What’s it worth

DPatton · April 30, 2019, 09:24:58 PM

I have a friend who's father is closing shop and retiring. He has this 20" Grizzly planer that he's looking to sell. I'm waiting to find out if it has straight blades or a spiral cutting head.

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Knowing that the unit has set idle for some years I suspect the feed rollers will need to be replaced. It appears to be a 1999 model and 3 hp. Provided this planer is in working order with a straight blade cutter head what is it worth? Or what would be a fair market price?

Southside · April 30, 2019, 10:29:15 PM

There was one on CL here for a long time asking $1500, pictures look about the same vintage and condition wise. I would give half of that for one that old considering what a new one costs. One thing that sticks out at me is the contact box looks to be melted? If so then I would want to see inside and hear her run before handing over any money.

barbender · May 01, 2019, 12:39:22 AM

I paid $500 for a used 15" of the same vintage 5-6 years ago. I've had trouble with the contacts in my switch before, that's likely what happened there but like Southside, I'd want to hear it run. I probably wouldn't go more than $500 given it's condition. Not only idle, but neglected equipment always has some disappointing surprises that pop up.

WDH · May 01, 2019, 08:03:37 AM

Once you use a spiral head with the carbide inserts, you will never go back to knives

. Old is good in some respects, but the functionality of the inserts so far outweighs knives that the savings from new to get the old is not worth it if you run the planer regularly in my experience.

btulloh · May 01, 2019, 08:54:40 AM

Quote from: WDH on May 01, 2019, 08:03:37 AM
Once you use a spiral head with the carbide inserts, you will never go back to knives . Old is good in some respects, but the functionality of the inserts so far outweighs knives that the savings from new to get the old is not worth it if you run the planer regularly in my experience.

Absolutely true. I agree with the 500$ figure also. Hopefully a little less. Still could be a good planer pickup depending on your situation. The 3HP motor tells me it's straight knives, but easy enough to confirm.
I picked up a similar 15" Grizzly a couple years ago on a trade. A lot of cleaning, tables a little pitted but usable. Worked well after all the reconditioning. Even though it worked as well as new. I thought it would come in handy as a second planer, but I just couldn't warm up to the straight knives after using the Byrd head. I ended up trading it for a metal cutting bandsaw, so all in all a good deal.

DPatton · May 01, 2019, 04:07:46 PM

Thanks for the responses and good eye on the partially melted contact box. The seller made good on clarifying that item when he first presented me with the information. The planer was purchased used years ago with the melted box. It was previously in a shop that had partially burned thus partially melting the box. That was the only damage to the planer and it continued to run properly as is. Definitely something to consider if I was to buy it.

Larry · May 01, 2019, 10:09:48 PM

I can't imagine the feed rollers being wore out. There steel and might need cleaning. The old Belsaw planers and some of the later clones had rubber rollers which wore and would need replacing.

The 3 HP motor is barely adequate on a 15" planer and a joke on a 20" machine. Add in a new motor, than a new starter to match the amp draw for your new motor, and new pulleys/belts to transfer the power.

I might give $400.

Don P · May 02, 2019, 07:12:49 AM

Under the height adjustment crank is a cover for the feed sprockets, a very few bolts will get you in there to look around, a small cover behind each post with 2 allens and the center allen visible in the pic. Behind that is the feed gearbox. You can find the fill and drain allens, it might be worth checking fill level, if dry that is not good atall. If any of those parts are heavily worn it is fairly expensive. Listen and feel for bearing wear. Are the gib nuts rounded, easy replacement but a few bucks. Does the table run up and down freely. Just as hand planes surfaced a lot of lumber, straight knives have also done a lot of quite serviceable work. The motor is small. At the prices the others are quoting if it showed up in my neighborhood in useable condition I'd be all over it.