20" Grizzly Planer

[Yonak Hawkins]

I added the Grizzly GO544 20" planer early this year to do more production planing from the sawmill and kiln. It has a separate 5 HP cutterhead motor and a 2 HP feed motor. It pulls 37 amps. It was the largest planer that I could get without going to 3-phase power. It does a fine job, but it costs a couple of thousand dollars more than the GO454Z.

Danny, y'know what's odd about that series of 20" planer like you got, it seems to me, is the wheel right where I would raise the boards to rest them on the top. Do you ever find it gets in the way ?

I'm used to working the planer from the right side. If I were to get that series of planer I think I'd have to re-position it and work it from the left side.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I've got lots to think about.

[Danny Hamsley]

Yonak,

You are right. Sometimes I hit the wheel when working from the right side. It is a little aggravating, but not a big problem as you learn to avoid it.

[Jim Andrew]

Danny, have you tried using the bit and sawblade cleaner that Grizzly sells on your cutterhead? I thought my cutters were getting dull, tried some cleaner on a spot, and found that using a toothbrush and scrubbing them a bit with the cleaner made them sharp again. It is the pitch in the wood that makes them seem dull.

[Jesse Busenitz]

I have the Grizzly G1033X and love it!!!! I had a little sticker shock, but got over it super quick! I plane a lot of rough lumber and just rotated the inserts for the first time, and I've had it for 4 years.... probably wasn't completely necessary but some wood would end up just a bit fuzzy nothing bad though.... good tip on the cleaner.

[glenn bradley]

Glenn, I don't understand where the cost savings is realized with inserts. The initial cost is $900 more, plus I don't see the savings in the long term, either. I appreciate Cary's observation about the inserts being carbide .. that's something I wasn't aware of .. but still, they can't be re-ground and must be replaced at a very high cost, after four re-mountings.

There are insert heads on the market that are taking advantage of folks excited about the idea of a spiral head but, still using HSS inserts so the extended life savings is moot. I would go through a set of knives (sharpen to extinction) about every 6 months or so. I ran the insert head for nearly two years before I rotated to the second edge. I have yet to rotate it again. My planer which is about 2 years newer is still on the first edge. There was a good write up on this in some magazine . . . ah, here you go: http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-...head-cost.aspx

Doh! Just realized Matt already shared the article.

[Danny Hamsley]

Jim,

I intend to clean the inserts on both my planers. I bet that will liven them up!