Shopsmith Forums

I'm trying to get a sense of how many people are interested in upgrading their planer blades? As you are probably aware, the ProPlaner uses a unique triangular blade so it's not easy for another vendor to provide blades.

I'm trying to convince a company to produce blades that are higher quality and, potentially provide carbide blades. It looks like they may be cheaper as well.

So are you interested?

gpmark wrote:I'm trying to get a sense of how many people are interested in upgrading their planer blades? As you are probably aware, the ProPlaner uses a unique triangular blade so it's not easy for another vendor to provide blades.

I'm trying to convince a company to produce blades that are higher quality and, potentially provide carbide blades. It looks like they may be cheaper as well.

So are you interested?

I don't believe my input will help your cause but here it is.

I have had my ProPlaner for twenty years. I have two sets of blades which I sharpen myself using the Shopsmith jig and the sanding disk mounted on the Mark V.

I also sharpen the jointer blades the same way but I have three sets of those. I use the jointer on nearly every job. The ProPlaner is used often but not to the same deree as the jointer.

From my own experience over these twenty years, I don't think I could justify carbide over what I have. What I mean to say is having carbide would not change my experience all that much

I just purchased a used Proplaner (vintage 1985) and plan to to some updating/refurbishment before using it. Like Dusty, I plan on sharpening my own blades and I wouldn't be interested in carbide blades for that reason. In all liklihood I will probably order an extra set of blades as well.

BPR

I would be much more interested in a shelix cutterhead as opposed to different blades.

damagi wrote:I would be much more interested in a shelix cutterhead as opposed to different blades.

Not sure what the pricing would look like, but I too would seriously consider a Shelix head if it became available.

What's a "Shelix" cutterhead?
BPR

A type of cutter head that will leave your wallet thinner than a regular cutter head and in less time.

Actually, a Shelix is a type of replacement cutter that, instead of containing three long straight blades each of which goes straight across the cutter head in one piece, contains a series of indexable cutters arranged in a spiral pattern around the head. Each cutter is a little square that can be independently rotated to a fresh cutting surface if it gets nicked.