Byrd inserts for Powermatic and Oliver Jointers?

[Jon Giard]

I noticed that the Powermatic helical head uses Byrd inserts (54 on their 8 inch jointer). Oliver head also has 54 inserts but Oliver calls them "German made" inserts. Does anyone know more information on the Oliver inserts, whether Byrd inserts will work? The Oliver company rep is unclear where these can be sourced. Also Byrd uses a T-20 torx head screw with 10-32 threads, 0.5 inch long. I do not know what Oliver uses.
I would like to buy the Oliver 4230 jointer, but not sure about future insert availability. Byrd inserts seem to be widely sold from various sources. Thanks.

Jon Giard

[Alden Miller]

I am close to finished rehabbing my Oliver 4240 Jointer and one of my upgrades was to purchase a Byrd cutterhead from Oliver. I damaged one of the cutters while installing it, when I spoke to the people at Oliver they told me that replacement cutters should be ordered directly from Byrd.

-Alden

[Jon Giard]

Thanks Alden,

The normal Oliver supplied helical head is not a Byrd head. It is made in Taiwan and fitted with German made inserts. That's why I'm wondering if I can use the Byrd inserts on the Taiwan head.

[david brum]

I'm not sure how you could verify, but Grizzly sells German made carbide inserts for some of their premium spiral heads. Perhaps they are the same?

http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2013/SpringFlyer/8

[Jon Giard]

I'm finding out that most of the import cutting heads using a shear alignment use inserts that are 15 x 15 x 2.5mm with 150mm radius on the face edge (made by Tigra of Germany). This one is likely on the Oliver machines. The machines using a spiral cutting head with the inserts facing along the cutter head axis are 14 x 14 x 2mm with a straight face like Grizzly uses. Byrd cutter heads use a 15 x 15 x 2.5mm with a 100mm radius on the face edge (shear alignment).
So I feel fairly confident in buying an Oliver jointer that uses a very readily available (standard) insert.
Thanks for your replies.

Jon

[Andrew Hughes]

Hi Jon,The inserts work in both heads I have both machines.I will be selling my 8 oliver soon are you in California?

[Jon Giard]

Good to know. I'm in Walla Walla, WA.

[Rick Fisher]

The cutter heads are made by Tigra .. Tigra is a German company that specializes in carbide. They are the " go to " guys for inserts ..

Notice that Grizzly advertised German made cutterheads.. ( Tigra ) ..
The Magnum Cutterheads for the Laguna industrial or General Magnum cutterheads come in Tigra boxes with Tigra numbers.

http://www.tigra.de/en/products/woodworking.html

[Alden Miller]

Jon, you are right. I just received this from Oliver in my attempt to get a replacement cutter for the Byrd cutterhead I ordered from them:

"Only the ones that are manufactured by our Taiwan factory (very similar to Byrd Shelix) comes with some extra Inserts. "

So apparently I got the real deal Byrd cutterhead from them not the one that they manufacture. That's ok by me.

I thought since they sold the Byrd cutterhead that it would be the same as what they put on their machines.

-Alden