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[Eric Fuller]

OK, I got the Byrd Tools SHELIX (Spiral Helix) cutterhead installed on my Delta 6" jointer.  First thing I did was grab a plank of 3" wide marblewood.  Jointing 8 pieces of this stuff (3" wide x 24" long) dulled a brand new set of blades last time I worked it.  Ran it through the spiral and I swear to god it felt like I was pushing mahogany.  Switching to this is like swapping from a 1.5 to a 3 Hp motor in terms of how hard the machine feels like it's working.  The finish was super smooth as well.  This seals it - I'm going to shelf the DeWalt 735 and buy a new planer for the specific purpose of dropping a byrd cutterhead in it.  May cost me a couple grand, but considering that I've already spend in excess of $1000 on crappy blades for that DeWalt, I can live with it.

[Canuck]

Wow!!  I suspected the spiral cutterhead would make a difference but it sounds like it makes a 'huge' difference, I think I'll switch my planer once I find a distributor in Canada for someoned who carries it as well.

[Eric Fuller]

What kind of planer do you have John?  I have the DW735 and no one makes a spiral cutterhead for it.  Seems like you have to step up to a 15" machine do do the swap, which is fine with me as I've been mening to for a while.  Odd thing is, no one seems to make a decent 15" planer that runds off 110.  Very annoying.

[Canuck]

Yeah, I have the same Dewalt planer and I think a 15" is the way to go, however like you said they normally are 220volts but probably worth the hassle once you get it set-up.  I'm really hoping the 'clones' follow up with those 'spiral cutterheads' in their planers as well, I buy almost all my equipment through 'Busy Bee' which is a Canadian version of 'Grizzly'(who now have the spiral cutterheads in their machines)

[Eric Fuller]

If someone would make a spiral cutterhead for the DW735 it would be nearly the perfect machine for me.  I agree wiring is worth it, but as long as my shop space is rented (which it currently is) I'm not gonna make the investment to have it wired.  The minute I own my shop space I will probably sell all my tools and switch to real equipment like a cabinet saw or three, vortex dust collection, 10" jointer, etc....all the fun toys that require 220.