Joe Beaulieu
12-20-2015, 10:03 PM
Hey Folks,
I am sure this has been covered here a number of times, but I would like to know current opinions about a helical cutter head upgrade vs buying a new lunchbox planer. I have an older Dewalt 733 planer. It is actually in very good condition, it basically sat for a long time before I got my shop in California together. But like most of these inexpensive machines it does a fair job. I am considering replacing the head with a Byrd helical head, but I am not sure if simply buying a new machine with the head installed isn't a smarter move. The upgrade looks a little daunting. Has anyone done it, and if so, did you need anything special for tools? In particular - was a gear puller necessary? What about a torque wrench? I own neither of those tools. I am pretty good mechanically, but I have read that this is a much tougher process than Byrd makes it out to be.
If the new planer is the better option, anyone have a recommendation? One option I saw that surprised me was a Steel City branded machine on EBay for a very attractive price. It is Taiwanese. I know Steel City went belly up earlier this year. Is it a knock off? Did they simply buy the name? Is it legit? I am pretty skeptical about it, but Steel City had a go0od rep for a while there and sold their machines for aggressive prices. Is this for real? There are a few other machines just over $500 that seem to be OK deals. These all have the helical head. General makes a machine, and a company called "Cutech" I have never heard of.
Any feedback on the process or on new machines would be most welcome. Thanks folks, and have a great holiday!
Joe
I am sure this has been covered here a number of times, but I would like to know current opinions about a helical cutter head upgrade vs buying a new lunchbox planer. I have an older Dewalt 733 planer. It is actually in very good condition, it basically sat for a long time before I got my shop in California together. But like most of these inexpensive machines it does a fair job. I am considering replacing the head with a Byrd helical head, but I am not sure if simply buying a new machine with the head installed isn't a smarter move. The upgrade looks a little daunting. Has anyone done it, and if so, did you need anything special for tools? In particular - was a gear puller necessary? What about a torque wrench? I own neither of those tools. I am pretty good mechanically, but I have read that this is a much tougher process than Byrd makes it out to be.
If the new planer is the better option, anyone have a recommendation? One option I saw that surprised me was a Steel City branded machine on EBay for a very attractive price. It is Taiwanese. I know Steel City went belly up earlier this year. Is it a knock off? Did they simply buy the name? Is it legit? I am pretty skeptical about it, but Steel City had a go0od rep for a while there and sold their machines for aggressive prices. Is this for real? There are a few other machines just over $500 that seem to be OK deals. These all have the helical head. General makes a machine, and a company called "Cutech" I have never heard of.
Any feedback on the process or on new machines would be most welcome. Thanks folks, and have a great holiday!
Joe