Is the difference between straight blades and the spiral head worth it?

[Terry Hatfield]

Contemplating buying a new planer. Looking very seriously at the Griz G0453($995) or the G0453Z($1450). Is the spiral head worth the dollar difference?

Reason for the question is this. My wood guy always has wide boards and I'm a sucker for them. I have several in the 15" range now than obviously won't fit thru my 13" Ridgid and I sorely hate to cut them down just to go thru the planer. I have a few boards that are up to 20" and Griz has the G0545 20" planer for $1495.00. Obviously the 20" has the straight blades vs the spiral head on the G0453Z. If the spiral head is really the bomb then I would most likey go for the G0453Z but if not, then I'd be spending the same money and getting a 20". I typically use my Performax to surface the wider boards but it's really , really slow.

TIA,

Terry

[Mikail Khan]

Worth it for me. Less noise. Long insert life.

I have had a jointer and planer with spiral carbide cutterheads for about 2 years now. I am a hobbyist, but I have not had to rotate the inserts as yet. Most of the work I do is with teak and mahogany.

MK

[Chris Ricker]

Terry;
I have the spiral head in my 12" Griz J/P.
I have used the straight knives in the past and would definitely get the spiral head again.

I've had it since July of '08 and see no need to rotate the cutters yet. If I had to guess, I've prolly processed about 1000 bf or so. Remember that I have the J/P so the same cutter head performs the both operations.

With the spiral I get much less tear out, less noise and the cut is much, much smoother.

I usually work with walnut, cherry, white oak and, hard maple.
hope this helps.
CR

[Van Huskey]

For me absolutely. I will never own a jointer or planer with knives again. In the end they will save money and except for the first couple of minutes with razor sharp knives will give you a better finish.

[glenn bradley]

No question. I have a spiral in the jointer and am eying a spiral for a replacement of my current planer. I could never go back.

[Robert Chapman]

The spiral head is really helpful if you mill figured wood such as birdseye or curly maple or other wood that is subject to tear out. I would highly recommend one.

[Matt Meiser]

Can't speak to the planer, but I love the one I put on my jointer. Plus at least on that machine, my knife alignment days are over.

[Brian Penning]

I don't understand getting the spiral for the jointer when the wood ends up going through the planer.
Can someone enlighten me?

[Matt Meiser]

Probably true for face jointing, but edge jointing is another story.

[Joe Jensen]

I'm not usually the grumpy old man on the forum, but geeze. You have nearly 2000 posts and you need another thread on this topic? Search?

[Thomas Knapp]

I don't understand getting the spiral for the jointer when the wood ends up going through the planer.
Can someone enlighten me?

The spiral inserts are carbide so they don't need sharpening or replacing as often. If you get tear out with the jointer you need to sand or plane it out if it is on a surface that shows. There is less noise with the spiral heads. There is also less resistance to feeding the stock, than with straight knives.
I put a Byrd head on an old 6" delta jointer and would not want to go back to straight cutters.
Tom

[Terry Hatfield]

Thanks guys. I have another month to save but the G0453Z it is. Just wanted to make sure that I was doing the right thing with my money....and Joe, in my nearly 2000 posts, I've learned not to tell people to search instead of asking questions. I felt like it would be no harm and no foul to actaully ask a question. Sorry if I overstepped my bounds.

[Van Huskey]

in my nearly 2000 posts, I've learned not to tell people to search instead of asking questions. I felt like it would be no harm and no foul to actaully ask a question. Sorry if I overstepped my bounds.

That is the way THIS forum works, no "duh google" or "search" replies nothing wrong with a search or look at a specific thread for expanded info though. I have always figured if someone is asking a 1+1=? question serch prodding is fine since it doesn't muck up a forum (if that is acceptable in the forum, most prefer it, though here it is a bit more laid back) but if someone is asking an opinion question (like you are) it is best to ask it again (unless it has been ask multiple times in the last week) because different people respond and with newer tech opinions change. For example if this question were ask 3 years ago fewer people would have seen much less tried a spiral head and the consensus might be very different.

[james bell]

I purchased the Grizzly G0609 jointer with knives, saving $700 and figuring I would almost always run the wood through my planer (or my 22-44 sander). I just pulled the trigger on the G0453Z (been using an old Makita 2030 with knives).

If you have the money, spiral on both is great. But definitely get the spiral on the planer. I can always upgrade the jointer for less than it would have cost originally since they offered free shippiing with the knives but not the spiral. Thus far, no need and that $700 will buy me something else I "need".

[Terry Hatfield]

I purchased the Grizzly G0609 jointer with knives, saving $700 and figuring I would almost always run the wood through my planer (or my 22-44 sander). I just pulled the trigger on the G0453Z (been using an old Makita 2030 with knives).

If you have the money, spiral on both is great. But definitely get the spiral on the planer. I can always upgrade the jointer for less than it would have cost originally since they offered free shippiing with the knives but not the spiral. Thus far, no need and that $700 will buy me something else I "need".

Thanks! That is my plan. I have the G0500 jointer which I am super happy with and honestly very seldom face joint many boards. My wood guys sells S2S and I don't buy anything that's less than super straight so the planer was my main concern.