Spiral Head Wobble
Could be an adjustment problem, or maybe the heads are just too heavy for the machine to handle. January 27, 2008
Question
I have two Byrd spiral heads, 125mm x 230mm on the top and bottom heads on our moulder. The moulder is only 6 months old. We have a lot of vibration from the Byrd heads, like they are out of balance. When I switch to our aluminum Tersa heads, it runs great and seems very balanced and vibration free. I know the Byrd heads, being solid steel, are very heavy. Has anyone else had this problem? Can they be balanced? We replaced all knives, none broken or missing. We really like the finish of the Byrd heads for what we run, much more cost effective. How do aluminum spiral heads compare to the Byrd heads?
Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor R:
You should be talking to Byrd!
From contributor J:
The weight of the heads should not make a difference to anything; light or heavy, they should spin without vibration. This is of course assumes they were balanced properly, and were balanced for the rpm of shaft you are using them on. Weinig moulder heads are required to be balanced at twice the rpm they are rated for, because of obvious safety issues. Some other heads out there may not have been made to the same high standards. If the heads are as new as the moulder, then I would get in contact with Byrd and ask for replacements, or ask for them to be re-balanced. Aluminum are easier to damage, if you hit something. If a fence jumps up into the head, it will destroy the aluminum head. Solid steel at least might still be usable.
From contributor M:
I'm running Byrd heads on my top and bottom also and don't have any vibration issues. I had Byrd make them out of aluminum rather than steel to keep the weight down. Same size as yours. I agree that you should send them back to Byrd or at least to a shop that can balance them for you.
From contributor O:
Make sure there are no burrs or raised "dents" around the bore of the head. If you put a dial indicator on a spindle and yank on it by hand, it will move but go back to where it should be. If you tighten the nut with any obstruction, it will stay that way and wobble or vibrate.
From contributor C:
The problem may be the weight of the head. The Tersa head is a lot lighter. This is a very common problem, actually. The machine you have may not be able to run the heavier head. It takes a lot more hp to spin it up. That is why the Spiral Plus heads run so quiet. But if the head is out of balance, it does not matter what machine you have.
