How to Install a Shelix® Cutter Head in a DeWalt® DW735 Planer
We installed the Byrd Shelix® helical cutter head in our DeWalt® DW735 planer. Using the installation guide by Byrd Tools®, we walk you through the steps.
#shelix #jointer #planer #woodworking #woodplaner
https://byrdtoolexperts.com/DIRTFARMERJAY
In this episode, we walk you through the steps outlined in the installation manual supplied with the Shelix® head we bought for our DeWalt® DW735 planer. The instruction sheet is pretty good, but the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is upstaged by a video that is even better at getting the needed detail.
There are several steps and shots, and we move through them quickly. Pause the video as you desire, stopping at places to complete the step or to get more details. We’ve thrown in a few observations and extras above and beyond the manual that we think you’ll find helpful.
Check out this episode where we compare the sound levels of the factory-installed cutter head on the DeWalt® DW735 planer versus the Shelix® segmented helical head:
COMING SOON!
If you haven’t bought the helical head for your planer, the brand name “Shelix®” is well-known and respected. The name itself alludes to the fact the cutter SHEars the stock using a heLIX design. The teeth/cutters are set in a spiraled fashion, with spaces between them. This is called a segmented head. Each helix-shaped row of cutters is followed by another row that alternates in its segmentation pattern so that those cutters cut the wood that wasn’t in the preceding row. This provides a very clean-cutting action.
The staggered and spiraled tooth configuration allows for superior dust collection due to smaller wood chips, while the helix shape also assists the chip flow. The cutters are set in four rows of 10 each, totaling 40 cutters per head for the DeWalt® DW735.
Another benefit is that this type of head runs with less resistance while cutting, so it needs less power to do its job. The cutter head is heavy, and its mass helps maintain RPMs as it works.
The benefits of the helical cutters come at a cost. The Shelix 40 cutter head for the DeWalt® DW735 is about $460. They come in two configurations: one is factory OEM dimensions, and the other has a reduced circumference that is easier to install. Shelix also offers the DeWalt® DW735 with their head installed as a package deal. Unfortunately, this voids the warranty from DeWalt®, but the quality of the tool and head is high enough that it is unlikely that you’ll have issues.
We bought our Shelix head at:
https://byrdtoolexperts.com/DIRTFARMERJAY
This is a lifetime investment, with replaceable and repositionable cutters. You can get 4 uses out of each of the 40 cutters. This allows you to rotate a section if a knick occurs, and the knives are relatively inexpensive, currently about $4 each (in a pack of 10).
Another GREAT enhancement is the Wixey Digital Depth Gauge. Watch our review and install of it here:
https://youtu.be/so3UdMRhWzA?si=JB5v-9nHy0BHkz7z
We love having this Shelix® head, and if you do a moderate amount of woodworking or own a small shop, we think you’ll be happy if you install one.
JUST DO IT YOURSELF!
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