Justifying A Major Tool Purchase

[Julie Moriarty]

well, certainly with a deeper cut, but I’m implying that for similar cuts I would get more circuit trips from the shelix head than the straight blade. Not sure if it’s the energy difference required to scrape vs cut, or the microsecond gap between blades vs continuous cutting, or something else. Was just something I noticed. Was worth the hassle though to get better results in tougher, figured woods.

Most times I ran it on a 20amp circuit which helped limit issues though but even then the motor was limited compared to the floor machines. I was always worried about burning up the machine but I’m sure there are folks that beat these things to death in the field doing their work and gets years of service.

I never installed the Byrd head but had the same tripping problems with the 735. The panel breaker only tripped once (or was it twice?) but the motor overload tripped several times. And I wasn't taking anything more than a hair off the board.

There may be something to the load created when planing wide boards simply being too much for a 120v, 20A circuit to handle. Though with the Delta 22-540, that I used for 20 years, I planed wide boards frequently and never tripped anything. It was always on a 20A circuit.

[brent stanley]

I never installed the Byrd head but had the same tripping problems with the 735. The panel breaker only tripped once (or was it twice?) but the motor overload tripped several times. And I wasn't taking anything more than a hair off the board.

There may be something to the load created when planing wide boards simply being too much for a 120v, 20A circuit to handle. Though with the Delta 22-540, that I used for 20 years, I planed wide boards frequently and never tripped anything. It was always on a 20A circuit.

Mine would trip the motor overload sometimes too, even without an extension cord and on a dedicated 20amp circuit with a short run to the panel. They're an underpowered machine and probably a good example of where upgrading to an insert head might make a difference.

[Julie Moriarty]

Depending on diameter Felder uses 2 rows for the Hammer line, Three rows for their Felder and four rows for their format.

I know that's true with their straight knives but, looking at this picture, it would seem difficult to get four rows on inserts in there.
Format-4SP.jpg

[brent stanley]

Watch this video from Felder. Right around the 5:40 mark they compare amperage load between the Felder head and one that looks like a shelix. Interesting video comparisons.

https://youtu.be/FVNWrF8XzpA

I think I'd like to see a more independent, better controlled side by side. A whisker of difference on depth of cut would add up to the difference, but also, the Byrd head produces the often discussed, shallow longitudinal ridges and much like a planed metal surface such as on a jointer table, those ridges allow it to slide easier. You can tell by looking at the end grain on the board in the video that the planing side and/or orientation is different. I expect it's probably a better head than the Byrd, but how much better should be assessed by more independent means than comparing the marketing hype.

[John Sincerbeaux]

After apx 5 years of R&D, this is Martin’s entry into the carbide insert head world. They call this their Xplane cutterhead.
Martin used to install Byrd heads until they produced their XPlane.
16E2F211-F5AD-45BF-B46E-61B395A20384.jpg

[Darcy Warner]

After apx 5 years of R&D, this is Martin’s entry into the carbide insert head world. They call this their Xplane cutterhead.
Martin used to install Byrd heads until they produced their XPlane.
16E2F211-F5AD-45BF-B46E-61B395A20384.jpg

Looks like a hermance.

[brent stanley]

Looks like a hermance.

Their head is made by someone else, so I wonder if they sell to anyone other than Hermance?

[Darcy Warner]

Their head is made by someone else, so I wonder if they sell to anyone other than Hermance?

Who's head is made by someone else? Martin?

Hermance runs a straight insert on the edges of their heads so you can still rabate with a jointer, the planer heads are chevrons to direct chips towards the middle where most DC pick ups are. Plus square on edges to prevent the common right side blow out you will get with a helical head.

[brent stanley]

Who's head is made by someone else? Martin?

Hermance runs a straight insert on the edges of their heads so you can still rabate with a jointer, the planer heads are chevrons to direct chips towards the middle where most DC pick ups are. Plus square on edges to prevent the common right side blow out you will get with a helical head.

No the Hermance head is made by an engineering company for them, Strause Industrial LLC. I expect there's probably an agreement that they won't allow anyone else to use it, but never know.

B

[brent stanley]

Who's head is made by someone else? Martin?

Hermance runs a straight insert on the edges of their heads so you can still rabate with a jointer, the planer heads are chevrons to direct chips towards the middle where most DC pick ups are. Plus square on edges to prevent the common right side blow out you will get with a helical head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8904HCpI-I

[Jared Sankovich]

No the Hermance head is made by an engineering company for them, Strause Industrial LLC. I expect there's probably an agreement that they won't allow anyone else to use it, but never know.

B

I think Strouse industrial is closely related to hermance, considering the president of Hermance is Joe strouse.
And they share the same address...

https://youtu.be/eNlGtzvA4sY

https://youtu.be/R8904HCpI-I

[brent stanley]

I think Strouse industrial is closely related to hermance, considering the president of Hermance is Joe strouse.
And they share the same address...

https://youtu.be/eNlGtzvA4sY

https://youtu.be/R8904HCpI-I

Interesting! The plot thickens...

[Darcy Warner]

They bought that company specifically for the manufacturing of their heads. My contact at Hermance is Matt Strouse, who coincidentally looks just like his Dad, Joe.

Good lord, who really cares?

I prefer straight knife planers with grinders and jointing stones, and my straight knife jointers.

I will gladly install a Hermance head for a customer that wants one. I wont even consider a shelix.

Gladu was a pain to deal with, global as well, did find a local place making them as well.

[brent stanley]

They bought that company specifically for the manufacturing of their heads. My contact at Hermance is Matt Strouse, who coincidentally looks just like his Dad, Joe.

Good lord, who really cares?

I prefer straight knife planers with grinders and jointing stones, and my straight knife jointers.

I will gladly install a Hermance head for a customer that wants one. I wont even consider a shelix.

Gladu was a pain to deal with, global as well, did find a local place making them as well.

How much is one of their heads?

[brent stanley]

Good lord, who really cares?

I Don't care and it doesn't matter, I was just wondering if they made heads for another company as well or not. I expect they wouldn't allow it other than for the retrofit market.