Upgrading pro planer

[stevespix]

I would like to get the opinions from our forum. I'm contemplating (that does not mean it's set in stone) upgrading my pro-planer. By upgrading I'm talking about purchasing a Shelix cutter head and increasing my motor from it's current 3/4 hp to something in the 1 1/2 - 2 hp range. Has anyone done this sort of thing? I fully understand the cost of this undertaking, however I'am open to suggestions. I hate having to deal with the setting of the knives, I would rather spend time making sawdust. I guess we'll see where this goes.

[garys]

In the long run, it might be a downgrade, not an upgrade. While the helical head would be nice, what do you do once you nick the helical cutter? With the blades Shopsmith put in there, you get them resharpened to get rid of the nicks. Looking at the helical head, you might end up replacing a lot of expensive parts.
The helical head should cut easier so you maybe don't need to increase the motor size.

[BuckeyeDennis]

A Shelix head is on my wish list. In addition to reduced cutter maintenance, the quieter operation would be a big plus for me. My basement workshop is directly underneath our first-floor family room.

I don’t buy the theory that a helical head requires less power. It takes smaller bites, but it takes proportionally more of them. The total wood-shearing rate is the same. It does reduce the once-per-bite power peaks, so theoretically you wouldn’t need as big of a “flywheel” ... but the machine has adequate rotary inertia in any case.