Grizzly 15 inch spiral head planer. Is 3 hp enough?

[21incher]

I know some of you have the 15 inch Grizzly spiral head planers and I am thinking about ordering one because my bellsaw went up in smoke. I figure that I had better order one while it is on sale before the price increases in the new year. My question is how does the 3 hp motor on it perform? I have the 8 inch spiral head joiner with a 3 hp and with a heavy cut I can load it down. I am thinking that 3 hp may be under powered for a 15 inch cutter. Also my old belsaw had a 3 hp motor that was 14 amps and the Grizzly motor is only listed as 12 amps. Just hoping to get some feedback on how they perform in the real world.   
Thanks Ed

[Kbeitz]

I know some of you have the 15 inch Grizzly spiral head planers and I am thinking about ordering one because my bellsaw went up in smoke. I figure that I had better order one while it is on sale before the price increases in the new year. My question is how does the 3 hp motor on it perform? I have the 8 inch spiral head joiner with a 3 hp and with a heavy cut I can load it down. I am thinking that 3 hp may be under powered for a 15 inch cutter. Also my old belsaw had a 3 hp motor that was 14 amps and the Grizzly motor is only listed as 12 amps. Just hoping to get some feedback on how they perform in the real world.   
Thanks Ed

I bet the 12 amp motor is a 3 phase one.
A true 5 hp is plenty for a 12" planer.
A 1hp single phase motor can draw 16 amps.

I went back and looked... Must be a typo.
a single phase 3 hp motor should draw 17 amps.

[WDH]

I consider my GO453Z which is a 3 hp 15" planer to be under-powered for any type of production planing, like planing 150 bf per hour or more.  However, for a single project requiring 50 - 60 bf for example, it does fine.  It can serve well as a shop planer but it is not adequate to do production planing of several hundred or more bf loaded board after board as fast as you can go.  I typically plane any where from 300 to 600 bf at a time, and the 3 hp planers are not suited for this level of use.  So, it all depends on how you will use it.  It can be totally adequate for single project level planing, but is not suited to production planing. 

[muggs]

My 16 inch Powermatic planer has 5 hp and a separate dc feed motor.   Muggs

[petefrom bearswamp]

I had to up my 20" bridgewood spiral head from 5 hp single phase to 10 hp 3 phase and it still bogs down sometimes.
Not always full width either.
also feed motor is separate

[bkaimwood]

I had a 20" grizzly planer, 1996 or so, 1033 platform, 4 blade straight, 3 horsepower...it impressed me. Yes, I could slow it down, but even on wide boards it would plane a mouthful...nearly as much as would clear going in, probably close to 1/8". I recently sold it, and got a G0454zw. Same specs, but helical/spiral head. I did the swap as I deal a lot with figured maple. It is less industrial feeling than the 1033, but weighs about the same. It bogs down easier than the 1033 for sure. But man, is the finish nice!!! WDH has the planer I would have bought, if I wanted to spend another 2 grand or so...

[21incher]

Thanks everyone. I am still confused about the amp draw  on the motors. 12 amps 230 is not a full 3hp as far as I can tell. I will only be  planing a couple hundred bf at a time for home use so the G0453zw should work for me as WDH says . I wish they made a 5hp version without  having to step up to  the 20 inch that is out of my budget. I guess it will be a matter of making more passes to plane wider width boards but should be worth it  for the low maintenance of a spiral head. 

[Larry]

I have the same as the Grizzly 15” but a different color.  It was equipped with a Byrd Shellix head straight from the importer.  I found 3 hp to be most unsatisfactory.  On a board 12” or wider if the cutting got tough around a knot or if the thickness increased any at all the motor would nearly stall or completely stall.  Yes it would work for one small project but that is the about the extent of its usefulness.

My machine also used three small belts and didn't take any time at all to wear those out.  I fixed my machine by putting in a 5 horsepower Leeson motor I had on hand.  Of course it wouldn't fit so I had to work around that.  And than the old 3 hp switch didn't have large enough overloads so I replaced that.  I replaced the pulleys so I could use two standard BX belts.

I did the upgrade about 10 years ago and have not had one problem with the machine since.  It still slows a bit when planing a 15” board with a full bite but has never stopped.  I have it on a mobile base and it is about the perfect size planer for my shop.  Of course I would love to have an older 24” Powermatic or Oliver....if only I had the room. 

[stanwelch]

I agree with WDH that the 15" planer is not adequate for production planing.

I have the grizzly 15" 230 volt single phase and can't take a big bite because it will stall and trip the breaker. I use it to take multiple passes on rough sawn boards to get them close to the thickness I want for projects. I then finish planing on a Dewalt 735 13". This works well for my small volume needs and greatly extends the life of the dewalt blades

[Just Me]

I consider my GO453Z which is a 3 hp 15" planer to be under-powered for any type of production planing, like planing 150 bf per hour or more.  However, for a single project requiring 50 - 60 bf for example, it does fine.  It can serve well as a shop planer but it is not adequate to do production planing of several hundred or more bf loaded board after board as fast as you can go.  I typically plane any where from 300 to 600 bf at a time, and the 3 hp planers are not suited for this level of use.  So, it all depends on how you will use it.  It can be totally adequate for single project level planing, but is not suited to production planing.

Good answer. Hobby shop, light passes, you will get by. Heavy use, you will hate it and be replacing the motor. Keep in mind that if you are planing from rough the initial stock thickness can vary, so what starts out at a light pass can quickly turn into a heavy pass, and the motor will bog.

Just an an example, my 20" commercial is 11 hp.

[21incher]

I am starting to think it may be better to go with the 5hp 20 inch G0454zw for my needs. I will be planing mostly 8 to 15 inch stock and I do get thickness variations with my sawing. I could then sell my thickness sander to get some extra room and help pay for it. Thanks for the replies. 

[muggs]

You are right 21 incher. 13 amps on 230 V will not produce 3 hp. The amps should be more like 17 amps. They are getting real tricky with these motors and the hp.

[bkaimwood]

I had a 20" grizzly planer, 1996 or so, 1033 platform, 4 blade straight, 3 horsepower...it impressed me. Yes, I could slow it down, but even on wide boards it would plane a mouthful...nearly as much as would clear going in, probably close to 1/8". I recently sold it, and got a G0454zw. Same specs, but helical/spiral head. I did the swap as I deal a lot with figured maple. It is less industrial feeling than the 1033, but weighs about the same. It bogs down easier than the 1033 for sure. But man, is the finish nice!!! WDH has the planer I would have bought, if I wanted to spend another 2 grand or so...

Correction...my old 1033 was 3 HP, but the new one is 5...spiral heads are supposed to be more efficient and need less HP to turn as effectively, which leaves some head scratching...the straight blade 3 hp outran the 3 hp spiral? Did I mention it leaves a great finish?...

[Kbeitz]

You are right 21 incher. 13 amps on 230 V will not produce 3 hp. The amps should be more like 17 amps. They are getting real tricky with these motors and the hp.

Import motors was never up to the HP that was stamped on the
motor plate.

[21incher]

From what I have found online there are new EPA efficiency standards for motors that may explain some of the amp rating differences. Sounds like a 84% efficient 3hp motor may draw 17 amps where a 91% efficient one may draw 12 amps. I am thinking it may have something to do with the new energy efficiency standards. 

[21incher]

I had a 20" grizzly planer, 1996 or so, 1033 platform, 4 blade straight, 3 horsepower...it impressed me. Yes, I could slow it down, but even on wide boards it would plane a mouthful...nearly as much as would clear going in, probably close to 1/8". I recently sold it, and got a G0454zw. Same specs, but helical/spiral head. I did the swap as I deal a lot with figured maple. It is less industrial feeling than the 1033, but weighs about the same. It bogs down easier than the 1033 for sure. But man, is the finish nice!!! WDH has the planer I would have bought, if I wanted to spend another 2 grand or so...

Correction...my old 1033 was 3 HP, but the new one is 5...spiral heads are supposed to be more efficient and need less HP to turn as effectively, which leaves some head scratching...the straight blade 3 hp outran the 3 hp spiral? Did I mention it leaves a great finish?...

Looking at the specs for a 6 inch wide cut the 18 inch 3hp is only rated for a maximum cut of 5/32 & the 20 inch 5hp  is rated for a 1/4 maximum cut. My old 3hp bellsaw would take 1/4 inch cut on a 12 inch board without slowing down. I guess the spiral heads must be less efficient. 

[Kbeitz]

Doesn't matter how you look at it ... It takes so many watts or amps to
get one HP.

[Larry]

The way I understand the rules is 17 amps is the Full Load Circuit for a 3 horsepower motor according to the NEC rules.  The real reason for defining a 3 hp motor as pulling 17 amps is for sizing wiring, motor protection devices, and breakers.

If a manufacture can make a 3 horsepower motor pulling less than 17 amps all is well and good as the motor is more efficient.  I think it has been this way for a long time.  Baldor has been pasting Energy Efficient on there motors for years.

I mentioned in a earlier post I was using a 5 horsepower Leeson on my 15" planer now.  Originally I bought it to power a 12" Belsaw.  It would eat small trees and never slow down.  We have to take in consideration feed rate.  The Belsaw ran at 12 fpm.  The standard for these 15" planers has been a two speed gearbox with a choice of 15 or 20 fpm.  Some sellers have tinkered with the feed rates to one up the competition, but if the feed rate is too high the machine will fall on its face.

[Just Me]

. I guess the spiral heads must be less efficient. 
[/quote]

I have converted two machines to Byrd heads, and it is my opinion that they require more power. This is based on my own experience.

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

i have the Grizzly 15" with spiral cut head and I love it. That being said, I you are going to run thousands of board feet of lumber through it to fill an order, and time was of the essence, you would be dissapointed. It is not a machine for heavy, rapid production and it will bog down if you throw a very uneven piece at it.

I seldom serve the commercial market with my cut wood. For the most part, my customers are hobby type woodworkers looking for a good deal on wood and usually in the 50 to 300 bf quantity per order. Much of what we saw and surface plane is used in our many handcrafted wood items we sell locally or on line at sites such as ebay. I keep the planer at the mill in case one of the hobby woodworkers does not have a surface planer or jointer and would like their purchased wood finished off on all 4 sides. To that end, it has been a great machine ( and i have the 6" grizzly jointer as well) and it has paid itself off many times over, plus is the reason a lot of local woodworkers come and buy wood from me. I even have local customers come an have me plane lumber for them they had at home or were given. I would say that i have run about 3500 bf through my machine so far

Great machine and produces excellent surface planed lumber, but i would say it was good for up to about 250 bf a week. Any more than that and i would be looking at a heavier duty machine.