Byrd or Hermance 16" head?

[Darcy Warner]

I'm also curious as to what machine the head is going on. I'd be more apt to spend for a planer head than a jointer but am also wondering if the Byrd style on a large diameter head could be more dangerous on a jointer due to distance from the lips to the head. I understand replacing a head on an old machine with a damaged one but not a machine with a good knife head. Dave

I run both, but they are so much quieter than my 4 knife 36" buss 44.

I have a pile of perfectly good straight knife heads.

[brent stanley]

I'm also curious as to what machine the head is going on. I'd be more apt to spend for a planer head than a jointer but am also wondering if the Byrd style on a large diameter head could be more dangerous on a jointer due to distance from the lips to the head. I understand replacing a head on an old machine with a damaged one but not a machine with a good knife head. Dave

I think that's the biggest problem with the Byrd heads....they are nowhere near chip limiting. I think the new Felder heads are but I'm not sure. The Hermance heads and some of the other ones look better, but I'm not sure if they would satisfy the requirements to be MAN rated. Like you say, no big deal on a planer, but on a jointer....

[peter gagliardi]

It has been a long time since I looked at a Byrd head, but my memory tells me that the “perched” squares were not machined out of the solid head, but rather welded on.
I might be wrong, but someone here can surely verify this.

[Martin Wasner]

It has been a long time since I looked at a Byrd head, but my memory tells me that the “perched” squares were not machined out of the solid head, but rather welded on.
I might be wrong, but someone here can surely verify this.

I have no clue who does what, but that doesn't seem very cost effective compared to loading a billet and a program into a cnc and walking away.

[brent stanley]

I have no clue who does what, but that doesn't seem very cost effective compared to loading a billet and a program into a cnc and walking away.

That's what Byrd does, they aren't welded on! They CNC mill them out of solid stock.

[Jeff Bartley]

Attachment 394762Attachment 394763

One on a 16" DD jointer, one on a 73cm planer

Those sure are good looking! I really like the idea of the chevron for center directed dust collection.

[Joe Jensen]

I've been a user and fan of Byrd heads for a long time. I put one in my 8" PM60 jointer, 12" PM100 planer, and now in an SCMI 12" Jointer. Having said that if doing another upgrade it would be a Hermance.

[brent stanley]

I've been a user and fan of Byrd heads for a long time. I put one in my 8" PM60 jointer, 12" PM100 planer, and now in an SCMI 12" Jointer. Having said that if doing another upgrade it would be a Hermance.

Does Felder offer their proprietary head for sale for other machines? Is it MAN rated? If so that would probably be the best head. What is the radius on the tips?

It would be interesting to see the performance difference in wild grain where the Byrd has a greater shear angle.

[Jery Madigan]

I ran across a site where the guy tested the Byrd and Chevron and kept the Byrd. sorry, can't remember where it was.

I have a Hammer a3-31 with a Byrd head and I get almost no chips or dust that my dust collector doesn't get.

[Joe Jensen]

Does Felder offer their proprietary head for sale for other machines? Is it MAN rated? If so that would probably be the best head. What is the radius on the tips?

It would be interesting to see the performance difference in wild grain where the Byrd has a greater shear angle.

Not sure, the Martin head looks like a Hermance

[brent stanley]

Not sure, the Martin head looks like a Hermance

Would you mind asking your Felder colleagues if they plan on offering the head as an after-market/retrofit option for non-Felder machines? It would be nice to know if it can be on the list of heads to consider. Does Felder make the head themselves or is it farmed out? Could you share the shear angle?

Thanks Joe,

B

[Joe Jensen]

Would you mind asking your Felder colleagues if they plan on offering the head as an after-market/retrofit option for non-Felder machines? It would be nice to know if it can be on the list of heads to consider. Does Felder make the head themselves or is it farmed out? Could you share the shear angle?

Thanks Joe,

B

Sorry for confusion, I am just a customer, I don't work for Felder...joe

[brent stanley]

Sorry for confusion, I am just a customer, I don't work for Felder...joe

Oh sorry Joe, your Avatar looks very official! Rod?

B