Shelix cutterhead for Dewalt planer DW735

(Revised Post) OK, I installed the replacement cutter head that Byrd sent, and now things are as I expected - this thing rocks...er, rather chips! I am happy to change my overall rating from 2 to 5 stars. Yes, there was a problem, but Byrd really stepped up, owned it, and quickly took care of their customer. The first thing that stands out is that my Dewalt 735 is now about HALF as loud as it was with the original cutter head. I put some pine, cherry and walnut through and it handled everything just fine, no bogging down. The chips are much smaller than with the stock cutter, and are much easier for collectors to handle. As expected from the design of the product (and noted in their included documentation), there is some scalloping across the WIDTH of the board, but it is slight, no more than 1/64th of an inch. That will come right off during finish planing or sanding. But I'll take that vs. the PITA that was removing, sharpening, reinstalling and realigning the original blades. The original cutter head blades were showing multiple nick lines after only the third time I used it. I sharpened them, and then after only a few passes they were showing nicks again. Enough of that! The Shelix cutter bits take 30 seconds to replace, although the beauty of their design is that unless you actually crack one, you can rotate them 90 degrees up to three times, before you actually have to replace one. And if you do have to replace one, it comes to only about $3.50 a bit. In the end, it doubled the price of the planer, but it is worth it for the consistent cuts, and ease of maintenance. And one last note, once you get this installed, if you don't have it already you will want this: Wixey WR510 Digital Planer Readout with Fractions. This makes precise depth adjustments a breeze. ------------------------------ (Original Post) Well, two weeks after delivery of a cutter head that cost as much as my planer, and I'm still not planing; nobody likes getting cool new toys and not being able to use them. Pretty easy install, but right out of the box it was leaving some pretty big raised strips. I spent hours removing, cleaning, rotating, replacing cutters, but noting helped...in fact things just got worse and worse. For this much money, I'm expecting smooth as a baby's but. Called Byrd they were very responsive. I spent three days emailing back and forth trying different things to fix. Good customer service, but it would have been a heck of a lot faster if they had just called and talked to me. To their credit, without prompting, they said that the cutter was defective in some way and that they would need to send me a replacement. Should finally receive it tomorrow (ground shipping), and we will see how it goes with the replacement. PITA to uninstall and reinstall, but c'est la sciure... I'll revise the review after I test out the replacement cutter head...hoping to increase to a 5-star, but we'll see...

It's here! My DeWalt planer is complete! A few months ago I began reading about the Shelix cutter heads and was very intrigued. Finally I took the plunge and ordered a cutter head for my 20+ year old Jet jointer. Upon receiving the cutter head I found it easy to install and was blown away by the smooth cut and seemingly increased power of my jointer. This experience led me to purchase a new DeWalt 13" planer and a matching Shelix cutter head. I waited patiently for the cutter head to arrive, and continued to read articles and reviews about it. I began to get a bit worried after reading several less than glowing reviews that said the cutter head left scallops and lines on the wood. Well, the cutter head arrived yesterday and I went to work installing it after work today. First, watch the utube videos by Chris Wong and he will walk you through the entire process. It took right at 90 minutes to change out the cutter heads. Upon completion I hooked everything up and ran my first piece of hardwood through the planer. Amazing! The DeWalt planer is somewhat loud due to the type motor it uses, and when you use the OEM steel knives it is excessively loud (my wife who wears hearing aids could hear me planing a piece of pine almost 100 feet away with the shop doors closed). When I fired up the planer and ran hardwood through it I couldn't tell at first if it was even cutting. I took twice the depth of cut as what I did in the pine and the machine didn't sound any louder nor did is bog down. The wood came out. So smooth you wouldn't need to sand it. I looked everywhere for the scallops and lines and they weren't there. The only thing I could wish for is that DeWalt just got off the dime and offered the Shelix as a factory installed option. If you are considering a Shelix for your machine just get one, you will be amazed. Update. As of July 22, 2015 I have planned several hundred linear feet of maple using this cutterhead and still have not encountered the complaints listed in some of the other reviews. The head cuts so smooth that some of the planed stock actually tends to stick together when to pieces are stacked one on top another. I still don't get the issue with the Shelix cutterhead being marginally smaller in diameter than the OEM cutterhead. I have yet to encounter a feeding problem on the DeWalt planer due to the cutterhead diameter. I can only say that I am thrilled with both Shelix cutterheads I've purchased and will continue to recommend them to other woodworkers. Update 2, November 27, 2015: the original cutters are still going strong. I have now planned over 1000 linear feet of hardwood and the finished surface after planning is still superb. The latest project used Bubinga and Chechen, both very dense woods, both looked like glass after planning. I have encountered the planer slowing down on wide boards due possibly to the roller pressure, however, I use Bostick Top Cote (called something else now but same product) and after applying this to the table the feed sped back up to normal; the moral here is to keep the table slicked up. Still love my Shelix cutter head and my DeWalt planer.

First of all, this is not my first experience with helical head cutters. In my previous cabinet shop, we had a 22" Oliver planer with a helical head and an 8" Powermatic jointer with a helical head. This is however, my first experience with a helical head cutter in a tool I use at home, so I was eager to see how it would do. Before getting into how good it is, I'll give you some back ground. When planing, I'm usually milling down between 300 and 400 board feet of rough sawn 5/4 stock. For doors and face frames, I take it down to .775" and for drawer boxes (maple), I take it down to .650". That means I might have to plane off as much as half an inch from hundreds of board feet of lumber. It takes a while. My shop is in my basement and I have three dogs, two kids, and a spouse who would all prefer I take up a quieter career/hobby, like maybe crochet or sign language. I bought this cutter head simply for the noise reduction. The cost savings over knife replacement was just a bonus. This morning I was planing 50 board feet of maple. Each board was between 6" and 10" wide. The noise was deafening, even with hearing protection. My helical head was supposed to arrive this afternoon, so I set the wood aside and got the planer ready for the head swap. The new head went in fine. No drama, no surprises, no extra parts. Then I went back to planing the maple... Holy shit what a difference! Yes, it's quieter. Much quieter. But there were other benefits, too. I hate the feed rollers on the DW735, in short, they suck. They don't adjust easily and even if they did, the softness of them makes them imprecise. The outfeed roller is set to match the straight knife cutter head, and because the roller is soft, it doesn't always feed the wood through. Because the new cutter head is slightly smaller than the old one, the outfeed roller now has more pressure on the planed surface and feeds the wood through without even slowing down. Extra feed roller pressure increases snipe, but that's fine. I'm running 8+' boards and the first and last 3" is sacrificial. So, in the end, it's quieter, it's cheaper than new knives every few months, and it solved my feed roller problem. It's snipier, but that's the feed rollers, not the head. The DW735 is probably the best planer designed for home use, but it's not really a commercial grade tool. The Shelix head gets it very close to being a commercial grade tool. I'm satisfied, and so are my dogs, my kids, and my spouse,

I never had snipe when my DW735 had straight knives. The shelix has a lot more snipe now. I'm not sure if this is from the shelix head specifically or an artifact from the planer being taken apart and reassembled. Overall, the cut quality is significantly better. I ran some crotch walnut and bubinga through it since I upgraded it last month. There has been absolutely NO TEAROUT at all. Snipe did increase to a 3-4" wide section and is significant. I always lift the end of the board as it enters and exits the planer. This works better but I'm still getting more snipe than with the straight knives. This will increase the cut quality and reduce the noise enough for me to say it's well worth the investment still. One last thing. It wont be able to take as much of a cut with the shelix. The straight knives require less power to cut.

My "smaller diameter" cutter head arrived a few days ago. To be honest, I opted for the smaller diameter because it's cheaper. After seeing this cutter head for real, I now realize removing and resetting all of those cutter bits as has to be done on the larger diameter cutter head would not have been much fun. (Most of the reviews don't mention which size they bought, but I assume most have the smaller diameter because they don't mention removing and resetting each bit). In summary the install is not very difficult if you follow the instructions. Mine came with a sheet that directed me to the Shelix website for instructions, but these instructions are out of date. Shelix previously did not ship the cutter head with any bearings, but now they do, so removing the OEM bearings is not required but the instructions have you removing them and installing on the new cutter head. Not a big deal really. Like many, I got stuck on the snap rings, as despite owning 1000+ tools, I somehow never bought a snap ring pliers set! So before I headed out to buy one, I checked what else I might need, and added a dead blow hammer to my buy list which was never used- since it was recommended only to remove the bearings. But now I have more tools, yippie!. The pulley nut is slightly problematic, as most standard socket sets go only to 7/8 but it will come off with 15/16th, (part of my impact socket set) no need to get metric 23mm- which btw is not mentioned anywhere, so when the 15/16 went on, I proceeded to remove the nut, never knowing it was metric. Here is the other little hiccup- the instructions seem to indicate the washer/bushing/spacer goes between the pulley and the nut so on re-install, that is where I put it. That is a big problem, as it throws the whole cutter head out of alignment but to their credit tech support at Shelix were quick to diagnose my problem. It's 5 minutes to get it to where it belongs which is between the shaft key and the bearing. So if you start it up and it makes an awful sound check this. Overall, this is not a difficult install. Lots of steps, all are pretty easy. As all reviewers note, the finish is very good and the noise level is down, especially compared to older, duller knives, which can be very loud. I also have access to industrial 20 inch SCM thickness planers and the Dewalt with the Shelix is much closer to that quality than probably anything else in the same price range (including the cost of the Shelix). I now have a great system, and hope it will last a long time. Now...my final comment: SNIPE! I currently am getting terrible snipe (back end only) and have notified Shelix, but am completing this review now before they have responded. However, snipe has been noted by several reviews, with the cause being attributed to the way the smaller diameter cutter head works with the OEM rollers. I definitely feel the board jumping as it passes the trailing edge roller, resulting in a totally unacceptable snipe line 2 inches from the trailing edge. One reviewer has suggested sacrificial pieces be sent through, but that is the same as using over- length wood and cutting off the snipe when done. That does not seem acceptable to me! Others have suggested adjusting the infeed/outfeed tables, but that may take some time to perfect. Maybe Shelix tech will have a better idea, if so I'll update this review. Assuming I can get this snipe under control, this was a great buy.

The original blades would cut great, but wear and chip resulting in tiny lines along the boards. It was relatively easy to open up the planar and turn one or all the blades around. Replacement blades are not that expensive. I figured the a spiral cutter would be an improvement, where I'd get clean cuts and wouldn't have to worry about wasting time turning blades as I went through a huge stack of dried and gritty pine. I'm a handy person and can vouch that installation was a pain and did take a good part of a day. A roadblock for me was you NEED snap ring pliers, which I didn't have; I'm not one to buy cheap tools, so a decent set (that I may never use again) was $40. Plenty of youtube videos that guide you through install. Once the thing is in, you wont want to put the stock assembly back in due knowing how much of a pain it will be. I turn on the planer, notice that it is definitely quieter as claimed and excitedly put in the first pine board. It goes through and disappointment sets in. The board has many lines, raised groves, and etc. Frustrated, I call the manufacturer who says that the cutters are not aligned correctly so I should reinstall them also using the provided hand screw driver (only hand torque recommended). Basically you need to push each little cutter AWAY from a metal stop that rests the underside diagonal of each blade then hand tighten. I spend 30+ minutes meticulously doing this, noting it isn't an exact science...the old blades were perfectly aligned every time. I turn on the planar and try another board. Improvement, but still not perfect. You can see a pattern the cutters leave going up and down the board, but at least there were no obvious groves and pits. Another adjustment doesn't really help this. I settle on the cut quality with the hope that at least I wont have to worry about worn out and chipped blades leaving lines. I spend hours planing pine boards and eventually realize that I'm getting similar lines as when the stock blades are chipped. I open the planer to investigate, thinking 'no problem the cutters have 4 edges so I can just turn the nicked one.' I could not find any of them damaged, so I get a bright light for a detailed inspection...which also doesn't reveal anything. So what do I do? I decide to turn around a few cutters that might be the cause, put the planar back together, and run another board...still see the line...open it back up and turn around all cutters in general area...fixed! Wasted time, but now I can get back to work. Less than 1 hour later, I notice more lines in a different location probably caused by a knot chipping another cutter. After wasting lots of time checking and double checking (and checking again) the blades with a bright light, I was able to identify 2 cutters that I can turn and get back to business. I decide to use one side of planar for the first few rough cuts and then the other side for finish cuts (due to board width there was some overlap). The end result is you'll be going through and spending a lot of time identifying and turning cutters instead of replacing or turning blades like the stock setup. I do this to complete the project till eventually all the cutters are turned 2-3 times, leaving only 1 or 0 more turns. Later I go to apply a finish to the boards and notice plenty of imperfections (lines, groves, etc) despite my efforts to make sure I'm planing with good blades. I was cutting mostly 6-7 inch wide dried yellow pine. Taking 1/16 off would really put a load on the machine and sometimes it would cut off. I had 9-10 inch wide boards where it would bog down and cut off, so I had to go with 1/32 passes. When it bogs down, cutting speed is reduced, and you end up using the lower speed on the planar to prevent it from cutting off. I was NOT able to get the machine to bog down with any cut off at all with the stock blades...even doing 1/8 passes. It is 100% accurate to say the spiral cutter requires more power and this machine struggles. I'm talking about 'soft' pine too...can only imagine how people would struggle with other species like oak. Months later I'm on a different project with a planer with mostly spent cutters and realize that replacing them all is really expensive. Its $40 for 10, or $4 per tiny blade! That's 4 sides and 10 blades...$160 or $40 per each time you turn them. The stock blades are $40 for a set or $20 each flip. Oh and looking inside the cutter has plenty of rust spots including in the thread that hold the blades. The reality is planer blades get chipped and worn. If you want a quality cut from a planer, you will NEED to keep turning, flipping, and replacing blades. My advise is just keep flipping the stock blades. You save the upfront cost of $420 (10+ blades) and then save another $20 each time you get a chip a blade AND the planar will be more capable. Its almost good to have one planar dedicated for rough stuff and one planar dedicated for finish cuts...probably best spending money on that rather than this cutter. I have settled that my planar wont be doing nice finish cuts. I will be sanding the boards after. The single true benefit of the spiral cutter is it does reduce tear out, which is not something that can be fixed by sanding. Nonetheless, I can't recommend this cutter especially since the machine struggles to run it.

I would give it a 4.5 star rating, but opted to give it the 5. The cutterhead did not arrive with the promised 2 day Prime shipping, but that is not the fault of the product or manufacturer. It is packed really well, and arrived undamaged. I watched a YouTube video by Chris Wong on how to install the cutterhead, and he did a very good job. The only change in his directions I would make is to list the tools needed to install the cutterhead at the start of the video, rather than at the end of part 3. If he did list the tools, and I missed it, I apologize. I did not have a 24mm socket, so I had to run to the orange big box store to get one. I did not have the trouble removing the snap rings that Mr. Wong had, and I used special snap ring pliers from the old staple store that used to have its tools proudly made in the USA, but they no longer are. Their brand of snap ring pliers worked like a charm. I watched the 3 part video almost entirely (I didn't watch the part listing the needed tools), before starting the process, and I watched on an iPad as I was doing the switch. His instructions were very clear and easy to follow. I congratulate him. The cutter head leaves the smallest snipe I have experienced with a planer, and I haven't tried to do anything about it. My first planed boards had a sharp edge on the planed surface from a cutter that I don't think was set well at the factory (prompting the 4.5 star rating, if it were offered). It was easy enough to determine which cutter was cutting a hair deeper than the others, and I took it off, using the supplied driver, cleaned the cutter, and replaced it. My subsequent cuts were as smooth as I could ever want them to be. It took me about an hour to take out the old cutterhead and replace it with the Shelix, and i did not work at a fast pace, at all. I would guess I spent about 5 minutes trying to find one of the springs that popped off onto my shop floor. There are two instances where you have to remove a lever which, by a spring, keeps tension on of the chain drives. I think I knocked off one of the springs when I was whacking the old cutterhead, to loosen it. It would be good to go ahead and remove the springs entirely, and just replace them when finishing the installation. I am happy with the installation and quality of the cut, once I cleaned one of the cutters. The determination of which cutter was the culprit, cleaning it, and replacing it, took less than five minutes. I then planed some end grain red oak, and can not wish for a better surface. The Shelix is expensive, but for its relative quietness and quality of cut, I think it is a great upgrade.

I'm trimming my house out with cherry, and I buy rough sawn wood several hundred board feet at a time. Recently, I paid someone else $300 to plane down a truckload of cherry, mostly because my DW735 is too slow and too noisy. When I thought about it, it made more sense to spend the money on an upgrade to a tool I was unhappy with than to keep spending money for someone else to do the work. I'm so happy I did it. This cutterhead won't increase the feed rate, but you will need to make fewer passes because you can take more material off and still get nice results. A little bit of 150 grit after planing and my trim is ready to go. The install wasn't too bad. I just watched a couple videos, and never downloaded the manual. I did run into two problems during installation, but neither were the fault of the Shelix. 1. Snap rings suck 2. You have to remove the blades from the stock cutterhead, and 4 of the 24 screw heads stripped out while I tried to break them free. I used the torx bit supplied with the Shelix, then tried the T handle from the planer, then tried my impact screw gun. The impact gun was great to remove a couple stuck screws, but the ones that stripped (and they stripped with the T handle, before I even got to the impact gun) wouldnt budge. Finally I used my grinder to cut a slot in the top of the head and a large flat screwdriver to remove the rest. Serious PITA, but it would be a problem whether you were trying to replace the head or just replace the stock blades. This way, at least I didn't have to ruin screws I would need in the future. Most important to me, the planer is now relatively quiet. With the stock blades, a friend that lives a block away would call and ask what I was planing. Now it's not much louder than my shop vac. That extends my working hours, and makes this thing totally worth it.