Esta v. Byrd - Planer Upgrades

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Well its blade changing time in the 15" Delta planer. Actually, its well past time! I have a few nicks in the blades but my biggest problem is tear out on highly figured QSWO and curly maple.

What are the thoughts on Esta Disposa-Blade system versus Byrd Shelix head? I know the product coming off the Esta will be much closer to a final product, requiring less sanding etc. I have never saw anyone address how much time turning the Byrd inserts take. Assuming they are dull and you want to turn all of them for a fresh edge, how long would that take, doing each one individually?

I am honesly leaning toward the Esta at this point. It is half the cost, though one would be looking at $45 per set of replacement, understanding there are two edges per set. Seems it would take a really long time to catch up to the cost of the Byrd. Plus, eventually all four edges of the Byrd are going to be dull and require replacement which appears to run about $4 per insert x 60 or so inserts.

Thanks!

[David DeCristoforo]

The spiral head will give better results when surfacing the QS oak and curly maple. As to whether or not the cost of the Byrd cutterhead is worth it, it's pretty much your call but you can figure on spending some time rotating all those little knives when the time comes. The Esta blade system would be much easier to deal with but of course, you would not have the helical head. If you figure four knife changes on the Byrd inserts and then a replacement cost of nearly $300, that's like $75 per "sharpening" which is very expensive by anyone's standard.

[Gary Keedwell]

When the time comes I'll be going to the carbide system. Those inserts last forever before you have to rotate them. And if one does get a chip in it you only have to rotate one and your good as gold.
As a machinist in my other life, I have seen cutters with carbide inserts go for many 8 hours shifts of machining before needing rotating. If your just a hobbyist, you would probably never have to buy an insert again.
As far as changing them......you back the lone screw off with an allen wrench and rotate it. Only takes a few seconds. I only have a 6" jointer now but I want to bring an 8" jointer with carbide insert head with me to retirement.;)

Gary K.

[Joe Jensen]

I started my "different knife" trip with a Terminus cutterhead in my jointer. Much nicer in that I only had to set up the head and jointer once and then knife changes are 5 min. About a year later I started reading a ton about the Bryd heads. I started using more highly figured stock and no matter how sharp my straight knives were I couldn't eliminate tearout. I ended up ordering a Byrd head for my Powermatic Model 100 12" planer. WOW, what an amazing upgrade. Zero tearout on all figured woods I've run. Extra sanding???? Give me a break. The surface is not as nice (almost but not quite) as a fresh set of straight steel knives but only on non-figured woods. After the first 100 feet on the steel knives, the surface of the Byrd head is as nice or better. There is VERY slight scalloping of the surface perpendicular to the direction of the board travel. But, with straight knives, there is are 10-12 scallops per inch in the direction of board travel. I sand either way. With the Byrd head I wouldn't have to start with anything more coarse than 120 grit orbital. Same as I did with the straight knives.

Now, keep in mind that the Byrd head knives are carbide. I've run at least 500 bd feet of rough sawn lumber trough my knives and the surface finish is every bit as nice as day one. I am a hobbiest and I expect this set of knives to last at least 10 years, maybe more...joe

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I started my "different knife" trip with a Terminus cutterhead in my jointer. Much nicer in that I only had to set up the head and jointer once and then knife changes are 5 min. About a year later I started reading a ton about the Bryd heads. I started using more highly figured stock and no matter how sharp my straight knives were I couldn't eliminate tearout. I ended up ordering a Byrd head for my Powermatic Model 100 12" planer. WOW, what an amazing upgrade. Zero tearout on all figured woods I've run. Extra sanding???? Give me a break. The surface is not as nice (almost but not quite) as a fresh set of straight steel knives but only on non-figured woods. After the first 100 feet on the steel knives, the surface of the Byrd head is as nice or better. There is VERY slight scalloping of the surface perpendicular to the direction of the board travel. But, with straight knives, there is are 10-12 scallops per inch in the direction of board travel. I sand either way. With the Byrd head I wouldn't have to start with anything more coarse than 120 grit orbital. Same as I did with the straight knives.

Now, keep in mind that the Byrd head knives are carbide. I've run at least 500 bd feet of rough sawn lumber trough my knives and the surface finish is every bit as nice as day one. I am a hobbiest and I expect this set of knives to last at least 10 years, maybe more...joe

I appreciate the position on the Byrd. Your arguement makes a lot of sense.

Thanks

[John Stevens]

There is VERY slight scalloping of the surface

I'll second that--it flattens right out when sanding, which you'll do no matter what type of blades you use.

Also, nobody's yet mentioned how nice and quiet the Byrd cutters are. The machine makes almost no more noise when cutting than when "idling." Some may think this is a trivial point, because you'll be wearing ear protection no matter what, but loud noise bothers me no matter what kind of ear protection I wear. And it bothers my neighbors even more.

Regards,

John

[Gary Keedwell]

I'll second that--it flattens right out when sanding, which you'll do no matter what type of blades you use.

Also, nobody's yet mentioned how nice and quiet the Byrd cutters are. The machine makes almost no more noise when cutting than when "idling." Some may think this is a trivial point, because you'll be wearing ear protection no matter what, but loud noise bothers me no matter what kind of ear protection I wear. And it bothers my neighbors even more.

Regards,

John
John,
Very good point...and one that I wasn't aware of. (if I was...I had forgotten)
Gary K.