Spiral Cutterhead for Jointer or Planer, pick one

[Jared Hendrix]

Thanks for the input! Y''all made some good points i had'nt though of.

The drum sander would definitely be the best option for eliminating any tear-out, however, it's down the list of tools i still need for my shop, I still need a good table saw and a band saw.
Now that i've thought on it more, i think i will put the money towards a newer table saw with a cast iron top, right now i'm using an old porter cable saw and its awful, the blade isn't square to the miter slots and the fence is terrible.

When i do decide to get the spiral head, i think i'll get it for the planer. In the short time i've had the dewalt planer, i've had the blades get nicks in them from a knot or something, and there's no way to sharpen them. I'd like to think that the spiral head will make a difference on the noise of the dewalt, but man, that thing is loud even if it's not running a board through...

[Rod Sheridan]

I can't justify a spiral head for cost, as my J/P uses a cartridge knife system. It would take me about 14 years to break even.

I could justify it for noise reduction, and if I were buying the machine again I would approach it that way.

The chips are also more compact so they don't fill up the extractor as fast, of course then the bag would be heavier to carry up the stairs

regards, Rod.

[Alex Tonin]

As others have said, a spiral head will require more horsepower from the motor (because a cutting edge is in near constant contact with the wood). Be sure your machine can handle that before you make the switch.

[Bill Adamsen]

I would agree with using the money for something else ... wood? With dust collection at full full tilt my straight knife jointer is very loud, and that would likely be solved by a spiral head of some sort. However I like the Tersa knives so I would be unlikely to switch it out.

[Peter Quinn]

I would do the jointer and save for a replacement planner. In fact I did exactly that. Not worth a Byrd head on that machine. Had one for a few years, cut quality was excellent with sharp knives, but the noise is ferocious, and the depth of cut is is a real limitation. Spiral heads take more power and that machine barely has enough as delivered. Its great being able to joint and flatten boards irrespective of grain direction. You can get better steel than the stock knives for better edge retention, hard knots are a potential problem for any planer knife so proceed with caution. I use my jointer for tapers on table legs where I cant easily drum sand or plane out damage, so the spiral head is a real plus there.

[Cary Falk]

I say the jointer and save for a new planer or sander. I can't justify a spiral head in a lunchbox planer. The blades are indexed and easy enough to change. They are screamers so I couldn't wait to get rid of mine.

[Derek Cohen]

Just a question - how certain are you that a spiral head requires more power than straight knives? This is not the information I have. In fact it is the reverse of what I have been told.

I have a Hammer A3-31 combination machine with 4 hp. It was designed to run on 20 amp with the straight blades, but comfortably start and runs on 15 amps with the spiral blades.

Logic says that there is more contact (and effort behind) a long, straight blade striking a surface, than several tiny, skewed blades doing so individually but in succession.

In support of spiral blades, the Hammer is quiet enough to have a conversation when it is running, and there is certainly a great deal of comfort in the fact that each blade has 4 faces. The carbide edges last a long time, and leave a super surface. Even so, I finish with hand planes.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Robert Engel]

Just a question - how certain are you that a spiral head requires more power than straight knives? This is not the information I have. In fact it is the reverse of what I have been told.

I have a Hammer A3-31 combination machine with 4 hp. It was designed to run on 20 amp with the straight blades, but comfortably start and runs on 15 amps with the spiral blades.

Logic says that there is more contact (and effort behind) a long, straight blade striking a surface, than several tiny, skewed blades doing so individually but in succession.

In support of spiral blades, the Hammer is quiet enough to have a conversation when it is running, and there is certainly a great deal of comfort in the fact that each blade has 4 faces. The carbide edges last a long time, and leave a super surface. Even so, I finish with hand planes.

Regards from Perth

Derek

You beat me to it, Derek

[Andrew Hughes]

The reason a Bryd head take more power then a straight knifes is the 30 degree face bevel on the inserts. The inserts are scraping the wood at a angle and stays in the cut longer.
If I add a face bevel to my knives I get the same feed pressure problems.
This is why much more pressure is needed to keep wood flat on the tables.
I can take a full 1/16 inch pass on 12 wide hickory with out my shoes slipping on the floor. Don't try this with a HH without some grip tape on the floor or brand spanking new inserts.

[David Kumm]

Felder developed their silent head with fewer inserts and a different design to use less power than a Byrd head. I would say it is a better choice for a low hp machine. I have a Byrd on my Delta DC33 and the 2 hp machine is definately a light pass finish planer. I'm in the camp of save up for a used 13-15" induction motor planer and swap heads Noise level of the head on a lunchbox with a screaming motor is kind of irrelevent. Dave

[Rod Sheridan]

Just a question - how certain are you that a spiral head requires more power than straight knives? This is not the information I have. In fact it is the reverse of what I have been told.

I have a Hammer A3-31 combination machine with 4 hp. It was designed to run on 20 amp with the straight blades, but comfortably start and runs on 15 amps with the spiral blades.

Logic says that there is more contact (and effort behind) a long, straight blade striking a surface, than several tiny, skewed blades doing so individually but in succession.

In support of spiral blades, the Hammer is quiet enough to have a conversation when it is running, and there is certainly a great deal of comfort in the fact that each blade has 4 faces. The carbide edges last a long time, and leave a super surface. Even so, I finish with hand planes.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hi, the Silent Power head is a proprietary design by Felder, it does use less power than straight knives.

That isn't true of other common spiral heads. The Felder head is also the only MAN rated available for common jointers.

The A3-31 with straight knives runs fine on a 15 ampere circuit as well, mines been running since 2007...........Rod.

[Neil Gaskin]

My initial impression is to go with the planer but I hesitate because of the machine you have. There is nothing wrong with it, we used one for a while but eventually ended up buying a larger floor model. The dewalt 735 is a good machine for the cost but spending more on that machine then what it cost seems a stretch. You'll have the joiner long after the planer has been replaced.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

This is why it's a no brainer to have a spiral head on a combo J/P.

[glenn bradley]

The "spiral head needs more power" conversation seems to have a lot of variables. Doesn't sound like it is a "one or the other" situation. The German head on my 8" jointer is not a shear cut and I get very little resistance during a cut with a taichi 3HP motor. When I do feel significant resistance or get trails on the cut surface it is generally time to rotate.

[Brian Holcombe]

This is why it's a no brainer to have a spiral head on a combo J/P.

I have a Tersa head on mine and it has greatly exceeded my expectations.