15" Planer - General International, Grizzly, Powermatic, Jet, Shop Fox

[Brian W Smith]

I "used" to get my supplier to run stock through a 2 headed planer cheaper than we could pay for the electric doing it ourselves.............so;

Just to say we had a planer,snagged a 453X,spiral head.It's been a workhorse.The only thing is,you probably should punch a hole in the lower cabinet and mount a QD airline fitting.....to which we connect shop air hose.It's aimed right at the thermal overload/motor.It takes longer to explain than to implement.We don't use it all the time,but when we're runnin some serious ftg,it get's connected.Not really a slight on the machine,but the motor on this genre IS buried inside a cabinet and isn't getting much airflow.......which explains why old arn has their motors often times outside of the machines footprint.

I still say,planing stock needs to be looked at more of as a convenience,than anything else.Times are a changin though......meaning what we "used" to get done,now,ain't.

In retrospect,the Grizz has paid for itself many times over(which is a very deep subject,one that is more often than not,left out of these types of questions)....and there aren't any regrets.I've passed up,in the past....some pretty big,and stupid cheap......big honkin planers.It just isn't sumthin we make money at?Will this change,now that planer mills are all but non-exsistant?Hard to say.It isn't a space or electrical requiremant thing....we have loads of both(ha).But,I won't be getting rid of the Grizz,in anycase.Good luck with your decision.

[Jim Andrew]

I almost went with the G1033x, but have a neighbor who has the 453px and after he demonstrated it went with the GO453px. Agree, rather than go with the more expensive PM, just step up to the better grade Grizzly. They have many more expensive models if you have a lot more money. It is just that the GO453px is just so much value. And I really don't need a 20" planer, if I were going wide would rather have 24, but to really plane everything in one piece, would really want one wider than 25". So where do you stop?

[Ken Garland]

My vote is for none. Since these 4 post planers have basically been the same for 30 years except for maybe the CI outfeed and infeed tables in some, buy a nice used one for 6-700 and install a Byrd head in it or buy a drum sander.

There is the rub. I can appreciate this is the same design they have been making for 30 years, and I also see the benefits of purching a used planer. I'm looking for something new and because of that I need information about current models and their build quality. I'm questioning Grizzly's practice of marketing 3 different lines of product with the supposed "same" design.

[Larry Edgerton]

None of the above. Its a mediocre planer no matter what color it comes in.

Larry

[Ken Garland]

None of the above. Its a mediocre planer no matter what color it comes in.

Larry

Hey Larry, can you share your idea of a quality planer.

[Danny Hamsley]

My Grizzly GO453Z is some of the best money that I have spent. Perfect surface, no snipe. Many thousand feet without having to turn the inserts yet.

[Larry Edgerton]

Hey Larry, can you share your idea of a quality planer.

I've owned a couple of planers with that design. I never could make them work as good as I liked, so bought an old PM 180 and rebuilt it. Much better and more consistent finishes, especially after I slowed down the feed rate a touch. All said and done I had less in the PM180 than I had in the Powermatic of the design being discussed here, and when I sold it I made a profit. I now have a SCM, but realize most people can't buy one if not doing this for a living, but that is the only reason I sold the PM180.

On the under $2500 dollar range I do not see one that outguns an old iron restoration for performance or dollars. Not as simple as picking up the phone, and will require some sweat equity, but the rewards are great. I did buy my SCM new, but have many old tools that serve me well. I just picked up a 3000 pound double spindle shaper for $750, cleaned it up and it works perfectly and can swing a 14" cutter. Thats about the price of a router table.

Larry

[David Kumm]

To Ken's question about a good quality planer. Larger diameter head 4-5" if possible. Chipbreakers as near the front of the head as possible with spring tension that is adjustable. Pressure bar as close to the back of the head as it can go, Springs on it are nice but more rare now. Adjustable tension for the infeed and preferably two outfeed rollers. Table rollers adjustable with a lever or kept below the table. Easy method of adjusting both to the same height and keeping them in line when moved. Or, just kept under the table. ( I'm not a fan of table rollers unless powered which is rare now too.) Good chain and sprocket movement of table with the ability to keep it level with head. Wide speed range with lowest speed below 16 fpm. Mass is important in a planer so heavier is better.

Having said all of that, a small 13-15" planer can perform as well as a larger ( or even better) for small furniture type work. Sizing rough 8/4 is a whole different game than planing legs for a table. You type of work and ability to adjust the 50 million things a planer needs to work properly dictate what type of machine you will be happy with. Dave

[Gus Dundon]

I think I read somewhere that Grizzly and Rikon planer come out from the same factory. Not sure with Shopfox
though. I've never own a planer but I've been thinking of buying one for a year now. I choose none from your list.

[Charles Coolidge]

I voted Powermatic 15HH, I have owned both the Grizzly and Powermatic. Its a tough call, I absolutely love the Grizzly 3 wheel mobile base its awesome compared to the PM which is kind of retarded. I had to swap a Byrd Shelix cutter head into the Grizzly which turned out to be a major PITA. Had problems with the serrated Grizzly outfeed roller pressing dents in the wood that had to be sanded off and getting chips stuck to the outfeed roller that then were pressed into the wood denting it. Smooth outfeed roller on the PM, so far no problems with chips getting crushed into the surface of the wood.

[scott vroom]

I've owned a couple of planers with that design. I never could make them work as good as I liked, so bought an old PM 180 and rebuilt it. Much better and more consistent finishes, especially after I slowed down the feed rate a touch. All said and done I had less in the PM180 than I had in the Powermatic of the design being discussed here, and when I sold it I made a profit. I now have a SCM, but realize most people can't buy one if not doing this for a living, but that is the only reason I sold the PM180.

On the under $2500 dollar range I do not see one that outguns an old iron restoration for performance or dollars. Not as simple as picking up the phone, and will require some sweat equity, but the rewards are great. I did buy my SCM new, but have many old tools that serve me well. I just picked up a 3000 pound double spindle shaper for $750, cleaned it up and it works perfectly and can swing a 14" cutter. Thats about the price of a router table.

Larry

Larry, you consistently rip lower cost tools on this site. I'm sure your tools are really awesome, but surely there are folks that have even better tools than you. The OP asked for differentiators between 4 specific brands. He wasn't asking for comparisons to higher end tools. Why do you feel the need to jump in and rip all 4 and then tell us how great your stuff is? I don't get it.

[David Kumm]

The perimeters of choices here make it tough as all choices are basically similar. Kind of like Ford Taurus vs Mercury Sable with different options and paint- or choosing among quintuplets. Hopefully no one means disrespect by adding alternatives in the same price range. Additional knowledge won't hurt. Dave

[Tony Joyce]

I think I read somewhere that Grizzly and Rikon planer come out from the same factory. Not sure with Shopfox
though. I've never own a planer but I've been thinking of buying one for a year now. I choose none from your list.

Just as a side note, all the planers listed above are manufactured by Geetech - http://www.geetech.com.tw/geetechE/sp.html

Tony Joyce

[Mel Fulks]

I see Larry's post differently . As an honest well intentioned opinion. I much prefer the old machines and see them as the
better deal. Yes, they take up more real estate, expensive to move etc. Still a better deal IMO ,too.

[David Kumm]

Just as a side note, all the planers listed above are manufactured by Geetech - http://www.geetech.com.tw/geetechE/sp.html

Tony Joyce

Also take a look at the Woodfast site, Qing Dao is the source of many machines. Dave