"Planer Pal' Worth the price?

[Martin Lutz]

I thought I would explore the vast knowledge of the Creek for some assistance. I have a 25" planer that I need to replace the knives on. The jig that came with it is barely worth the energy to throw away. I was wondering what experience anyone has with "Planer Pal" and are they worth the $$$ ($150 for two)? Do I need three for that length of knife? Is there a better way? As always -- Any and all help is appreciated.

[Sam Chambers]

Martin:

My planer is half as big as yours (12"), and I use the smaller Planer Pals. They work very well, and let me change my knives in just a few minutes, with very good results. I can only hope the larger version will work as well for you.

[Byron Trantham]

Martin,
I have used the planer pal and I liked it. I would think that two would be enough. The blades are rigid should not require any more support than two would offer. Good luck.

[Steve Clardy]

I'm currently on my third planer, a grizzly 20". The tool that comes with it works A-ok.
What 25" planer do you have? Woodmaster?

[Martin Lutz]

Thanks to all for your replies. Yes, I have a Woodmaster Planer. Like I mentioned before the knife setting jig has a lot to be desired. Very frustrating. The planer itself has mostly served me well. I am not sure how free I can be with vendor specific info. but if you like I will expand. Steve, were all three Griz planers? Either you plane a lot or ????

[Tom LaRussa]

I thought I would explore the vast knowledge of the Creek for some assistance. I have a 25" planer that I need to replace the knives on. The jig that came with it is barely worth the energy to throw away. I was wondering what experience anyone has with "Planer Pal" and are they worth the $$$ ($150 for two)? Do I need three for that length of knife? Is there a better way? As always -- Any and all help is appreciated.
Martin,

This is JMHO, but if I ever had a planer that mongo-huge I would think very seriously about the Dispoz-A-Blade system.

[Martin Lutz]

Tom, I looked up Dispoz-a-Blade. Interesting system. Do you use them?

[Steve Clardy]

Thanks to all for your replies. Yes, I have a Woodmaster Planer. Like I mentioned before the knife setting jig has a lot to be desired. Very frustrating. The planer itself has mostly served me well. I am not sure how free I can be with vendor specific info. but if you like I will expand. Steve, were all three Griz planers? Either you plane a lot or ????
Thinking back my first was an old Parks planer. Came out of an sawmill. Had been rebuilt numerous times, needed it again. Had a lot of babbit bearings, flat belts, etc. I traded that one off. Then I got a 12" Belsaw, a very early version to the woodmasters produced now. I turned that one into a molder only, but don't use it much anymore.
Then I purchased the grizzley, mainly to be able to plane wider, glued up finished blanks. This one is my main planer.
Then I purchased, and still have, the 18" woodmaster, with planer, sander, and molder capitabilities. [So I guess I still have 3 planers. lol]
I turned the 18" woodmaster into a molder only, as I like the variable speed that the older belsaw doesn't have.
I have used the 18" woodmaster as a planer only once, and did find that the knife setting was a little frustrating, as it has jacks in the planer head to set the blade heighth, not springs like the grizzly.
So I understand your knife setting thing. To me, setting the planer blades on a woodmaster takes more time than I like to spend setting machines up. I'd rather spend my time using it, than working and setting them up.

The grizzley has two springs under where the knife sits, holding it up. After everything is in place, the knives and gibs, loose, just take the supplied griz setting bar, hold it over the knife, press the knife down till the setting bar contacts the planer head, holding it there, and then tighten up the gib screws. Easy for me, doesn't take hardly any time to set 4 knives.
I always thought I would retro my woodmaster to this spring system. I may if I ever get time to do it. I thought I'd remove the jacks, take them to a machine shop and have some holes drilled in them, or have some new ones made with a hole that would accept the same spring as a grizzly planer, then just use the griz bar to set them. But, not having to use the 18" as a planer, I'll probably never get that done.

Back to your planer pals, that would probably be a good purchase in your case, or retro yours with some springs?
Steve:)

[Martin Lutz]

Steve, Thanks for the great reply. I wish I could type faster. It would take me 20 minutes to say that much --- IF I could do it in twenty. I dont think i am ready to retro my machine but it is a good idea for the future.

[Gary Max]

I own a Woodmster 718 and do not understand. On a bad day it takes 30 minutes to change a set of Knives. I do this maybe twice a year---most of the time once a year. I had never heard of the "Planer Pal" system so I went to look at it. Looks like the same kind of jig to me---sits on head/ gauge rides on knife. My Woodmaster is 6 years old and I have never had any trouble with setting it up. I guess you could figure out a way to set them with a mic.

[Martin Lutz]

Gary, my problem with the jig is in the fact that the plastic it is made of is warped and will not maintain constant contact with the planer head. It came that way. I am not sure if attempting to modify the plastic to work would be worth my time. I also do not have a lot of confidence in a jig that flexes with just a little pressure. I think the Woodmaster is a good machine overall, it has served me well, but it is only as good as I can set the knives. Is your set up jig also plastic? Thanks for your reply.

[Gary Max]

Yes it is plastic. If yours is warped it aint going to work. I bet the jig they sell at Woodmaser cost alot less than $150.00. They are real nice folks to work with and have always been very helpful ---call them up and ask for Mark. Sorry I do not know his last name. Did you buy your machine off them new??

[Martin Lutz]

Gary, I bought it new about the same time you bought yours. Woodmaster was very easy to work with as I had some problems initially. They corrected them quickly. I'll contact them about the jig, thanks for the suggestion. It is good to know that someone has success with it. It may save me some $$ also :) .

[Tom LaRussa]

Tom, I looked up Dispoz-a-Blade. Interesting system. Do you use them?
Martin,

Nope. Never used them. Might some day if I ever get a really big jointer. My planer is only a 12.5 incher, so it comes with disposable blades by default.