Don't think it's a push at best.? From a total cost perspective it could be a clear winner.? It could also be a clear loser.? Like you said, it depends on the circumstances.? Which,? in this case is lots of teak with frequent knife changes.
Plenty of large scale facilities using plain straight knives too.? What's your point ?
Sam's piece / opinion doesn't really re-enforce your position.? He hedges by saying "probably" for each type of head and and shop.? Plus he doesn't broach the cost of either head, ever.? So it's really impossible to use his musings in a discussion on? "which is cheaper". ??
Furthermore - I? NEVER said segments only belong in a garage shop - nor is it my opinion.? Let's look at what I actually said:
" So? I'll re-iterate.......if you're a well healed garage warrior, or
shop that occasionally process solid timber; segments will be cheaper
because you likely won't reach the break even point the changeover labor
of segments adds to the equation."
I said segments will be CHEAPER for the garage shop because they are less likely to change blades and approach the cost savings in labor that Tersa affords.?? That's a big difference from saying it only belongs in a garage shop.? HUGE.?
It's a pretty simple math problem.?? The more you change blades and the higher your labor costs are , the cheaper Tersa becomes.? The less you change blades and the cheaper your labor is , the cheaper a Segment is.? This is true whether you're in a garage in rural Mississippi or a state of the art factory in California.
Another way to look at it to ask yourself why production lines of all types want to automate and replace humans with machines pretty much everywhere they can ?? Not because it's cool, but because it's cheaper at the end of the day.
D