Anybody got a big planer...Recommendations???

Re: Anybody got a big planer...Recommendations???

Henry W

Barry: Far be it from me to try to talk someone out of a tool purchase... but

You have made it thus far in life without a large planer. Could you not purchase planing services when you need them? I know I could in Raleigh. I have only thought I needed a large planer once, and then found a much cheaper workaround. Sure it is not as convenient as owning your own, but I thought you were hemmed in a smaller shop right now? How you gonna fit a large planer in there?

Henry

Re: Anybody got a big planer...Recommendations???

Dick Coers

I vote for buy the used one, keep the stock head. I've been woodworking for almost 45 years. Made it this far without segment head, I think I can finish out without one.

big planer vs.

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

a roll of 36 grit for your Performax.

Hmmm,

2.5K v. $40 for occasional use.

Hmmmm

Re: Anybody got a big planer...Recommendations???

Yonak

Barry, if you decide to get a 20" planer, I don't believe I would consider anything less than 5hp. Also, if you can afford it, I don't think you would regret getting a spiral head. I've got straight cutters and the tear-out, especially in maple, is agonizing. I'm on the downside of my woodworking career so I won't be upgrading to a spiral head but, if I were closer to the beginning than the end of my career, I'd go with spiral or SHELIX technology.

Re: big planer vs.

John Foster

Agree, I have my 12" bench-top piece of junk hardware store planer for my narrow stock. For my occasional wide stuff, I put 36 or 40 grit abrasive in my 19-38 drum sander. I always thought when my crappie little planer died that I would get a good one, but if you have good blades in it, the finish is hard to beat because of the high cutter-head speed. For my level of use, I probably will just replace it with another 120 V. bench-top.

It's like dis, ya see.....

Barry Irby

I have a pile of about 700 feet of white oak, sawed on a band mill and even more walnut and cherry. When I stand in my shop and stare at the rough pile of wood, I can hear my Dewalt lunch box planer whimper. Pretty sure that pile of wood will be the death of that planer.

And, it's slow and will only take about a 1/32" off at a time. So I am lusting after a big brother for it.

OTOH, for that kind of money, I could buy it several twins. Hmmm?

Right now I am leaning in Dick's direction. Get the older machine and give it a whirl, leaving the option of a new head open.

Re: Anybody got a big planer...Recommendations???

Jesse Cloud

I've never owned a big planer, so no data on the pro's and con's. I do have some experience with Jet vs. Grizzly on smaller jointer/planers.

I took a woodworking machinery maintenance class a few years ago and the teacher invited us to bring in broken machines for repair or new ones for setup. By chance a Jet combo machine came in the same day as a similar Grizzly.

The two looked eerily similar except for paint, knobs, and logo plates. But when we got down to set up time, the Jet was pretty much ready to roll out of the box. The Grizzly beds were not coplanar and one was way off from flat. The head was not parallel to either bed. The Grizzly also had many sharp burrs. We spent several hours working on it and failed to bring it up to acceptable level. The owner decided to send it back.

Now this is just one case. Maybe neither of these two machines were representative of the product, but I remain suspicious.

I would prefer to look at old iron that you can see and test before you buy.

Anybody got a big planer...YES

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/classifieds.pl/page/1/md/read/id/18683/sbj/machines-for-sale/

I extolled the virtues of this machine when it was first posted. I would drive 500 miles to fetch it if I needed a planer for my shop. There is nothing better to be found for a serious home, light commercial shop. An identical machine ran our hardwood planing business for 25 years. But maybe you missed my post at the time.

Re: I'd jump on that one......

Kneale Brownson

if I didn't have an old 18" Delta three-phase 5hp with 3hp feed motor.