Looking for advice on spiral cutterhead.
After tuning up my 12" jointer (old Taiwanese CKM model, but quite well made) the time has come to replace the 3 knife cutterhead (98mm) with a spiral insert head.
I just don't want to have to set and adjust jointer or planer knives ever again! I'm done with that.... too old and lazy, I guess....
I've come across a company called Sheartak, who like Byrd offers spiral cutterheads with the same 30 degree shear angle. Cutterhead looks identical to the Byrd.
Sheartak is made in China, however the prices are 30% cheaper than Byrd.
So far the few reviews I've seen are very positive. (on the "bay")
The Sheartak standard insert measures 15 x 15 x 2.5 x 150mm radius, whereas the Byrd is 15 x 15 x 2.5 but with a 100mm radius.
Perhaps the Sheartak would have slightly less "grooving" than Byrd inserts?
I'm also thinking of replacing the 4 knife cutterhead (120mm) in my Griggio 24" planer, but that's pretty big money, especially with Byrd.
My dilemma is that Sheartak offers the 12" CKM cutterhead with either 6 rows and 80 inserts, or 8 rows and 96 inserts (same as the Byrd)
Their Griggio PSA630 cutterhead is available in a 6 row with 162 inserts, or 9 row with 234 inserts. (would have to be custom made through Byrd, or Hermance)
Of course, the more inserts, the more money....
All that, just to ask the simple question(s) ..........
Is it better to have more cutting inserts? Would the cut quality be at all noticeably better?
Any downsides to having more inserts? (Besides the obvious initial cost, and the time and money involved in replacing more inserts at some point in the future.)
I installed a Byrd cutterhead in my little 13" Delta lunch box planer 3 years ago, and it works really well, but does leave very minor grooving/tracks on the surface. Nothing that can't be taken
care of easily with a few passes of any decent sander. So much better on figured wood though!
Mike from Sheartak sent me this pic of a rather large cutterhead they made..... 2100mm (about 82 5/8") cutting length..... huuuge!!
It is a spiral cutterhead, but this one doesn't have the shear angle, like what I'm after.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a9a96b1f_c.jpg