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Ridgid and Shelix - Scoony - 02-15-2019

Just ordered a Shelix head for my Rigid TP1300. I ordered it straight from the company and will pick it up next week since they are only about 40 min from me. 

Anyone here install one on a TP1300? Care to share how it went?  I have changed out a gear box on a different (much older) TP1300 but have never replaced a head. I am thinking that removing the gear box will allow me to remove the old head and slide in the new one.


RE: Ridgid and Shelix - Scoony - 02-18-2019

Ok, first off, Why spend close to $500 upgrading a $200 planer?  Because I want to. Actually, I had a TP1300 for many years then sold it when I picked up a 15" planer. Realized that the 15"er was taking up too much space and a pain to move around (even with the mobile base) I further realized that I missed that TP1300, and that it has always done what was required. Came across a TP1300 last year and snatched it up fast and sold the 15" planer. This was a newer-old TP1300 and was not used much, but I don't think it was ever used with a dust collection system as it was full of sawdust. 

Shelix Head. They are about a 45 min drive from me. The ladies in the front office could not have been nicer.
[attachment=16636]

Top and side covers come off with 4 screws.
[attachment=16637]

Gears and gear box come out. You have to remove the bolts holding the feed rollers and pull them out to get the gear box out. 
[attachment=16638]

I had to turn the planer upside down. Here, the new head is in place. The center rod that controls the height, I had to remove that. Prop the 4 columns on wood blocks to get the head to come off that rod so I could remove it. There are flats on both rods so it is easy to adjust for parallel. I also had to remove the depth of cut bolt and that will need adjusting as it is now a little more then 1/32 to deep. 
[attachment=16639]

The bolt that holds the puller on the old head striped and I had to use a Dremel with cutter to remove it, and that was the major crux of the whole operation. Once I got the pulley off and on the new head, everything went smooth. 

I have this planer mounted on a flip stand which saves on space since I use both the planer and sander often. No more heavy lifting.
[attachment=16640]

I would have took more pics, but that bolt for the pulley did get me a bit flustered

Did some test cuts and it works great, except I forgot to turn on the dust collector for the first pass. This is one tool that I plan on keeping for a long while. The TP1300 is a beast of a machine. The original cutter heads are solid steel with beefy gibs exactly like the bigger brothers. Problem is they no longer make blades for them, and the aftermarket blades get mixed reviews, but I will not have to worry about that.


RE: Ridgid and Shelix - Mr Eddie - 02-18-2019

I keep thinking I need to get one for my Dewalt.  It cuts good but it's noisy.  I'll bet you'll love the new head - cuts better and quiet!

Lonnie


RE: Ridgid and Shelix - ®smpr_fi_mac® - 02-19-2019

I made the same upgrade on my PM100 two years ago.

You'll love it.

I owned that same Rigid planer for several years and loved it, but gave it to a friend when I got my PM.