Disappointed in Byrd Tool Corp

Re: Disappointed in Byrd Tool Corp

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

If this machine is something they have never encountered it may be that they need to do measuring and other preparation to manufacturer the part for it. You should expect to pay for this preparation. $75 seems a modest price if this cost is for this kind of preparation.

I remain bewildered why these heads are so popular on a jointer. I'll bet I have run more lumber across a jointer than most of you and I can't recall the last time I encountered any problem successfully jointing an edge on native US lumber (I don't do foreign woods)

What are people working that these heads are worth the cost of replacement?

Re: Disappointed in Byrd Tool Corp

Michael van pelt

It just seems expensive to me,,,,,,,$72.00 to measure a jointer head.....could it take more than 10 minutes? I have a very hard time charging more than $25.00 an hour shop time in reality if you want to get the bid. Being charged what would take me almost 3 hours to clear for 10 minutes to measure a jointer head just seems out of wack?

Service is expensive

Dick Coers

I just had a furnace tech out to find out why my Carrier threw a code. He wire brushed a flame sensor and cleaned out a condensation trap. He then hooked up a service computer and checked all the performance parameters. 15-20 minutes work, $110. That's even worse than my lawyer at $280 an hour. But I took special interest in the work, he won't be called to do that again!

I don't understand why you would want them to donate the time Michael. Their heads are expensive, but they surely don't have custom measuring figured into the price.

Re: Disappointed in Byrd Tool Corp

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

Bill, I use my joiner for flatting bowed or twisted lumber just about as much as for joining the edge. The carbide heads do a much better job in MHO than the straight knives on my old planer.

A couple of other advantages are that the carbide stays sharp longer than several knives and there is almost no setup time in rotating the carbide inserts. If you consider the cost of sharpening knives I think the carbide inserts will actually be cheaper in the long run as they have 4 cutting edges and each will outlast several knives.

If you hit a nail or other metal in the wood it usually only damages one edge in one to three inserts, Rotate the damaged inserts and tighten them down (no measuring) and your back in business.

Re: Service is expensive

Michael van pelt

I am not asking for anything free....but I also do not like being “over-charged” you can also buy Byrd heads through a distributor so I know Byrd has a healthy mark up selling direct. $72.00 is a lot of money for measuring!

Re: Disappointed in Byrd Tool Corp

David Yoho

I can't recall the last time I encountered any problem successfully jointing an edge on native US lumber (I don't do foreign woods). What are people working that these heads are worth the cost of replacement?

The Shelix head for my 8" jointer has given me much cleaner results than the original knives did. I didn't change mine for edge jointing but more for face jointing. This was at the time I just started using figured stock and the difference was huge to me. I also noticed with the Shelix head I didn't have to worry with feeding the stock with the grain. It cuts smooth no matter which way. Another thing is it cut knots clean as a whistle instead of the tearing or dislodging the blade type head would do.

Those are the reasons I'm glad I switched to a Byrd head. I haven't had to rotate any of the inserts yet either. It's still cutting clean and smooth and I've fed a bunch of stock over that Shelix head since installing.

Re: Disappointed in Byrd Tool Corp

AZ in Colorado Springs

Ditto what David said, and an added benefit is that it's much less noisy.

Re: Service is expensive

Hank Knight

Guy calls a plumber tofu his leaky water taps. 15 minutes of work and he was done. Handed the guy a bill for $75.00.

Guy says, "$75.00 for 15 minutes of work?! That's $300.00/hour. Outrageous! I'm a lawyer and I can't charge that much."

Plumber says, "I couldn't charge that much when I was a lawyer either."

Water

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

A culture which denigrates plumbing as unworthy employment but exults philosophy as a valuable activity will have serious problems because neither its ideas nor its pipes will hold water.

Re: Service is expensive

Dick Coers

I agree that $75 is plenty for that service, but it is what it is. If you have the tools to measure, save yourself some cash. But if you have to buy a good quality caliper or micrometer, $75 will disappear one way or the other.

Is it just to measure

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Just guessing, given that I don't know what "measuring" entails....... If some part of the replacement head needs to be custom machined to fit your jointer it is not simply a matter of making a measurement, jotting it down on a scrap of paper, going over to the machine and making it. That's what you might do but that is not how a company the size of Byrd would operate.

Measurements would be made, prints of the part to be made would be prepared, there would be some approval process and then the order would be passed on to the machine shop for fabrication. If they are willing to make a one of a kind head for only $75 more, they will be making less profit on this order than one for a more common machine that they already know how to fit. And presumably they are willing to guarantee it will fit.

Re: Service is expensive

Walter Ahlgrim

You are asking them to do more than measure.

1 Someone on the dock has to receive your package

2 Someone has to open your package read your note and deliver your package to the correct department while not mixing up your package with the 20 others that arrived today.

3 Someone has to measure your old part.

4 Someone needs to compare your measurements to the standard stock heads in the catalog and decide if it will work in your machine.

5 Someone needs get your old head to the shipping department.

6 Someone needs to get your old head boxed and shipped back to you.

7 They need to pay the shipping costs.

8 Some percentage of parts will get misplaced when handled who’s responsible?

9 If Byrd mismeasures or selects a head that will not fit in your machine, who’s responsible?

How long has Byrd spent on the phone with you holding your hand compared to a sale to a distributor where Byrd opens an Email with an attached form for several stock heads. You may have already eaten that healthy mark up in phone time, higher shipping handling costs for small orders and credit card fee.

You want them to take responsibility for you part and that risk cost money.

If you can’t gross 25 dollars an hour in your shop you need to rethink your business model or is it a hobby model?

Walta

Byrd Tool Corp

Clifton C

Ditto what David and AZ mentioned, plus, less resistance when facing a board.

I worked in a mill in the 80's and remember, even with ear plugs and mickey mouse ears, "feeling" the sound of the boards being run thru the jointers and planers. I have had the pleasure of using some spiral head machines and marvel at the ease, quietness (comparatively speaking) and surface quality of the boards. I just helped replace the cutter head on the 16" jointer at Arrowmont with a Byrd Shelix head... What an incredible difference. A necessity? No. But if I can find the means ($) to change out mine, I will.

Ps, as to the cost of service, I agree with Walter, lots more going on then just measuring.

Re: Service is expensive

david weaver

I'd imagine that when they sell a head through another sales place, it's because it costs them no more to do it than it does for them to tie people up in marketing and customer service.

I understand that you're offended by the charge, but once they measure, they're on the hook for lack of fitness because they can't claim it was your fault.

I know it's not popular these days, but if I had a power jointer, I'd rather have the tersa type head with chipbreakers than an insert head, but no clue if you can get heads like that refitted and they're probably more expensive.

A friend of mine replaced the heads in a large jointer and a delta DC580, so I've seen the insert head job quality. It's very good, and they're quiet. Can't really knock it.