Is anyone selling lunchbox planers with Byrd heads installed?

[Larry Edgerton]

Like the title says..........

Thanks

[Ken Massingale]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_263870-26463-40300H_4294607708__?productId=3481765&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=

[Larry Edgerton]

Those are HSS inserts.

I was thinking Dewalt or comparable.

[lowell holmes]

Check the link here. What am I missing?

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/steelcityportableplaner13helicalheadcarbide40300CH .aspx

[John A langley]

You're missing sold out no more available however I think Larry could buy the carbide-and change it out

[lowell holmes]

Are you saying there will be no more Steel City planers?

Is the Lowes add not good?

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=263870-26463-40300H&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3481765&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

I see that it is not carbide.

Have they quit making carbide cutters?

[John A langley]

Lowell not saying that at all you also posted an ad from Highland and I was just pointing out that the free carbide insertswere not available in their promotion anymore does point out though that they can be changed I have a three horse steel city shaper for the money it is excellent shaper they discontinued so I'm cautious with the steel city tools

[Keith Pleas]

There's the new Woodcraft / Woodriver 13" portable planer. Not helix, not carbide (the flyer does say "carbine steel reversible inserts", and those same inserts are used their jointers, but they probably meant "carbon steel"). It's $400 so it's not a Dewalt + Shelix, but will probably work for many people.

[John Schweikert]

I personally think there is a void in products offered. Either Byrd or someone else should sell Dewalt and other planers with Shelix heads already installed. A similar void is there are few if any 120v non-lunchbox planers, Jet has one and maybe Grizzly but no one else.

The snipe is quite pronounced on the Steel City lunchbox planers yet most Dewalts are near snipe free. I can usually run precut lengths in my DW733 with no snipe.

[Grant Wilkinson]

General International has one. http://general.ca/products/1_general/30_planer/30-005.html

[Peter Quinn]

I personally think there is a void in products offered. Either Byrd or someone else should sell Dewalt and other planers with Shelix heads already installed. A similar void is there are few if any 120v non-lunchbox planers, Jet has one and maybe Grizzly but no one else.

The snipe is quite pronounced on the Steel City lunchbox planers yet most Dewalts are near snipe free. I can usually run precut lengths in my DW733 with no snipe.


Thats because its difficult to provide the amperage required with most 110V circuits. A 15" planer really needs 3HP to take a full cut at full width, turn that into a 110V circuit and thats almost 25 amps....or 10AWG wire, which most people don't have in their house. If you are going to take the time to wire a 30A 110V circuit, why not just wire it 220V and save 40% on wire cost? You wont fine many real 3HP machines wired 110V, they max out about 1 3/4HP for induction motors and those take a full 20A circuit. The over rated theoretical horse power used on things like routers and shop vac is great for the marketing weenies to put in adds, but when cutter hits wood you need actual HP.

Perhaps they could make 12"-13" floor planers with 2HP motors to run on 20A 110V, but I think the market has decided the subset of buyers to whom that is attractive is so small why bother. They used to make some pretty impressive planers in that size range before lunch boxes, I'm guessing the cost difference between 12" and 15" cast iron planers is marginal enough that most people wouldn't buy the smaller one anyway, so manufacturers dropped them around 40 years ago.

[Joe Spear]

The General International machine does have carbide cutters, but they're only two-sided.

[Larry Edgerton]

The General International machine does have carbide cutters, but they're only two-sided.

I looked at the manual, they look to be spaced quite far apart. I want a Byrd anyway.