Planers, thicknessers, jointers, etc

[Ormsby Guitars]

Got some old italian 3 phase machinery here... 350mm wide thicknesser and a slightly wider jointer. Both three blade designs (jointer might be four blade?), straight cutters. Good stuff, but noisy.

Im looking at new ones, just because I like new looking machines, and read that the spiral cutter heads offer not only a nicer finish, but also a lot less noise.

Can anyone comment on the benefits (mostly noise factors) between the spiral head style, versus the straight blade style? Im moving premises (again) and we'll be setting up the new workshop from home. Obviously Im looking to keep the peace with any neighbours, so that's a good excuse to upgrade.

[kiwigeo]

Jeremy the man to ask....

[Parlourman]

I had a spiral head planer/thicknesser in the UK. It was very good. The finish cut is MUCH better than traditional knives. It is slightly quieter than knives - but not as much as (some) people say. I had mine retro fitted to a combination machine and it certainly meant that the machine was working a lot less. Chip extraction is better.

On the down side(s): Blade rotation/changing take a long time. On carbatec's website it says "seconds" i'd say many minutes.

When I got the block changed the technician warned me of the following: If you ever hit a nail/large staple with these cutters they tend to shatter, as oppposed to knives which chip/dent. If you are thicknessing that's one thing (at least the flying carbide fragments are somewhat contained) If you are planing, there is a danger of the fragments coming out.)

For my part, I had one instance where 2 cutters shattered (and i'm 99% sure i didn't hit any nails etc), I was thicknessing so didn't present a problem.

I still rate them over knives for results. Especially on difficult timbers.

Steve

[Dominic]

Hey Perry, the latest Fine Woodworking annual tools and shops special (#223) has a great article on spiral cutter heads. There are two types of cutter configerations, straight cut and shear cut. The shear cuts are better in highly figured wood such as curly maple and quieter and more expensive. The Byrd Shellix is one of these. Also, the number of cutters in the head has an effect. They use the dewalt dw735 thicknesser for tests. They also rate a number of planers and jointers but they are US brands.
i think it is still in newsagents so see if you can get a copy.
Cheers
Dom

[Kim]

I don't know about noise levels but you could look at keeping the jointer you have and simply fit as shelix cutting head.

Give these guys a call, I found them great to deal they're happy to discuss working a fit for most any machine. The link will give you an idea of cost and apparently price does not change much from one 8" to the next or one 12" to the next, even for a special order. This is because a shelix head needs to be spun to specs and fitted with 4 side cutting bits regardless of what machine it came from so the only real consideration is materials i.e. the number of bits.

That said I don't have a shelix head on my old Paulcall because I just bought a set of TC tipped knives for it from these guys. But if later on I decide go to an 8", my plan is to find some old iron with good nic dovetail ways and a nice fence, and after a clean, lube and new bearings, fit a shelix head and end up with the best of both worlds.

http://www.oellasawandtool.com/categori ... nal-Heads/

Cheers

Kim

[Allen]

We updated all the jointers and thicknessers at the Cairns Woodworkers Guild with the spiral cutter heads. Very much better cut and less noise by a long shot.

I'd bee keeping all the old cast iron I could and doing the same update if possible.

[Kim]

Here's a pretty basic article on spiral/helix jointer heads that may be of interest.

http://www.wwgoa.com/articles/product-r ... e-jointer/

Cheers

Kim