Pros and cons of Byrd head on J/P

[Greg Jones]

My impression was that a shellex head takes less power than straight knives, yet someone mentioned that it takes more force to joint lumber on one.  This is one consideration for going to the Byrd head, as it is underpowered when planing.  The planer feed rate is nearly 30 ft per minute and I can't take more than 1/32" or it will bog down.  So, what's the story, does the Byrd head use more or less power?

I believe the shellex does take more power. I have the Jet JJP-12 which has a planer feed rate of 20 fpm with the straight knives while the shellex head speed is reduced to 12 fpm. I bought mine before the shellex version was available, and I later bought a Byrd head for it as well as the parts from Jet to slow the feed rate. I've been very pleased with the switch, and would do it all over again. Plenty of pros to the conversion, no cons other than the initial cost which I believe I will recoup over the life of the machine. One of the most pleasant benefits is the reduced noise of the shellex head-couldn't believe the difference the shellex head makes.

[jteneyck]

Thanks all. OK, looks like it takes more power which is going to be an issue on the FS-35 unless I can figure out how to reduce the feed speed when planing. This thing spits out wood so fast I can barely catch it. I can't take off more than 1/32" now. If the Byrd head takes more power I won't be able to take off even that much.

I have no clue why M/M felt the need to set it up at nearly 30 fpm. When I first looked at it to see about reducing the speed it didn't look like it was going to be easy to do. I guess I'll have to contact M/M to see what they have to say about it.

John

[jlanciani]

"I have no clue why M/M felt the need to set it up at nearly 30 fpm..."

May well have been designed as a 50Hz machine to run at +/- 25 fpm. On my Rojek J/P that I mentioned to you in a PM I chose to have the drive sheave turned down (metric bore and metric belt pitch so machining was easier than sourcing a replacement) because it ran at what I considered to be an unnecessarily high speed.

[CARYinWA]

there are more than 2 they just do not visit these forums 

HTH

Well since they don't post on the forums I would guess there is nowhere to read their opinion and that still leaves the readable "anti-Byrd" opinions to about 2.  Unless of course your friends were quoted in your book "The Complete Jointer Handbook (because you are too stupid to know any better)" by JGrout.  Since it didn't make the Amazon best seller list I am guessing nobody read them in there either.  It has such a catchy title.  I can't imagine why it didn't sell better. 

[JGrout]

Well now 

thanks for sharing 

without putting too fine a point on the issue of marketing by Byrd (which is genius BTW) and considering there is not a lot of good information floating around other than what I have taken the time to educate people with that wanted to learn about how to make a jointer work for you other than "you do not have to know anything about setting knives simply and effectively without spending unnecessarily"I guess I will take your comments for what they are worth.

Also I conceded that on a combo machine As John has it is probably worth the money to install a Byrd head I really do not see why you even posted the first time other than to take a poke at my ability to work without said accessory just fine. 

Gawd knows what life would have ever been without change gosh you may actually have to learn something about machine maintenance

[CARYinWA]

Life is too long to be wound so tight.

[JGrout]

It sure is so take a chill pill I think I have some basis for having an opinion 

HTH

[bandsaw]

Hammer has a video on Youtube comparing what appears to be a Byrd head an A3 31 with a Hammer Silent-Power spiral head on another A3 31.

At 5:30 on this Video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVNWrF8XzpA    

It's stated that the Silent Power runs at 20 % less power than the Byrd.

I find my A3 31 needs less push than my old straight blade jointer did.

[Phil Thien]

Life is too long to be wound so tight.

I don't get it.

I thought Joe's position on upgrading to segmented cutters on jointers was:  "It isn't necessary because the stock typically has to go through the planer anyhow."

So how do we get from a guy expressing what is essentially a truism, to being mocked?

[CARYinWA]

I don't get it.

I thought Joe's position on upgrading to segmented cutters on jointers was:  "It isn't necessary because the stock typically has to go through the planer anyhow."

So how do we get from a guy expressing what is essentially a truism, to being mocked?

Phil,
No, that was the opinion of the second guy that I mentioned above.  I wish I could find the post or remember the posters screen name.  Joe's position has always been:  "if you buy a carbide insert head for the jointer you are too stupid to learn the stick method or have MMTB."  His words is previous threads.


The "jab" was not about "his ability to work without said accessory".  Nobody called him stupid or said his opinion doesn't count because they didn't agree.  The "jab" is about his attitude towards everybody that disagrees with him on spiral cutter heads on jointers.  I'm still waiting for proof of more that 2 readable negative opinions of spiral heads on jointer.