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The Byrd cutterhead cuts so efficiently that it makes surprisingly little noise when cutting
wood. In fact, it is so quiet, new POWERMATIC 15HH users often think it is not cutting wood
at all - until they see the results. The shearing effect of the Byrd cutterhead produces a
remarkably smooth surface on even heavily figured wood.
The Byrd cutterhead inserts are precisely
machined from solid high-grade carbide, each
with four identical cutting edges. If an edge
eventually goes dull, you simply index it to the
next cutting edge! Each insert has a marking at
one edge that makes indexing all or any
number of them the same way very easy,
though needing to do that is unlikely.
The spiral layout of the Byrd cutters (left) insures a true shear
cut that is exceptionally clean while reducing stresses
imparted on the wood. Each carbide insert (right) has four
identical edges, substantially increasing the useful life of an
already extraordinarily tough cutter.
Because the inserts themselves and the seats
into which they fit are so precisely machined,
there is no adjustment or “fitting” necessary.
Indexing or replacing an insert takes just
seconds. Simply loosen the T25 Torx screw
(wrench included), turn the insert to its new
position and tighten the screw.
The durability of the carbide combined with the low impact, shear cutting action mean the
Byrd inserts have an extremely long life, far exceeding that of straight blades. The potential
life span of these carbide inserts means that many workers may go years before having to index
them. Should a hidden piece of metal be encountered and actually damage a few of the carbide
inserts only those need to be indexed or replaced. Just in case you accidentally plane a metal
object, we include a package of ten spare inserts and a wrench with the POWERMATIC 15HH.
Feed & Rollers
The POWERMATIC 15HH has two material feed rates –20
FPM (Feet Per Minute) used primarily for rough dimensioning
and 16 FPM to increase the cuts-per-inch to create a silky-
smooth surface. A push/pull knob shifts between the feed rates
on the fly. The rollers are driven by a gear and chain drive
with an automatic chain tensioner, housed in a cast iron case.
The gear section runs in an industrial style oil bath for
maximum control over long-term wear.
For the ultimate in dependability, we designed a serrated steel
infeed roller and a smooth steel outfeed roller. Both rollers and the chip breaker are precisely set
at the factory but have user accessible adjustments that allow the user to keep the
POWERMATIC 15HH perfectly tuned in years to come. We also provide infeed and outfeed
roller spring tension adjusters that are accessible without having to disassemble the cutterhead
A special serrated infeed roller keeps the
stock moving consistently under the
cutterhead. A smooth steel outfeed roller
helps the wood exit without damage to
the freshly planed surface.