newbie buying a planer

[Steven Lavergne]

Looking at a Delta 15" (22-790X) $1300
and a Grizzly 20" (G0454) $1500.
Recommendations? Thanks

[Cary Falk]

If you have the roome I would definitely get the 20" for teh extra $200. If you decide to eventually put a spiral cutter head in it the 20" will be more expensive. The Delta is overpriced. You can get the 15" Grizzly with a spiral head for almost the same cost. It has cast iron infeed/outfeed tables which I like better than rollers. Some people complained about the motor on top design of the Delta making it hard to get to the knives. I don't have any of the planers listed. The 15" Grizzly is on my short list.

[Rod Sheridan]

A friend of mine has the General International 30-115 which is similar to the Grizzly and Delta 15 inch machines.

The GI does have solid cast iron table extensions, which is a desirable feature, as opposed to rollers.

The planer works well, it does have the motor on top which I didn't find to be an issue when I changed the knives in it for him. (He's not very mechanically inclined).

I've gone from a General planer to a 12" Hammer A3-31, and I find that I don't need either a spiral head, or a wide planer since I don't plane glued up panels.

My jointer obviously is the same size as my planer, so I can finally joint wide material.

I don't own any Grizzly equipment as I live in Canada, however the General International equipment has often been recommended as having excellent quality control. I only own one GI piece of equipment, a 17" band saw and I've been pleased with it.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. The US promo flyer that shows the GI machine is linked below.

http://www.general.ca/images/frontpage/flyers/Promo%20fall%20winter%2009-10%20US.pdf

[Steven Lavergne]

Thanks Cary, Rod for sharing your experiences. I'm really exited to have found a forum with so many members with a vast amount of experience willing to help. I've learned more in the past two days in this forum than I have in months of bouncing around the web trying to find information.

[Fred Hargis]

I was choosing between the same choices about 6 years ago and I wound up with the Delta. The price difference was about the same then, but the extra weight of the Griz 20" dissuaded me...I was planning to move, and wasn't sure I could handle the 800#+ Griz. As it turns out I still haven't moved (within about 6 weeks, looks like) and now kinda wish I had went with the Griz, I guess I'm convinced it would be manageable. Bottom line, like someone else said, if you have the room, get the larger planer.

[GERALD HARGROVE]

I have the Grizzly, that is the way to go. Great tool and eats wood without missing a step. Even though it is heavy, the built in wheels makes it easy to move around.

[Ronald Mancini]

I have two Grizzly 15 inch planers. They do a great job for me. Grizzly tools need some TLC on initial setup, but they work hard for years. I don't think that you would have much use for the 20 inch planer unless your are figuring on planing glue-ups. The average sawmill quality 20" board has enough cup to prevent planing down to a clean 3/4 inch thickness. Instead you are better off sawing the board, planing, and doing a glue-up. Done correctly you won't see the glue-up and you will get a lot more usable wood.

[Harold Burrell]

Looking at a Delta 15" (22-790X) $1300
and a Grizzly 20" (G0454) $1500.
Recommendations? Thanks

I cast another vote for the Griz.