Grizzly dc port design 15" planer

[scott vroom]

When my G0453Z 15" planer arrived I discovered the 4" dust port comes out straight over the front of the outfeed table. When I attach my flexible hose it slumps over the center of the outfeed table making it impossible to run stock through without someone or something support the hose above the table. Just a really poor design IMO. Here's the kicker: The owner's manual that came with my machine shows a headstock breakdown on page 49, including a dust port that clearly angles 45 degrees off center, which would allow the DC hose to fall off to the side of the outfeed table. This is the proper design and is similar to what Jet provides on their 15" planer. I called Grizzly tech support and they could not explain why the manual shows a 45 degree angled port while my machine arrived with a straight port.

I'm heading up to my local Woodcraft store tomorrow to look for a 45 elbo that I can use to get the DC hose out of the way.

[James Baker SD]

most of the 4 post 15" Taiwanese planers seem very, very similar. Maybe you could get a 45 degree dust port as a replacement part from Jet or Powermatic. I think PM wants about $45 for theirs.

James

[Brian Kincaid]

Better yet cut and enlarge it to 5" or so while you're at it. I'll be doing that with mine (same planer).

Brian

[James Baker SD]

Brian's idea is better than mine.

James

[Dan Friedrichs]

A 4" sch40 PVC ell would be a lot cheaper.

I know your frustration, though - the venerable DW735 also has a port that goes straight out the back. I often catch the hose on a board.

[scott vroom]

Better yet cut and enlarge it to 5" or so while you're at it. I'll be doing that with mine (same planer).

Brian

What's the advantage of enlarging the hole to 5"? My DC hose is 4".

I'll probably go with the 45 elbo fix from Woodcraft - still, it will cost me 15 dollars plus my time, and will be a kluge fix.

[Brian Kincaid]

What's the advantage of enlarging the hole to 5"? My DC hose is 4"....

None if your DC hose is 4". My flex hose/drops are 5" which is a good size to maintain cfm for hobby shop DCs (ala Oneida, bill pentz cfm spreadsheet...). Looking back it was probably a knee-jerk recommendation because I will be doing it to my planer hood; not taking into account your collection system.

Sorry for the confusion.
-Brian

[Van Huskey]

Most of the 15" gereric four post planers have that issue. Powermatic and Jet fixed it the rest haven't bothered. In the end dust collection is THE weak point of traditional North American machines. Sawstop and Powermatic started with the table saw and it is trickling down hopefully it will spread to the rest of the machines. The 15 & 20 inch planers need a better designed 5 or 6" port for example.

[Lance Norris]

Gosh... a simple string hanging from the ceiling, tied around the hose, fixed the problem for me...

[scott vroom]

Gosh... a simple string hanging from the ceiling, tied around the hose, fixed the problem for me...

That would work if the planer was stationary. I move mine around my small shop.

[Paul McGaha]

It would also be nice to have an option as to is the angle to the left or the right.

I have a Powermatic 15 HH that is built similar to Scott's Grizzly. It comes with a transition piece that if you were standing behind the planer the dust collection port it angles off to your right (only).

It would have worked better for my dust collection lay out if it had angled off to the left. I had to add a 90 degree elbow at the planer to get the dust collection outlet heading toward the left side of the planer.

PHM

[Shiraz Balolia]

Shiraz, fair enough. One solution would be for Grizzly to offer an angled dust port as an after market option in the catelog. I'd prefer spending a few extra bucks on an elegant solution rather than taking the time to piece together a kluge solution using an elbow and coupling between the port and the quick release hose adapter. Looks to me like a simple after market install.

That's a good suggestion and I will work on that. Hopefully it will be in the 2011 catalog.

[Van Huskey]

I'd prefer spending a few extra bucks on an elegant solution rather than taking the time to piece together a kluge solution using an elbow and coupling between the port and the quick release hose adapter. Looks to me like a simple after market install.

Not 100% sure but if I am reading the parts manual/pricing correctly the Jet seems available for a little over $15 plus shipping, didn't follow through the check out so can't say if the shipping is stupid or not.

[Dave Lehnert]

Well.........If someone asked me I think we would not have near the tools available to us, from any manufacture, if it were not for Grizzly.
I think the fact you see other manufactures making improvements is in response to Grizzly taking the market. I was told by a local dealer (True? I have no idea) That Grizzly sells more tools than all the others combined. Jet/ Powermatic had the corner on wood lathes.

[Van Huskey]

Well.........If someone asked me I think we would not have near the tools available to us, from any manufacture, if it were not for Grizzly.
I think the fact you see other manufactures making improvements is in response to Grizzly taking the market. I was told by a local dealer (True? I have no idea) That Grizzly sells more tools than all the others combined. Jet/ Powermatic had the corner on wood lathes.

I would ABSOLUTELY agree wth that and said as much. Jet then Grizzly innovated going to Asia to bring tools in at a price point more people could afford. Grizzly continued to increase quality and the pressure forced the hand of the "premium" brands, given they could not live on reputation nor made in America forever and probably could not compete on price and keep their dealer network they did the only thing they could to attempt to justify their pricing and that was to include innovation. Classic examples of this are the PM2000 and the new Uni.

I have great respect and appreciation for what Jet and Grizzly have done for the woodworking hobby and we see lots of benefits from both of them throughout the market.