masonsailor2
Has anybody tried the Spiral cutterhead for the SS surface planer ?
https://shelixheads.com/SHELIX-heads_for_Planers/SHELIX_Heads_for_Planers_by_SHOPSMITH
I am considering ordering one.
Paul
[deleted]
Paul
The woodworking club in my retirement community bought a DeWalt planer about 2 years ago and upgraded to the Shelix Carbide head. It is a bit pricey and I would not go that way again for a community woodshop. I am not familiar with the construction of the SS planer but changing the head on the DeWalt was not difficult. The reason I would not do it again in the community shop is because the membership varies widely in expertise and they do not treat the equipment like they would treat their own. (far worse) However for personal use I would recommend it. They do produce a very smooth cut and the cutters are easy to replace. The most remarkable attribute is how much quieter the planer is when making a cut. The carbide teeth take much smaller bites than the regular cutter does. The 12" blades really make a racket by comparison.
The cutters are compatible with many of the square cutters used in carbide lathe tools
BuckeyeDennis
wa2crk wrotePaul
The woodworking club in my retirement community bought a DeWalt planer about 2 years ago and upgraded to the Shelix Carbide head. It is a bit pricey and I would not go that way again for a community woodshop. I am not familiar with the construction of the SS planer but changing the head on the DeWalt was not difficult. The reason I would not do it again in the community shop is because the membership varies widely in expertise and they do not treat the equipment like they would treat their own. (far worse) However for personal use I would recommend it. They do produce a very smooth cut and the cutters are easy to replace. The most remarkable attribute is how much quieter the planer is when making a cut. The carbide teeth take much smaller bites than the regular cutter does. The 12" blades really make a racket by comparison.
The cutters are compatible with many of the square cutters used in carbide lathe tools
Just what kind of abuse does the planer receive in the community shop? I would think that easily-replaceable cutters would be great if it is of the edge-dulling variety. :confused:
[deleted]
They take cuts that are too big or run stuff through that should not go through a planer such as boards that have large splits in them. They will also run through pallet wood or rough cut lumber without checking for foreign matter that damages the cutters. It is mostly carelessnes or an "I don't care attitude".
Bill V
masonsailor2
Thanks for the input. I am mostly looking for anyone who has done the SS o version. Back in the day of my large shop I had a Grizzly jointer and planer with the Spiral heads and loved them. They are pricey but when you get down to it they probably save money in the long run. Especially if your time and planer down time have any value. Also the finished surface is far superior to knives as well and the dust collection is far better. I am going to order one and will let everyone know how it goes.
Paul
[deleted]
masonsailor2 wroteThanks for the input. I am mostly looking for anyone who has done the SS o version. Back in the day of my large shop I had a Grizzly jointer and planer with the Spiral heads and loved them. They are pricey but when you get down to it they probably save money in the long run. Especially if your time and planer down time have any value. Also the finished surface is far superior to knives as well and the dust collection is far better. I am going to order one and will let everyone know how it goes.
Paul
I will be very interested in your opinion.
BuckeyeDennis
masonsailor2 wroteThanks for the input. I am mostly looking for anyone who has done the SS o version. Back in the day of my large shop I had a Grizzly jointer and planer with the Spiral heads and loved them. They are pricey but when you get down to it they probably save money in the long run. Especially if your time and planer down time have any value. Also the finished surface is far superior to knives as well and the dust collection is far better. I am going to order one and will let everyone know how it goes.
Paul
I too am looking forward to your review. I've had my eyeballs on those Shelix heads for a couple of years. Half of me cringes at the thought of quadrupling my investment in my Pro Planer, and the the other half thinks it would still be a bargain for an even greater machine.
everettdavis
I too have been looking since I have both versions of the Shopsmith Planer.
It is very hard for me to reconcile the SHELIX for CRAFTSMAN (Sears) 13'' Planer, 351.217430 $437.00 or SHELIX for DELTA 12'' Planer, 22-540 for $437.00 vs. SHELIX for SHOPSMITH 12'' Planer, 555082 $651.00.
The $214 difference in price for a Shopsmith Planer head makes it very hard to justify.
I can buy the Craftsman planer used, and the SHELIX for it, for less than the Shopsmith part alone. Just a little more than the Craftsman for the Delta.
The replacement knives are the same price.
So, why should I go ahead get the Byrd Shelix at that price?
I understand it is quiet.
I understand it takes less power.
I understand it has less tear out.
I understand if I accidentally run a nail, the stagger design allows replacement of the 1 or 2 tips that have been damaged, but only if I have used all 4 faces already on those cutters. They can be rotated 90 degrees, to use new cutter faces like the Easy-Wood Carbide lathe chisels.
Ok, I am not helping myself here…. Oh it requires more purchasing power….. Whew! I almost ordered one….
Everett
charlese
Holy Smoke!!! These cutting heads cost real HUGE money. Is the Shopsmiith planer so poor that we are thinking a helix head will improve the cut?
If that is the case, and money is burning a hole in your pocket, buy a DeWalt 735 thickness planer. With that machine you will get fantasticly smooth surfaces and blade changes are simple as well as truly exact. Plus this 13" planer opens to 6". This wide mouth allows for edge planing.
everettdavis
Not at all... I love my Shopsmith planers. The Spiral Cutters are efficient, quiet, and actually economical in use as you can change a segment face of a single cutter, affecting only a small segment of the cut in a very short time to get back into production.
It is exactly the quality of the Shopsmith planers that makes such an upgrade hard to justify.
It is an improvement in cutter head design that some in the industry have begun moving to, either in OEM production or in after market offerings.
You can upgrade the DeWalt 735 for a mere $405.00
https://shelixheads.com/SHELIX-heads_for_Planers/SHELIX_Heads_for_Planers_by_DEWALT/SHELIX_for_dewalt_13_inch_Planer_(DW-735)
Everett
BuckeyeDennis
The Shopsmith head has 5 wings of 12 cutters, 60 cutters total. The DW 735 head has 4 wings of 10 cutters, 40 cutters total. So the price for either works out to a bit over $10 per cutter.
I read somewhere that the SS head is a superior design, and Byrd cost-engineered the DW735 head down based on what they thought the market would bear. Regardless, it certainly doesn't seem that the SS head is overpriced in comparison. But it is a bit much for my budget, for now.
masonsailor2
I know they are pricey but the advantages of having the Spiral Cutterhead ( SC) on the SS planer to me should be worth it. For me I don't consider the other planers a fair comparison. The SS planer offers me variable cutter speed with variable speed feed which is independent of the cutterhead. I don't mean to compare the SS to larger heavy duty planers because for me they serve different purposes. At this point I use the surface planer to size wood for a finished purpose ( as in drawer sides) and not for surfacing of rough lumber. The SC in past experiences give me a superior surface i.e. less sanding with far less time in maintenance. So that is my hope. We will see.
Paul
stephen_a._draper
I see that MYWoodcutters has three solid carbide knives for the Shopsmith Planer for $200 to replace the high speed steel ones. Has anyone tried it?
https://mywoodcutters.com/Replacement_Carbide_Knives_for_Shopsmith_Planers
garys
I haven't tried the carbide knives, but my experience with carbide tells me that they would almost surely be amazing. Carbide saw blades easily last 10-20 times longer for me than high speed steel. The same goes for carbide router bits. I think the planer might work easier and even possibly a bit quieter with carbide.
stephen_a._draper
I am going to the 75th Shopsmith Anniversary Celebration in Dayton next month. While there on the factory tour I will ask Shopsmith if they have tried them and if they are planning to offer them as an optional upgrade to their planer. At only $90 more they should be considering it.
edma194
I see they have blades for the DeWalt 732 for $220. Spiral head replacements run about $100-$200 more than that. I haven't used it much so far, have to see how long the original blades last to calculate the benefit.
claimdude
I have the Dewalt 735 w/Shelix. Would never go back to straight blades. Have to take small bites but worth it to me. If I have a SS planer I wouldn't hesitate to put a Shelix on it.
Jack
cooch366
I put a Sheartac head on my Shopsmith planer. It performs so much better than the straight blade head. It was pricey but being a tool addict it was in the budget and I’m very happy with the results from it.
stephen_a._draper
I recently installed the Sheartac helical on my Shopsmith planer and love it. I created a 4 part video series for those who want to see what is involved.
