Where to buy a spiral cutter

[Joseph Fenske]

I own a Jet JJP-12. I would like to upgrade to a spiral cutter. I have found shelixheads.com and holbren.com. Has anyone ordered from these sites and had a good experience. Any other recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks,

Joe

[Bob Michaels]

Grizzly is a good supplier.

[Jim Andrew]

I have a shelix head on my Grizzly G0609 jointer. Found you can buy the heads cheaper from Grizzly than from Byrd directly. I would probably go with the Grizzly brand head instead of the shelix if I were to do this again, because you lose a little width with the shelix.

[Joseph Fenske]

I looked at grizzly. Their 12" cutter won't fit my machine. Which is bummer because its $300 cheaper.

[Dick Mahany]

I own a Jet JJP-12. I would like to upgrade to a spiral cutter. I have found shelixheads.com and holbren.com. Has anyone ordered from these sites and had a good experience. Any other recommendations would be welcome.

Thanks,

Joe

I was going to change my Jet JJP12 to a spiral cutter head but found that the Jet HH version has a different (slower) feed rate than my straight knife machine did. This meant that I needed to change pulleys and belts in addition. I have read that the spiral cutter places a higher force on the cutters than on straight knives, but I have also read that some have successfully converted to HH without changing the feed rates. Just something to consider.

[Keith Pitman]

You might try calling Jet and see if they will have it available again:

https://parts.jettools.com/Detail.aspx?PartID=JJP12HH-071A

[Patrick Whitehorn]

Being fairly new to these types of cutterheads, are you considering a spiral-knifed head (ala: http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/superhelic.html) or a spiral-head with individual cutters (ala: http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/spiral-heads.html)? I am just curious - I will most likely never buy either.

[Joseph Fenske]

I read the threads about the different feed rates... I thought I would go ahead anyway. I am considering the spiral head with the individual cutters. Like this one, https://shelixheads.com/SHELIX-heads_for_Jointers/SHELIX_Heads_for_Jointers_by_JET/SHELIX_for_jet_12_inch_Jointer_(JJP-12)

[Chuck Nickerson]

I read the threads about the different feed rates... I thought I would go ahead anyway. I am considering the spiral head with the individual cutters. Like this one, https://shelixheads.com/SHELIX-heads_for_Jointers/SHELIX_Heads_for_Jointers_by_JET/SHELIX_for_jet_12_inch_Jointer_(JJP-12)

For my JJP-12 I went with spiral head/individual cutters from Shelixheads. The machine now cuts better and is much quieter.
Because bearing removal and install is required I paid a local tech to do the install. Best $250 I've ever spent. The install that is.

[Joseph Fenske]

That's good to know. I had been a little apprehensive about buying from Shelixheads.com because the website looks a little outdated.

[Brian Gumpper]

I have a shelix head on my Grizzly G0609 jointer. Found you can buy the heads cheaper from Grizzly than from Byrd directly. I would probably go with the Grizzly brand head instead of the shelix if I were to do this again, because you lose a little width with the shelix.

Jim,

I don't have a copy of the JJP12 in my database but Byrd did change the design to allow rabbeting and the end cutter slightly protrudes from the main body now. Looking at another drawings for a jointer, that added .100" on each side so not sure if that's the difference you were referring too. The old design needed a special rabbeting cutter installed.

[Jim Andrew]

Bought mine in about '08, and all the cutters are angled.

[Brian Gumpper]

They still are, just the ones on the end are canted a little canted now and overhang for rabbeting. That added a little to the cutting width of the head I believe.

[Mike Heidrick]

Brian Gumpper, above, owns holbren dot com and is a SMC and a woodnet member and a friend and my source for my Whiteside bits. He is also a great Byrd dealer from what I have read. He has a woodnet discount and maybe a SMC discount but not sure on that or if they can be used on shelix heads. Just a plug for him. He is the real deal. Pulled off the side of the highway in his car to help me out with an order one day. Awesome CS.