Byrd Cutter Head Outfeed Adjustment

[Mac Cambra]

Does anyone have an easy way to ajust outfeed table height when using a Byrd Shelix cutter head. I just installed it on my Grizzly 8" jointer and finding top dead center seems a little tricky.

Thanks,

Mac

[Chris Rosenberger]

Mac.
This is how I adjust mine. I take a piece of wood that has a straight edge & is at least 24 inches long. I first lower the jointer outfeed table slightly. I turn on the jointer & start edging the wood until it extends about 3 inches over the outfeed table. I turn off the jointer. Then while holding the piece of wood down to the infeed table I raise the outfeed table until it just touches the piece of wood. I remove the piece of wood, turn on the jointer & run the piece of wood through the jointer. As I feed the wood I watch to see that the wood does not raise up off of the infeed table. If it does, the outfeed table is set too high. If this is the case then I lower the outfeed table slightly until the piece does not raise up off of the infeed table.
If on the other hand I get a snipe on the trailing end of the edge, then the outfeed table is set to low. To correct this I raise the outfeed table slightly until the snipe is gone. If the piece does not raise up off the infeed table & there is not a snipe on the trailing edge, I have the table set correctly.

[JayStPeter]

I use the same method for my Byrd that I did with blades. I take a piece of wood with a straight edge and back it into the cutterhead from the outfeed side. At first, spinning by hand to get close, later while running. You should hear the knives/inserts touching the wood, but not see any evidence of it on the piece. It's harder to hear with the Byrd, but still doable.
If I have any outfeed height issues (snipe, wedge shaped pieces), I just start the process by lowering the outfeed table and sneak up on it. I find it easier than tweaking the setting I already have.

Jay

[Mac Cambra]

Clever approaches appreciate the inputs.