing the board.

As it is, when I've got figured wood I use a damp towel to wet the face of the board and let it sit until it looks like it is beginning to dry (about 2 minutes), and then run it through the planer. So even with straight knives, I get pretty good results.

[Jim Andrew]

I put a Byrd head on my G0609 jointer, it is worth it to me as I have trouble focusing up close, and have to wear reading glasses, also not thrilled with the available knife setting jigs. Years ago I used a Powermatic jointer which came with a jig you set on the outfeed table, and just used a allen wrench to adjust the knife height. It was easy to change blades in, but it was in a school shop where I taught about 40 years ago, and the jointer was not new at that time. Hard to believe no other company has copied it. I'd call Grizzly and see if their cutterhead will fit a DJ 20. Think I would have been better off with a Grizzly cutterhead. Seems to take less power to run it than the Byrd. If you have questions try out a G0453z planer. You can run the thing at 30 fpm and it doesn't seem to pull down.

[Cary Falk]

Here is a link to the chart that says which head fits which tool. The T10126 and the H8803 fit the DJ20. I have the Byrd on my W1741 and the Grizzly on my 15" planer. I think the Grizzly leaves a better finish but that is probably more of a function of feedrate than anything else.
http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2013/Main/48

[Brian Ross]

I have an 8" Grizzly jointer with the Grizzly head, and I have a Byrd head in my thickness planer. When I face joint boards I really can't tell much, if any, difference in the quality of the cut between the two. When edge jointing there is some scalloping on the edges, but the amount of scalloping is directly proportional to the depth of cut and feed speed. When rough jointing it's not a problem and when finish jointing for edge gluing, I take a very light cut and feed slowly (and alternate which face is against the fence), and I get excellent glue joints. I don't think you'll be unhappy with either head.
Thanks for sharing your experience as it relates to glue ups. I have a Byrd head in my planer but was concerned about having one in my jointer. Mt big concern was the ridges and your explanation does offer some relief to my concern.
Brian

[Myk Rian]

BUT if I DID have a jointer, and a planer, I'd only bother with the fancy head on the planer, figuring I only need a jointer to get a board flat on once face. If there is any tear-out, I can clean that up on the planer when I'm thicknessing the board.

Exactly.
My planer has a Byrd, the jointer has straight knives. Although the 1938 Wallace I have has skewed knives, so it does cut at a slight angle