I finished installing the Byrd Shelix head in my Delta 15" planer tonight. Here is the new journal waiting to be installed:
Here is the old journal waiting to be shipped (to whoever buys it
) :
I would have taken pics of my planer during the process, but the pics and step by step instructions on the Byrd web site were much better.
The Byrd instructions made the installation pretty straight forward but definitely not for the mechanically challenged. You end up completely disassembling both the infeed/outfeed roller drive mechanism and the oil filled gear box (that was a little messy). During the process I think I found the reason for the minor oil leak I have noticed (and that many owners of the Chiwanese clones have also experienced) - when I went to loosen the five bolts securing the cover on the gear box at first I thought I was using an undersized allen wrench since it just spun- it turned out it was the right size, but ALL five bolts were VERY loose. The only special tool needed was the gear puller (loaner from local auto parts store) I used to remove the bearing on the pulley end of the old journal. Other tools used were metric socket or box wrenches, allen wrenches, and a dead-blow hammer. No extra parts leftover- was missing one bolt- lost in the shop somewhere- I had a spare :slap:
Initial observations-
Noise- QUIET!!! WAY, WAY, quieter than with the standard cutter!!!!!!!!! and WAY WAY WAY WAY quieter than my old Delta lunchbox planer. The sound level increased only slightly when I turned on my DC. Cutting sound on a 12" wide board was much less than with the old straight blade. I no longer need hearing protection when planing.
Cut- clean smooth finish on a nasty piece of gnarly white oak. No tearout/chipout. No milling marks. With carbide edges, and 4 edges per cutter insert, this set of inserts should last a long time.
This thing was expensive though I think prices should come down in time, but so far I think it will be worth it.
Here is the old journal waiting to be shipped (to whoever buys it
I would have taken pics of my planer during the process, but the pics and step by step instructions on the Byrd web site were much better.
The Byrd instructions made the installation pretty straight forward but definitely not for the mechanically challenged. You end up completely disassembling both the infeed/outfeed roller drive mechanism and the oil filled gear box (that was a little messy). During the process I think I found the reason for the minor oil leak I have noticed (and that many owners of the Chiwanese clones have also experienced) - when I went to loosen the five bolts securing the cover on the gear box at first I thought I was using an undersized allen wrench since it just spun- it turned out it was the right size, but ALL five bolts were VERY loose. The only special tool needed was the gear puller (loaner from local auto parts store) I used to remove the bearing on the pulley end of the old journal. Other tools used were metric socket or box wrenches, allen wrenches, and a dead-blow hammer. No extra parts leftover- was missing one bolt- lost in the shop somewhere- I had a spare :slap:
Initial observations-
Noise- QUIET!!! WAY, WAY, quieter than with the standard cutter!!!!!!!!! and WAY WAY WAY WAY quieter than my old Delta lunchbox planer. The sound level increased only slightly when I turned on my DC. Cutting sound on a 12" wide board was much less than with the old straight blade. I no longer need hearing protection when planing.
Cut- clean smooth finish on a nasty piece of gnarly white oak. No tearout/chipout. No milling marks. With carbide edges, and 4 edges per cutter insert, this set of inserts should last a long time.
This thing was expensive though I think prices should come down in time, but so far I think it will be worth it.
