20 vs 15 planer

[Phillip Gregory]

If you are buying a typical Asian four-post 20" planer vs. a typical Asian four-post 15" planer, the larger machine is about a third more expensive and a third larger/heavier. Going from a 20" four-post to a 24"+ unit is a BIG step us as the larger units are wedge-bed units and while significantly better, are vastly more expensive. I'd personally stick with either a 15" or a 20" depending on your personal preference as a 15" four-post unit is a BIG step up from a "portable" 12-13" unit. I have a 15"er and haven't had something too wide to run through it as I rarely run glue-ups through it and in my experience, a board much wider than about 8" wide has excessive cupping to try to flatten. I usually rip, face joint, plane, and then glue back together. If you thickness plane and joint all of your stock before glue-up, you can make wide glue-ups that are pretty flat and don't require much beyond a kiss with a block plane and a little sanding. I did that on a 36" wide glue-up recently. I also don't try to run multiple pieces through a planer at one time, at 30 fpm it doesn't take long to plane a piece of stock and if you are working that fast, jump above the 15"/20" four post models to a wedge bed, or better yet, a giant Buss or something of that ilk.

Now I would recommend a much wider drum or wide belt sander as that *would* be handy to run glue-ups through.

[Neil Gaskin]

We have powermatic 15hh. I wish I’d have bought the 20. Only because I’d like to be able to run more narrow boards at once. Otherwise the 15 handles almost everything I’d like to run.

[Ed Gibbons]

Thanks for the feedback. I’ve decided on the Grizzly 15” with a helical cutter. The 20” is heavier than I want to handle.

[Keith Hankins]

Post a review and pics.

[Ed Gibbons]

Will do but will have to wait. Currently Grizzly is out of stock.

[eugene thomas]

Save some money and buy straight knive planer and helix head sepertly. Only takes few hours to change out.

[Alan Lightstone]

There are times when I want to plane a panel that I've glued up from boards that I was able to joint on my jointer.

Mike

+1

Blah, blah, blah. Fill up the minimum # of words.

[Chris Hachet]

Will do but will have to wait. Currently Grizzly is out of stock.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Almost 3 years alter they are short on stock on planers.

[Rod Sheridan]

Is a 20” planer worth the extra money over. 15”?

Sure, if you have a 20 inch jointer to go with it.....Rod

[Rod Sheridan]

There are times when I want to plane a panel that I've glued up from boards that I was able to joint on my jointer.

Mike

I agree Mike however normally my glue ups don't require more than a card scraper.

To me being able to true up the material is the most important step.......Rod.

[eugene thomas]

so guess if only have 8" jointer better find 8" planer?

[Alex Zeller]

I went with a 20" planer simply because I wanted to be able to feed more than one board at a time. Often I'll stagger them so one board comes out and I feed the next one in and then the next board is coming out. That being said it's heavy and quite large. It's also why I went with a 4 post planer vs an older Powermatic. If you have to move tolls around your shop a 20" planer is going to be that much harder than a 15" planer.

[johnny means]

It is if you have a 20 inch jointer, otherwise buy a planer the same width as your jointer.........Regards, Rod.

It's standard practice to joint, glue up, then plane to finished thickness. I could probably do 95% of my jointing with a 8" machine and none of my planing with a similar sized machine.

[Rich Aldrich]

I went with a 20" because I tripped over a good deal and that's what I was looking for. I use it for multiple boards at at time because I have access to skip planed and rough cut hardwood at work. Also, I leave panels thick and plane to final if they fit through the planer. I might not be as good as other woodworkers, so that's what I do to get the job done.

I think how the lumber is kiln dried is a lot of the issue. We make sure the lumber goes through a stress relief cycle ( over dry and remoisturize) before drying the lumber to final moisture content. The lumber does stay how you machine it.

Lumber that isn't stress relieved pinches back together after the blade on the table saw. It definitely takes more energy to dry lumber this way, but our boiler fuel is sawdust and waste, so the fuel portion is free - actually a way to get rid of waste that would otherwise be a cost.

[Joe Albrecht]

Hi I know this thread is kind of old, but I'm wondering this question. Looking at used planers. I can get a newer 15" Grizzly with helical head for $2400, a PM Model 15 with shelix head for $2200, or a Grizzly 20" straight knives for $2200. I realize this is based on what I do, but being a new hobby of mine, is it better to have the extra 5" capacity or higher quality cuts from the 15" since I may rarely go beyond that size? I appreciate help deciding. (Or maybe you would advise saving up and getting a 20" with helical head).