Please look at this planer an provide opinion of quality vs the GOO453 I have now.

[Larry Rasmussen]

I want to finalize my more compact hobby set up. That said I have been using the 15" grizzly planer with a shelix head installed and it is the heart of my small shop. No jointer but I use a sled with the planer to good effect for some jointer functions. No large sander but the shelix gets me close enough to jump to a hand held orbital without hardship.

I really miss having a fixed height table. Has anyone used a planer set up like the one below with the motor above the table? The picture is of a Sunhill but I noticed that Jet has a new 16" model set up just like it. I think this is a common old school design. I would even go back to a 12" if I could find one that a shelix would fit that did not roar like a jet engine when in use. I assume it's those little motors they all use.

1. Any inherent problem with the design below? Is is louder?

2. Other 12 to 15 inch fixed table designs I may have missed that are shelix compatible?

3. Am I right in thinking its the motors on the 12" planers that account for quite a bit of the noise, then the cutter striking the wood after that?

Thanks for any help or comment,
Larry Rasmussen
Seattle

http://sunhillmachinery.com/PlanerCT382A.jpg

[Larry Edgerton]

The planer pictured has a piece of hardboard, at least on the one I owned that directs chips out the shute to the DC, and it is adjustable. The closer it is to the knives the less chips that recirculate causing those little divets in the stock, but....

The closer that you adjust it to the head the more noise it makes. The noise is actually air compressing and decompressing as the cutterhead is turned. If you have a good size DC you can back off that plate a little with no ill effect and reduce the noise.

I had one of those before I bought my SCMI, it was a noisy bugger. Not to gloat, but you can have a normal conversation while my new planer is planing, standing right next to it. It is 78db at idle, and does not go up that much when planing as long as the knives are sharp.

If you are going to buy another machine maybe look into the MiniMax combination planer/jointer? The Euro machines have noise suppression designed in. I can't swear to it because it was a salesman talking but he claimed that the Tersa head that I have on my planer is quieter than the other options. That may be so as there is very little to catch air in this design.

[george wilson]

I would stay with the Grizzly. I am tired out,but can't see why you want to change. Your spiral head is quiter. I prefer the table to raise. If it slips,the stock is cut thicker,not thinner !!

[Joe Chritz]

The planer you have is a good one and unless there is some compelling reason to change I wouldn't. You have a small shop so a change to a planer/jointer combo may make sense. You would likely loose a couple inches of width for the planer but gain 12" of jointer.

Personally I have never found a moving bed on a planer to be an issue.

Joe

[Larry Rasmussen]

Thanks for all three replies, each supports the reason I purchased the Grizzly vs the Sunhill in the first place. The currrent noise level is very good I think, I just didn't want to accidentally go to something louder in order to get a fixed height table. I went down to Sunhill and looked at the other planer before I bought the Griz but it was too much of an unknown.

I do have a history of having a fixed height table in two other planers, two other garage shops and I just like the set up. I was looking through the woodcraft catalogue and came across the Jet machine below, prompting me to ask about this fixed table set up.

Combo machine? A jointer would be nice. Jury is out.

Any other comments from users of a 12-15 inch fixed table height planer? I am especially wanting to avoid getting anything louder than my current Grizzley 453 so no lunch box styles. As it stands now the best chance of not doing anything stupid is to keep what I have but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I had to cut and paste the address to get to the picture of the Jet Planer. $1,600 by the way. Not sure why, has regular knife set up, no spiral.

Regards,
Larry Rasmussen
Seattle

www.woodcraft.com/EnhancedImage.aspx?ProductString=825638.jpg&NameCode=825638 (http://www.woodcraft.com/EnhancedImage.aspx?ProductString=825638.jpg&NameCode=825638)

[Curt Harms]

You're in the Seattle area. Have you had any dealing with Neal at Equipment Sales & Surplus? I bought my Jet Combo thru them and had it drop shipped from Nashville. Not much more money than you're talking and I got a 12" jointer as a nice bonus:D. The downside for Jet is that they don't yet offer a combo with a helical head. Never having had a helical head machine I don't miss it. There is rumor of a helical head machine the first part of 2009.

HTH

Curt


Thanks for all three replies, each supports the reason I purchased the Grizzly vs the Sunhill in the first place. The currrent noise level is very good I think, I just didn't want to accidentally go to something louder in order to get a fixed height table. I went down to Sunhill and looked at the other planer before I bought the Griz but it was too much of an unknown.

I do have a history of having a fixed height table in two other planers, two other garage shops and I just like the set up. I was looking through the woodcraft catalogue and came across the Jet machine below, prompting me to ask about this fixed table set up.

Combo machine? A jointer would be nice. Jury is out.

Any other comments from users of a 12-15 inch fixed table height planer? I am especially wanting to avoid getting anything louder than my current Grizzley 453 so no lunch box styles. As it stands now the best chance of not doing anything stupid is to keep what I have but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I had to cut and paste the address to get to the picture of the Jet Planer. $1,600 by the way. Not sure why, has regular knife set up, no spiral.

Regards,
Larry Rasmussen
Seattle

www.woodcraft.com/EnhancedImage.aspx?ProductString=825638.jpg&NameCode=825638 (http://www.woodcraft.com/EnhancedImage.aspx?ProductString=825638.jpg&NameCode=825638)

[Larry Rasmussen]

But I will check out the connection you posted next time I'm doing anything. I was more curious about fixed table planers and Sunhill, just South of town has a fixed table model that got me thinking about it. That's the picture that is posted in my initial entry. I was hoping someone would have recent use. At least I know to look for the masonite chip diverter if I go back to check it out per an earlier post. Sunhill was offering to put a head in it for me when I was down there, it's been 18mos or so though.

The Jet I just happened to run into following an email ad to Woodcraft. Looks like same set up and motor, really close except infeed and outfeed tables. I bought one of their floorstanding mortisers for $380 delivered after rebates. Lists for 1K + and was selling on Amazon last check for $888. Funny thing is I think the Grizzly fit and finish is better than that mortiser. I don't usually generalize about a company too much but it creates a real hassel when you have to check out each model to see if it is one of the "good ones" and then go to the end of the earth for a discount. Had never heard of Equipment Sales & Surplus, maybe Neal can be my secret Santa next tool buy.

Thanks,
Larry Rasmussen

who would still appreciate any info regarding quality of a fixed table planerbin the style I posted the link to or any other between 12 and 15 inches, shelix swap friendly and not loud like the lunch box style.