Shopsmith Forums

Has anyone installed the shelix helical head for the shopsmith planer? I know there has been some discussion in the past on the forum, but haven't heard of anyone actually installing the shopsmith version.

They make it so there must be some amount of demand for the head. It's pricey at about $650 with bearings.

It's a pretty beastly helical cutterhead with 5 rows with 60 knives so definitely priced accordingly.

In contrast, the cheaper dewalt 735 shelix cutterhead is about $480 but of less beefy quality due to the smaller cutterhead and only 4 rows of 10 knives for a total of 40 knives.

OR, just pony up the cash for one of those newfangled 12" jointer/planer combos with helical head. I would then sell the shopsmith pro planers and jointer (I actually have two in the shop right now) to make room. These machines run around the $2800-3300 mark. Take into account I am in my mid 30s so hopefully have many more decades of dust-making left to do.

Just looking for opinons out there from those more seasoned (salty/dusty) and from those with experience with the shopsmith helical cutterhead.

Cheers,
John

Check out a Mini Max with a Tersa cutter head. I wouldn't go back to a shelix no way no how. It runs a two-sided disposable blade you can change out in under 2 minutes. Cuts way cleaner than a shelix.

If you want to go a different route I have one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/RIKON-Power-Tool ... B00SOR3YV8

It works great and just a couple hundred dollars more than just the heads for your old planer.

sehast wrote:If you want to go a different route I have one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/RIKON-Power-Tool ... B00SOR3YV8

It works great and just a couple hundred dollars more than just the heads for your old planer.

The rikon is good for what it is, a benchtop planer, that has a helical (segmented) head with decent construction quality. It has only 26 double sided HSS inserts (compared to the 60 4 sided carbide inserts of the shelix head). On top of that, it is NOT a true helical head like a shelix, it is simply a segmented cutterhead. I suppose it is almost along the lines of an apples to oranges comparison. They really are not in the same league.

The shopsmith pro planer is on a different level from a sturdiness and construction standpoint. The variable speed motor really takes it up a notch as well. I was thinking of adding on the helical head since it is supposed to be a bit better at respecting highly figured woods. I was thinking that the combination of the slowest feed speed on the shopsmith pro planer, light depth of cut and helical cutter head would really allow relatively tear-free planing of highly figured wood.

I also like that I don't have to ever sharpen and reset the planer blades again with helical heads.

I have heard good things about the Tersa blades/cutterheads and it seems to go both ways, the Tersa has more tearout on highly figured woods and then the helical heads have more tearout. To me, it just seems helical makes more physical sense on highly figured woods based on the cutting action. I don't know. In the end, the card scraper and finely honed plane is probably what you need for very highly figured woods. Ah, choices, choices, too many expensive choices.

Really looking for opinions with regards to the above experience on highly figured woods with the Shelix byrd helical cutterhead in a shopsmith pro planer.

Cheers,
John

mbcabinetmaker wrote:Check out a Mini Max with a Tersa cutter head. I wouldn't go back to a shelix no way no how. It runs a two-sided disposable blade you can change out in under 2 minutes. Cuts way cleaner than a shelix.

Did you get tear out with the shelix head? Do you remember what machine you were running it on and was it an aftermarket install?

Thanks!
John

I still get some tear out with Ricon but maybe it would be better with the Shelix. I use a drum sander for figured woods. Just getting close with the planer and jointer and then finish with the drum sander pretty much guarantees no tear out. A card scraper works too but takes a little more time and effort.

I have a Dewalt 735 I put a Shelix on several years ago and would no way go back to a standard cutter. The Shelix does require more power than a standard cutter since there are always cutters in contact with the wood. I take smaller bites at a time and get excellent results. Never had a tear out and have not needed to rotate the knives even once yet.

Jack

Impressive Jack! Years without insert rotation is very impressive!

I am still up in the air, but it seems that most people have outstanding things to say about the shelix branded heads. I do rarely hear negative comments about them so mostly all are quite positive.

Thanks for the input. I imagine, I would achieve similar to even better results based on the beefier cutter head of the SS pro planer and variable feed motor. Hmmmm. I am so very tempted.

I just find it odd that I haven't read much in the way of other SSers loading their pro planers with the shelix heads since they are readily available and fairly priced.

Cheers,
John

Sazerac81 wrote:Impressive Jack! Years without insert rotation is very impressive!

I am still up in the air, but it seems that most people have outstanding things to say about the shelix branded heads. I do rarely hear negative comments about them so mostly all are quite positive.

Thanks for the input. I imagine, I would achieve similar to even better results based on the beefier cutter head of the SS pro planer and variable feed motor. Hmmmm. I am so very tempted.

I just find it odd that I haven't read much in the way of other SSers loading their pro planers with the shelix heads since they are readily available and fairly priced.

Cheers,
John

That's because we're a frugal bunch!

ChrisNeilan wrote:

Sazerac81 wrote:Impressive Jack! Years without insert rotation is very impressive!

I am still up in the air, but it seems that most people have outstanding things to say about the shelix branded heads. I do rarely hear negative comments about them so mostly all are quite positive.

Thanks for the input. I imagine, I would achieve similar to even better results based on the beefier cutter head of the SS pro planer and variable feed motor. Hmmmm. I am so very tempted.

I just find it odd that I haven't read much in the way of other SSers loading their pro planers with the shelix heads since they are readily available and fairly priced.

Cheers,
John

That's because we're a frugal bunch!

Said the man with all the expensive toys.