Powermatic jointer cutterhead options?

[Joseph Montroy]

I've been working with wood for just over two years now, and my first two purchases were made with the intent of being able to "last a lifetime" - a matched pair of lightly used Powermatic machines (the good green ones!), a model 60 jointer and a pm100 planer. I've been working lots of qswo and love the rays. However, my knives do not. I've already changed my knives twice this summer as I work with the oak. Not a task I enjoy! I'd like to upgrade the jointer first, since it gets used every day.

But, other than a Byrd Shelix, are there any other good cutterhead options? I've read quite a few reviews online and am concerned about the "scalloping" some people get. It seems that these reports were all fairly old, maybe the new Byrd heads dont have this problem? Others claim the wood is just "fuzzy" and a quick sanding takes care of it. What has been your experience? Any other options I can consider?

[Matt Day]

No real input on which to buy, but I'd surely spend the money on the planer first, since you can clean up tearout from the jointer in the planer. Personally I don't see any reason to have one in the jointer at all, unless money isn't a concern.

[Myk Rian]

Agree with Matt. The Byrd belongs in the planer first. That's where your finished product comes from.
Any scallops are removed by sanding, or a cabinet scraper. I've never had a problem with it.

[Bill McNiel]

suggest you look at Todd Leback's thread "Byrd vs standard helical" on the next page. It may help.

[eugene thomas]

I would do planer first. I have had planer with byrd head for two months now. Why did I wait so long to getttttt...

[Mark Carlson]

I have two machines with a byrd head, a powermatic jointer and a hammer jointer planer. I dont see any scalloping. I'd do the planer 1st.

~mark

[Larry Edgerton]

I had a 60 with a Byrd,worked well, and I am with you, I would have the Byrd in the jointer first. The setup on jointers is so fussy that it is nice to set it perfect once and forget it. Also jointers see dirty stock as they are the first place stock goes to be prepped in my shop. I am going to replace the head in my Minimax with a Byrd when funds allow.

Larry

[Joseph Montroy]

Actually the "Bryd vs helical head" thread us what made me realize there may be other options. But, does anyone know if the heads grizzly sells will fit in my machine?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Unclear - your problem with the jointer knives is what? The QSWO dulls them quickly?

[Tom M King]

I don't know what method you are using for changing the knives in the jointer. By skipping all the magnets, and measuring devices, and learning to set them by feel with a strip of wood, it changes it to any easy, few minute process. The knives sharpen quickly too. I use the Veritas jig and sandpaper, although there are other, cheaper jigs that probably work just as well. I can take the knives out, sharpen them, and have them back to work in about 15 minutes without getting in a hurry.

[Mel Fulks]

I like Powermatic machines, but I have never seen any that came with high quality knives. The ones that have Powermatic
Germany stamped on them are terrible. If you buy a set of M2 or T1 knives they will last longer and leave a better finish.
Yes they cost a little more ,but much less than new heads.

[Brian Gumpper]

There are no other heads for those machines unless you go custom. They are both unique to themselves and even the model 60 has two different versions, 5/8" shaft and 3/4" shaft on the pulley side. If you want a good deal on both send me a PM.

[Peter Quinn]

I'm with Larry, jointer first. I have Byrd heads in both jointer and planer now, I love them, will never go back. Scalloping? Bad knife changes. You have to clean the seats when changing each knife, and it's highly advisable you use a torque wrench to set the screws. Most of the scalloping issues trace back to over/under tightening cutting chips on dirty seats. In any event neither straight nor Byrd heads leave a finish ready surface, just that Byrd won't tear an 1/8" off the edges of your stock. Reason I went jointer first is I had a bigger problem with tear outs on edges than faces, I have a drum sander to clean up faces, I can't run an 8" wide 4/4 board on edge through my planer, so the idea that the planer cleans up all ills is in my case bunk. The other reason I did jointer first is it's easier and cheaper, so it's a good intro to the process mechanically and a less expensive way to dip your toe in and see if you like the product. It was only weeks after doing the jointer that I started planning to do the planer. Love at first pass. Other options? Tersa?

[Dave Cav]

I have changed two PM 60s and one PM 100 planer to Byrd heads in my school shops. You really don't have time to fool around with jointer and planer knives in a school shop environment and these were some of the best machine retrofits I ever did. Jointers take about an hour, planer two or three. Like an earlier post said, measure your jointer shafts first; Byrd stuff drops right in. Bearings are common size; we actually got the planer bearings at NAPA.

[Vince Shriver]

Check out the video, prices and customer service at the following. They will be supplying my DJ 20 with knives at my next change. Byrd cutters going in my Delta 380 planer very soon.

www.estausa.com (http://www.estausa.com)

[Mel Fulks]

I just looked at that site. Dispozablade FAQ number 10 answer reccommends their higher grade "high tungsten" steel ,which is most likely T1. Ease of setting knives is a good thing but I believe ops main problem is low grade steel. T1 is readily available to fit his machine without buying a new head.

[Charles R Johnson]

I recently installed a Byrd Shellix cutter on my Delta DJ20 jointer. A process that in my opinion was easier than changing the former straight blades. What an incredible improvement. Face jointing is now a pleasure and after many hundreds of feet I still have the fence set on the widest setting and no lines in the wood. Prior to upgrading the jointer I had purchased a 15" Powermatic planer that came with the shelix heads again an excellent tool with extended blade life. The reduction in noise from my old box lunch planer with straight blades is nearly worth the upgrade $$ alone. Pushed between one or the other I'd upgrade the jointer first. I've been raving to all my wood working friends about it since making the switch.