Planer Decision

[tim1234]

Adaminmo,

Thanks for the hint.  I just checked out the baker and didn't realize that Timberking and Woodmaster were related. 

Both are too much machine for my budget.  I'm sure they are great machines, but more for the professional, than the serious hobby guy like me.

Tim

[ADAMINMO]

Just tryin to do my part and help ya out.

[tim1234]

I recieved some feedback from my friend with the grizzly planer.  He has the 1021 with the 3 knife cutterhead.  This is his 3rd piece of grizzly equipment and he is very impressed with the quality of the machinery.  Remember he is a retired shop teacher and has used woodworking equipment all his life.  I'm pretty sold on getting a grizzly.  The 1021x2 is backordered and has been removed from the grizzly site. so that leaves only the 453 and the 453z.  I'm leaning toward the 453z with the grizzly spiral cutterhead.  The difference from the shelix seems to be the cutters are not on an angle so they don't provide a sheering cut.

I think the spiral cutterheads with the carbide inserts will be cheaper in the long run as I would hope the carbide lasts a lot longer than the HSS cutters and you get 4 sides to each cutter.  It might even last me a lifetime ;)

As for parts, take a look at the grizzly site.  They have pictures of their huge parts department.  I have to believe they reuse a lot of parts from past machines.  I'll ask if and when I buy one how long they stock parts for any given machine.

Tim

[treenail]

I've got a 20" Grizzly with the four blade head and 220v three hp motor. It isn't the fastest machine on the block, but if the blades are kept sharp and set properly, it sure does some really nice work. Have had it for a dozen years or so and the only thing that I've had to replace on it was the three drive belts. They had some severe mileage on them, so it was expected. I also have the grizzly 20" knife grinder, so I haven't been tempted at this point to purchase a spiral head. I have many Grizzly tools and they produce. Parts are available too, as well as tech staff that will actually talk to you on the phone if you have questions.

[dail_h]

   Treenail,
   I also have the 20 in planer,interested in your grinder? how does it work,do you recommend it ?
     Thankd Dail

[brdmkr]

Yeah,

What Dail_h said.

[tcsmpsi]

I had the 15" 'portable' Grizzly planer that Radar67 has.  It did a fine job.  I originally purchased it so that I could move it between the two locations I would be using it regularly.  Also, a point to me was the fact that it was the most in a planer I could find, in which the planer head moved up and down, rather than the table moving up and down.   The fellow I sold it to is working it regularly and is very pleased with it.

I find the greatest advantage in consistent planing is having plenty of infeed/outfeed support.

My need/process was in an evolutionary period, and I was looking for a larger, more permanent set up.  Looked at some used units (woodmaster, grizzly, etc.). 

I have quite a few Grizzly tools and was considering their larger planers daily.  And, the Woodmaster.  And, looking at everything else I could find.  But, I was still in a quandry about infeed/outfeed support and the constant change of the table height.

Then, one day, in Woodmaster's regular shipment of catalogs that had been coming for 3 or 4 years, they had come up with self-leveling infeed and outfeed tables for their planers.   

Still, with Grizzly's little bit lower price (for the 20" I was looking at), it was tough.  Yet, through all the hand-wringing, etc., I called up the old boy up at Woodmaster, who offered me the best deal I was apt to be able to ever come up with on a 718, and I took it.

This is the set up as it's working



Of course, one thing I found that it needed greatly, was help in moving all those DanG shavings.
This Grizzly 2hp dust collector system does a fine job in moving them.



The 718 Woodmaster does a fine job and the self-leveling support works just like it's supposed to. 

On the G0477 I had, it was pretty surprising what it would do with a challenge.

This is a before and after shot of some Goncalo Alves it did.



And a few other exotics and things.   Some really hard stuff.



The 718 will do it all, too.  Of course, now that I have it, I have never looked back,  am quite pleased with it and it'll work day in and day out.

[scsmith42]

I've owned a 20" Grizzly Extreme Series Spiral insert cutterhead planer - 7.5hp for about 4 years.  It's a very solid machine, and does a nice job.  I do have a problem with snipe though, and one of the internal breakers will trip if I try to make too large of a cut.  I don't know if this is a factor of running it off of a phase converter (30 hp - should be large enough), or if there is a problem with the breaker...

Other than the snipe, the board finish is quite nice, and the carbide inserts are the way to go.  It has the "black" Grizzly head, which appears to be a Shelix clone.

As Norm mentioned, it requires a pretty hefty dust collection system, but then again any 20" planer will.

Scott

[tim1234]

Other than the snipe, the board finish is quite nice, and the carbide inserts are the way to go.  It has the "black" Grizzly head, which appears to be a Shelix clone.

scsmith42

Did you fiddle with the adjustments to reduce the snipe or is it just inherent in the planer?  I've heard some of the Gizzlys will snipe "out of the box" but when fine adjustments are made it can be eliminated.  Like making sure the lower bed rollers are only .002" above the bed?

How much snipe are we talking about?

Tim

[scsmith42]

Tim, I have not taken the time to try to fine tune it.  Lowering the bed rollers sometimes results in feed problems.  Usually I'll lose about 6" off of the end of the board.  It's not as bad if I pick up the ends of the board when it enters and exits the planer.

Scott

[tcsmpsi]

Positive infeed and outfeed support is what I have found to be the best opposition to snipe.

[Dan_Shade]

Scott, did your planer come in peices where you could manage it without a forklift?  I'm looking to get a big planer one of these days, but I'm concerned in getting it from the truck to where I need it.

[scsmith42]

Dan, it was fully assembled.  What you may want to consider is having your planer delivered on a truck with a lift-gate, and then using a pallet jack to move it where you want to place it.  You can usually rent a pallet jack pretty inexpensively.

Scott

[Dan_Shade]

i kinda figured as much, may have to rent a pallet jack.  how did you get it off the pallet?

I guess I could burn the pallet out from under it

[scsmith42]

Dan, if the only tool that I had was a pallet jack, I would wheel the crate it into place, and set the pallet on the floor.  Uncrate it, and using a block of wood between the pallet jack and the bottom of an infeed table, lift one side up and block it up.  Repeat the same thing on the other side, and then remove the bottom portion of the crate.  Reverse the process to set the planer all the way down onto the floor.

If you have a floor jack available, it will go a bit faster.

Scott

[Dan_Shade]

I'll figure something out, i have a little while to think about it before I buy one. 

[Norm]

I had the same problem when I got my planer in, weight was something like 1000#'s. I scooted it towards the side of the pallet until it hung over the edge. Then I tipped it on edge while the pallet was pulled out from under it. I did use my pallet jack to get it in place. My only problem was Patty complaining about how heavy it was while she tipped it up. ;D

I bought a pallet jack years ago and it is very handy tool to have around. If you can find a decent one used they aren't too bad on the pocket book.

[Dodgy Loner]

I bought a pallet jack years ago and it is very handy tool to have around. If you can find a decent one used they aren't too bad on the pocket book.

You carry a pocketbook   I knowed there was something strange about you Iowa boys...

[flip]

The Griz 20" is pretty heavy so when I ordered it I got the Shop Fox super heavy duty roller stand.  No matter what they say that thing is not capable of being moved without hurting yourself.  If you do get a big planer and it is going to be mobile either build a big heavy duty stand with good steel or poly casters or figure on leaving it permanent where you want it.  Our set up requires us to move it from the wall 10' when we use it and let me tell you it is a struggle. :(

[tim1234]

That's why I've decided on the Grizzly 453.  It has the built in rollers in the stand.

Tim