Byrd Shelix cutterhead and dust collection

[David Kauffman]

I just bought a Yorkcraft 15" 4 poster, and immediately put a Shelix cutter head on it. Fired it up and boy what a beautiful job it does planing everything I have fed it so far. Smooth as silk, very little if any tear out on stuff that would otherwise have some. Quieter too. But one of the benefits I read was supposed to be better dust collection. Indeed the thing spits out nice little curls instead of long ones that on occasion would clog in my 4 inch hose if I was planing wide stock. So doesn't seem like I will be having to clean up the occasional clog as much, and I figure more will fit into that 55 gal drum now since those chips are just small curls. However, noticed that my machine leaves a LOT more of the chips on the table and out the ends. Same Jet 650 DC as I had on the other 4 post, which didn't have a problem sucking almost all the chips from the machine, even wide stock. The DC is dedicated to only that machine. Barrel is empty (it's going through one of those cyclones that sit on top of a 55gal drum) and putting my hand on the end of the hose where it goes into the planer it feels like the same amount of suction it had before. Just seems to leave a lot more un collected so to speak. Is this a function of the Shelix head? The 4 poster seems identical to the other one inside that top shroud, so doesn't seem like that should be an issue. Only diff is that cutterhead. Anybody else noticing this or is it just me.

[Frank Snyder]

David - Interesting. I have had no problems with my DC after installing the Byrd head. I'm running a 2HP Oneida Super Dust Gorilla and the suction is pretty scary. How much are you planing off at one time?

[Todd Solomon]

David, I haven't had any issues with dust collection either, and mine's a 22" planer with a Byrd head. Dust collection is better on this unit than my previous DeWalt 13".

Todd

[Jim Becker]

A DC650 is a bit light for a 15" planer, honestly, especially when you are working wider material...it tops out at about 300-350 CFM in "real world" conditions if you use the "half the free air" theory that many folks consider valid. And dust collection gets a little harder when you have a lot more of the smaller, finer stuff including the smaller chips you're now producing as they appear to be escaping the air stream. (Remember, dust collection is about moving air, NOT suction...) You actually reduce the efficiency of the DC with the pre-separator, too, strange as that may seem.

One thing you don't say is the width of the material you are noticing the problem with and whether you are running it in the middle of the cutter or off to the side...the latter is going to be less efficient when it comes to dust collection as the chips are being produced farther away from the area of highest air movement.

[Russ Massery]

I feel Jim's reply is right on. Your not moving enough air to remove the chips fast enough. I had the same problem with my old dust collector till I upgraded to cyclone this summer.

[Mark Marzluf]

Not to mention the actual chip size...

When planing with straight knives, you get flat ribbons that catch a lot of air.. The Byrd head creates such a small sized chip that there's not much surface area for the air flow to catch..

I have a 2HP standard DC pulling 20' from my 15" byrd head equiped planer and although 98% of the ships get collected, I do get a regular dusting of small chips on the floor around the outfeed.

[David Kauffman]

Thanks guys... I appreciate the input. Looks like I might have to upgrade my 650 for something a little bigger. Jim, to answer your question, I was pushing a 6" wide piece of oak through, and when I started getting so much coming out the ends and onto the floor, I experimented feeding the wood from the sides, middle, angled the piece so it starts one side and ends up on the other etc, but nothing seems to make much difference. Frank to answer yours, I was taking off a full turn of that crank handle at a time, which is a little less than 1/16. It did do a better job collecting those small Shelix chips when I didn't take as much of a bite, as well as when I ran it on the slow speed, which would make sense. I just never had much of a problem in any situation DC end of things when I was running strait knives. No big problem... I think the solution is to buy a bigger DC. I actually pass the Penn State woodworking store on the way home from work... I hear they do have good dust collection equipment.

Thanks again for the input.

[William Addison]

You might try setting your chp deflecter 1/4 inch from the cutterhead if it's not already there.