Does anyone have a SCM 20" planer with a spiral head with 9 HP ?
Is 9HP enough power for that head ?
Thank you
Gary

Yes it is enough. We have a 24" SCM with the same motor it is fine. I guess if you are looking to skip plane fast it is the wrong machine.

Good luck.

I see and read all these people that get wound up with some of these technologies and techniques on social media. Everyone wants to build an epoxy river table, everyone wants a woodpecker square, everyone wants Festool, everyone wants to finish their project with Rubio monocoat, everyone wants to put a spiral head in their planer. Everyone knows the top five things you can build out of 3 fence pickets and sell for big dollars. Can’t believe I have been so naive for most of my life.
My question is why? Don’t get me wrong, nothing wrong with any of these things, what ever floats your boat, I say go for it.
However there is no advantage to putting a spiral head in an scm planer, unless of course you have all kinds of money you just want to throw away and a week of your time to spin every blade and after the 4th spin buy all new blades and change them.
The Tersa blades do a great job, they are cheap and fast to change. The spiral head really doesn’t do that much of a better job and anything that needs a nice finish goes through the widebelt after you plane it. Save your money and time.

There are benefits.

Have you ever owned or used one.

It’s quiet

They don’t tear out even with wild grain

The inserts last forever.

Good luck.

Bill,
Thanks for the info, I have only used them on smaller machines, a wood master and a Dewalt. I have used Tersa heads in my SCM Jointer and planer for over 15 years, I never have issues with tear out.
I know the spiral heads are sought after as there is a machine dealer who loves buying them at auctions, he said you can flip them for great profits.

Thank you for the feedback. I currently own a 20" SCM with a tersa head and love it. Quickly changing to Carbide knives for Teak is sweet. But I just bought the 20" machine with the spiral head because :
1) I work in my basement shop and quieter is great
2) I make 1/8" Douglas Fir veneers for my door stiles and they don't always survive with a straight knife.
3) It's a newer machine
4) I need the tax write off
Scott: You sound old school like me ! Old school is best ! And so is learning that with Douglas Fir Spiral cutters rule.
Thank you again!
Gary

My thoughts are that its nice to have a spiral head on a planer, I have an Oliver 299d with an itch head, It cuts amazing, but that being said even after that the material is going through my timesaver. I am in the camp of helical on a planer is good, they are a waste of money on a jointer. my reasons for that is that jointer is not your finished surface so there is no benefit,

I agree about the jointer; all my finish edges are run through my shaper with an outboard fence. Speaking of which it seems that shapers should come with an outboard fence as standard equip !
Maybe someday.

Gary,

I would say the Tersa heads are not quiet, but I always have ear protection when using those machines, so not much of an issue, and no other one close to the noise.
I generally use my equipment for solid stock for doors, cabinet doors, mouldings and trim like baseboards and casing, i joint it, plane it and put it through the widebelt. I have never used the planer for anything thin, I have done a lot of veneer work over the years and have always purchased the veneer.
I am old, I mean old school, and you could also call me cheap. If you need a tax right off, we’ll all the power to you.
Take care.

Scott - you are fortunately skilled at spotting the plentiful B/S that is everywhere. Spirals have their use, but we all survived somehow before they were everywhere. Made the curly stuff that much more amazing when you realize there were no spiral head planers 100 yrs ago. Craft, skill and experience counted for everything. Today, those things are all available at the WoodStore for a price. No need to develop the eye, hand and brain - it is all over in aisle seven. Wait until they go on sale, and you are that much better off!
Ah, but the inner satisfaction to tap a joint home and feel the solidity, or to see a row of dovetails that are identical but different since they are all hand cut. The inner satisfaction folks - that is where it is at, and available for free if you are willing to put forth the effort.