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Thread: Vintage planer upgrade...

  1. #1

    Vintage planer upgrade...

    I am planning on upgrading my Northwoods 20" planer to a Shelix spiral cutter head. To do this I need to find the model number for this particular machine. The serial number is posted on the side, but I can't find the model number anywhere. Maybe it's stamped on the inside somewhere? The model number of the planer that the cutter head is supposed to fit is CKM-P20. I would hate to spend all that cash, wait three to four months for delivery and then find that it wont fit... I do have a PDF diagram for Shelix showing the dimensions of the new cutter head and I may have to take the planer apart to check dimensions on the old cutter head, but that will be a last resort. Any suggestions?

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  2. #2
    I believe that NW-20 is the model number. Do a Google search for Northwood NW-20 planer.

  3. #3
    Pull it and send it. I don't trust not sending the head. I believe Shelix is about 10 to 11 month lead time. Hermance is under 8 weeks.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Lash View Post
    I believe that NW-20 is the model number. Do a Google search for Northwood NW-20 planer.
    Google does not show much info.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Darcy Warner View Post
    Pull it and send it. I don't trust not sending the head. I believe Shelix is about 10 to 11 month lead time. Hermance is under 8 weeks.
    I can't afford to have my planer down for 8 weeks, unfortunately. Looks like I'll have to take apart the head and compare with dimensions from Shelix...

  6. #6
    You could probably skip it out, have them take measurements, and ship it back? That's a lot of screwing around though.

  7. #7
    Buy a different planer with an insert head in it?

  8. #8
    Or, if you're in love with THAT planer. Go but another used so you've got one for the eight weeks you'll be without.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Mackay, ID
    Posts
    32
    My Northwood 20" planer is serial number 22305 and is marked Model Number LS-20A. Purchased new in 1987. NW-20 does appear to be the model number on your planer as previously stated. Also yours has a 7.5 hp motor whereas mine has a 5 hp which was standard at the time.
    Last edited by Orlyn Gaddis; 05-12-2018 at 10:46 AM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Central WI
    Posts
    5,666
    Wasn't Northwood a Taiwanese machine made by Geetech back then? If so, there should be a bunch of those sold under other names. Depending on cost, you could swap out the whole machine. I bought a used SAC 530 with a Tersa head for 4K. I'm assuming the head swap will be 2K ? Dave

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    577
    Quote Originally Posted by David Kumm View Post
    Wasn't Northwood a Taiwanese machine made by Geetech back then? If so, there should be a bunch of those sold under other names. Depending on cost, you could swap out the whole machine. I bought a used SAC 530 with a Tersa head for 4K. I'm assuming the head swap will be 2K ? Dave
    Agreed. There's nothing especially valuable about this particular planer. To me, it would make more sense to buy a better one, and if I really needed the spiral head (I don't agree with the need for a spiral head unless you're working with highly figured wood all the time. It's more of a want than a need for most people.) invest the money in the spiral head for a higher value planer. Or, as stated, buy a planer that already has it in it. From an investment point of view, this planer isn't worth $2000 now, let alone investing another approx. $2k in the head.

    There are a multitude of better planers available that would hold the value of investment in this type of head.

    As far as the machining of a matching head goes......I would NOT rely on getting a properly fitting spiral head made without shipping the old one in to ensure exacting machining. I know of a couple of bad stories about heads that were shipped that didn't fit properly because specs were taken from literature, instead of matching the existing cutterhead. Your best recourse is to send the old cutterhead in, if you absolutely need the spiral head for your business uses.

    Monkeys would fly out of my arse before I waited 10 months to receive a cutterhead from anyone, but that's just me. My 20" Powermatic 221D from 1957 is considered to be a finish planer, and is set up for the job. I get zero snipe, and almost zero tearout at all with sharp knives. No lumber from a spiral head is "finish ready", so you really must have a high need to preserve the lumber species you're working with to justify the expense of one of those spiral heads.
    Jeff

  12. #12
    Use a Hermance Helix Head and then let me know if you still feel the same way.

    I love all my Buss planers, but I would love them more if I put a Hermance head in one.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Crystal Lake, IL
    Posts
    577
    I don't doubt it at all. If I was running a lumber mill for resale, and selling highly figured hardwoods, it would certainly be an excellent upgrade and investment. I know a couple of luthier's that swear by them. For a furniture/cabinetmaker using North American hardwoods, that's a luxury item with a high price tag. I don't doubt the quality, but it would be of no benefit to a guy like me. I saw all my own lumber (Woodmizer), and my Powermatic with straight knives does a great job. I hand plane every piece I make, and that removes any and all machine marks anyways, with no extra work involved. For my kind of work, the added expense is unjustifiable.

    I was actually giving consideration to a Hermance head in my 30" Whitney, but I just sold the planer. Time to downsize and go fishing.
    Last edited by Jeff Heath; 05-13-2018 at 11:28 AM.
    Jeff

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