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Grizzly Planer: G0544 20" Pro Spiral Cutterhead Planer

Started by Dan_Shade, December 29, 2008, 09:49:48 AM

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Dan_Shade

http://www.grizzly.com/products/20-Pro-Spiral-Cutterhead-Planer/G0544

Anybody here seen/used/owned one of these things?  I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger, but i'm concerned that i'm going overkill, and wonder if a G1033X would be sufficient.

Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Norm

Dan I've got the G1033X and went through the same thoughts as you are when I bought mine. I will say I'm very happy with the model I bought. Since I didn't get the bigger one can't say much about it other than for the money and my usage I fell like I made the right decision.

Dan_Shade

Thanks, Norm.

You have the spiral cutter head model?  I've done some research on that, and there seems to be some debate as to if they are worth the trouble.  Any thoughts on  yours?

Also, how hard can you push the planer, what's the most you've fed through it at once, and did you wish you had a larger machine afterwards?
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

ADAMINMO

Looks like the old style Baker planer . Just in green and not blue. They are good planers. Grizzly gets theirs from the same manufacturer we get ours. You wont go wrong with it thats for sure.

Dan_Shade

Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

ADAMINMO

Yup .... same one.The one we now have has a thicker max height.I sent you a pm with the link to the one we have that took the place of the Grizzly style one. 1/8" min to 7 " max I think. (You can squeeze it to 7.75" max)

Norm

Dan I have the spiral cutter head and would not go back to straight knives no matter what. It is so quiet I don't even have to wear hearing protection with it. I had a jet before and even with headsets on it was louder then this one without them.

I'm not sure how many bd ft I've done in one run but have never felt like I was lacking for power even when doing white oak with it. One thing though is you really need a heavy duty dust collector for it. My biggest constraint is having to empty mine because it's just plain too small. I finally got it hooked up in the new shop over on the farm and my Christmas present to myself is a bigger better collection system.

Now don't let me talk you out of the bigger one though. The only reason I didn't get it was my budget. :D

IL Bull

I have the 15" Grizzly with the spiral cutting head.  Just like Norm says, it is very quiet.  i have trouble with the out feed roller leaving little lines in the wood.  Anyone else have this problem?  i also don't like the location of the reset button.  You have to take a panel off and then the top of the relay box to reset it.   That should have been designed differently from a guy that probably crowds it a little too much.
Joe
Case Skid Steer,  Ford Backhoe,  Allis WD45 and Burg Manual Sawmill

Dan_Shade

while I was goofing off making up my mind they got more expensive, I should have seen that coming, though....
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Gilman

WM LT70, WM 40 Super, WM  '89 40HD
Cat throwing champion 1996, 1997, 1999. (retired)

ADAMINMO

The difference that I can find is that theirs has variable feed speed and the Baker don't. It is an option on the Baker for $500.00 I think.

TexasTimbers

Dan,

I always buy the most I can afford. The few times I have not I have regretted it. But when it comes to planers, "most" to me means width more than anything else, as long as it isn't going to be under-powered etc.

In this case, since they are both 20" planers and the 1033x gets such great reviews, I believe I would have to save the $1500 to use on a DC upgrade or whatever other need is most pressing in your shop.

The carbide cutterhead is a must-have. I have one on my Woodmaster and it is S-U-P-E-R   Q-U-I-E-T.

But of course if I were planer shopping I would probably buy the Baker unit from Adam after seeing this thread.
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

Left Coast Chris

Norm,   how much use have you gotten before you had to rotate the cutters on your spiral head?  And.... have you had to replace them?  I notice they are very expensive to replace.
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

Norm

Boy that's hard to say as I really have never kept track of it and I'm still on the originals. They are kind of pricey but I still feel that they last longer and do a better job so it's still cheaper than straight knives. Just a gut feeling as I don't have any idea of what I've run with them.

TexasTimbers

Chris,

The inserts have 4 sides so divide the cost of each by four. Because you just rotate them to get a "new insert".
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

metalspinner

Has anyone rotated their carbide inserts yet and kept track of the time?
I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

TexasTimbers

I have not kept track of anything like that MS. I get lucky to find the time to even rotate them. There are 164 of them on my head and it takes more than an hour to remove the ducting, remove the  planer cover, loosen each nut, spin the insert 1/4 turn, tighten the nut, do the next one times 164, then replace the cover and ducting.

The trade-off is sure worth it though. I can't believe how much mileage I got out of that first side. I don't know how much it was but it was a bunch.
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

WDH

I assume that when you turn one cutter, you turn them all in tandem rather than turn them in a random manner?  Is there any way to know which cutter has been turned and which has not been turned?
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

TexasTimbers

Quote from: WDH on January 06, 2009, 09:29:43 AMIs there any way to know which cutter has been turned and which has not been turned?

At first I started out marking the used edge with a red sharpie, but after one row I realized it wasn't necessary. You can see the wear on the leading edge compared to the other 3 sides clearly. Just pick a direction and stay with it. I chose CW. I started at one end, and followed that helical row. I rotated the head as I needed to keep my driver in a near upright position.

For those considering a caride cutter, make sure it is helical (the rows of cutters do not all enter the wood at the same time, they are staggered) & offset. Offset means the leading edge of the inserts themselves do not enter the wood at a 90° angle, but a little less so that it has a better cutting ability. I don't know the angle on my cutters but I would guess they are about 2° to 3° off of 90°.


Don't buy a cutterhead that does not have these three important features:

1)Helical rows of cutters
2)Cutters that are offset from 90°
3)Inserts have four cutting sides

You are spending too much money to get *almost* there.
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

Dan_Shade

well, I pulled the trigger













I'll report back when I get the new circuit wired and run a test board.

My wallet is recovering.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Left Coast Chris

Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

pigman

Dan, I have a very important question for you. In the last photo did you obey the sign?  ;D

That is a nice looking planer, I am sure you will like it long after you forget what you paid for it.
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

TexasTimbers

That first board will make him think he underpaid before it's even completely through. It's so quiet. ;D

The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

WDH

I bet that you take the tags off mattresses, too ;D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

metalspinner

I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

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