“Woodmaster’s HELICAL HEAD is like going from night to day,” says pro woodworker
Tim Heming and his grandson, Connor, run boards through Tim’s Woodmaster Planer. “With the Woodmaster’s Helical Head,” says Tim. “Workpieces come out smooth and ready to go.”
Woodmaster’s Helical Head has 140 cutters, each with four faces. When one face wears, simply turn to another face, retighten, and go!
“I worked as a carpenter for 40 years. Now I run my own woodworking business. I work part time, at my pace. I can speed the business up or slow it down whenever I want.
I’m in my 60’s and don’t really need to work but I think living on Social Security and a pension is just getting by. It’s nice to have the extra income from the work I do. Besides, this work keeps me busy, productive, and out of trouble! I’m mostly making and selling live edge lumber. I also make wooden ‘rounds’ (like slices of bread cut off a loaf), cutting boards, engraved plaques, and more. Too, I offer services like planing and kiln-drying other peoples’ lumber.
I have lots of equipment including a 38” Woodmaster Double-Drum Sander, a 21” Woodmaster Planer with a Helical Cutterhead, and a 1600 TimberKing Sawmill.
Here’s Tim mortising a beam he sawed out on his 1600 TimberKing sawmill. Tim has decades of pro woodworking experience and turns out excellent work.
My customers ask a lot of questions
My customers are often younger people who ask a lot of questions like what kind of finish to use. I’m happy to share my experience because it keeps them coming back. Often, I’ll give customers an extra piece of lumber with their order. They always like that.
Tim’s long search led to his Woodmaster Planer
Leading up to buying my Woodmaster Planer, I looked online for ‘lightly-used’ planers, but they sell fast. I searched for older, used planers online but it can be hard or impossible to get parts for older machines. If something major breaks, you’re stuck. A friend of mine had to wait six or eight months on parts for an old Powermatic.
Bad experience with Grizzly
I bought a new Grizzly planer but when it was delivered, there were two holes in the crate from a forklift and the forks had gouged out the table. I called Grizzly but all they’d do is send me parts — I’d have to take the machine apart and rebuild it myself. I don’t have time for that and I was not impressed with Grizzly’s customer service I sent the machine right back.
And another thing about Grizzly: their owners manual was just a couple pages and it read like it was translated into English from another language. Woodmaster’s manuals are extremely detailed.
Woodmaster’s Helical Head – like going from night to day
At that point, my wife said, ‘Just get a Woodmaster.’ So I did — a 21” Woodmaster Planer with a helical head. I like that helical head! Going from standard planing blades to a helical head is like going from night to day.
Here’s an excellent example of Tim’s craftsmanship. His very deluxe potting shed doesn’t just look great, it’s complete with running water, tile floor, and live-edge counter with butterfly joinery!
I got my Woodmaster Planer to upgrade from my 20-year-old 15” Jet planer. I could get a pretty good surface with the Jet but it really wasn’t wide enough for what I’m making. Plus the blades were a hassle. When they got nicked or dull, I had to take them out, sharpen them, and reset them. All that could take three or four hours.
Woodmaster’s helical head has 140 cutters; Grizzly’s has only 90. Each of Woodmaster’s cutters is square, with four faces. So if you get a nick, you just turn the cutter 90° and you’re back in business. Less downtime means more efficiency, more profit. Workpieces come out smooth and ready to go with maybe just a quick touchup with 220 grit sandpaper.
Woodmaster Drum Sander – 30 years old and going strong
Tim’s Woodmaster Drum Sander is 38″ wide with twin drums. It’s over 30 years old, works great. Woodmaster stocks parts even on older machines.
About my Woodmaster Drum Sander, it’s 38” wide with double drums. I got it used about 2008 and it works great. It’s 25 or 30 years old and Woodmaster still has parts, sandpaper, and everything.
Woodmaster parts get here quick
I do like the customer service I get with Woodmaster and TimberKing — they are sister companies, both out of Kansas City, Missouri. They really cater to their customers. They have all my info on file. I call to get parts and I get them within a couple days. Or they’ll overnight parts if I need them in a hurry.
Keeping the trades alive
Looking to the future, I’m going to keep my woodworking business going. Maybe my grandkids will want to take it all over some day as a business or a side gig. I’m teaching them how to make wood products and how to run and maintain equipment. They really don’t teach those things in school these days. The trades will die if people aren’t out there teaching them!”
— Tim Heming, Woodmaster & TimberKing Owner, Hadley Hills Wood Products, Metamora MI
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