Used Powermatic Model 15 + Byrd head or new Grizzly G0453PX?

[Tom Matthews]

There's a Powermatic Model 15 planer near me for sale for $500. It's an older machine judging photos, but it looks to be in good condition. A Shelix head runs about $800, so I'd have $1300 in it, plus my time going to get it and swapping out the cutterhead. I figure my haggling power with the seller is going to be pretty minimal, because if I'm driving out there to take a look at it, I'm bringing the trailer so I don't have to make two trips.

Or, I can get a new Grizzly G0453PX for $1620 to my door.

I understand those planers are all basically the same design and it sounds like swapping the cutterhead isn't exactly a simple job.

I don't particularly need a planer right now (I have an old Grizzly four post planer with the motor mounted on top - it's a bit underpowered), but the Powermatic seems like a pretty good deal and is hard to pass up.

What do you guys think? Go with an older planer (with Powermatic quality) or just buy a new Grizzly?

[John A langley]

Tom. It sounds like you use John Langley's compemsery cash flow system, which basically is: I'm interested in buying a 15" used planer and spending some money to fix it up. And now I get to thinking there is a new one out there for $1600. Gee I just saved $1300 so I can afford the $1600 one. However to answer your question, if you want something to tinker with, buy the used one. If your old one is wearing out, has it been a good machine for you? Buy the Grizzley. If you are going to replace your old planer, why not upgrade and go to a 20"?

[Cary Falk]

When I was looking for planers, I was looking on CL. Financially it did not make since to buy used and put a byrd head in it. For a few hundred more I could get a warrenty and the head installed. I have the G0453Z and am happy. If you have some time the Grizzly might go on sale to close the gap. The PM is more than likely built in the same factory as the Grizzly. PM is not what it was in a bad way and Grizzly is not what it was in a good way.

[david brum]

Man, that's a tough one. If you're very mechanical, it's not that hard to change the cutter head. It is a hassle though, especially since you never know what might be stuck or worn out on an older machine, thereby making it into an even bigger hassle. Then you have to adjust and align everything. You also don't get a warranty with a used machine. I'm pretty sure I'd lean toward the new Grizzly. The 15" planer seems to be one of their machines that everybody raves about and they have the production bugs worked out on.

BTW, is your old Grizzly a 15"? If so, you could always upgrade it. A spiral head uses less power, for sure.

[Tom Matthews]

My current planer is a Grizzly G1021, I thought about upgrading it (and heard the spiral cutterheads require less power), but the motor still concerns me. It seems like in every planing session, I typically stall it once or twice (even taking light passes), so I'm concerned that even with the spiral cutterhead, the motor may still be underpowered (I believe it's a 2HP motor).

Other than the power, I've been pretty happy with the Grizzly planer. I have a Grizzly bandsaw that's been great, so I have no question about their quality.

20 inch planer crossed my mind, but that's a significant increase in cost and I'm not sure how much I'd benefit from it.

[Rod Sheridan]

My understanding of insert heads was they used more power, not less.

This seems to be the comment in the latest FWW magazine, and supports the decision by Jet to lower the planer feed speed on their combo machine with insert head.

If you're planer is struggling with 2 HP now, unless you limit the feed speed or depth of cut, it will only get worse.

Regards, Rod.

[Bob Feeser]

My understanding of insert heads was they used more power, not less.

This seems to be the comment in the latest FWW magazine, and supports the decision by Jet to lower the planer feed speed on their combo machine with insert head.

If you're planer is struggling with 2 HP now, unless you limit the feed speed or depth of cut, it will only get worse.

Regards, Rod.

So that is what it is. I am sending back a Shop Fox 15" 3hp planer that arrived defective, and tomorrow the replacement upgrade to the 20" Shop Fox 5hp is arriving. I noticed in the owners manual that the 5hp has two speeds but only 16 fpm and 20 fpm, but the 15" that comes in only one version without the spiral head option has two speeds 16 and 30 instead. I was wondering why they would only have 16 and 20 in the 20" which does have the spiral option. So that is the answer. Thanks for the tip.

[david brum]

My current planer is a Grizzly G1021, I thought about upgrading it (and heard the spiral cutterheads require less power), but the motor still concerns me. It seems like in every planing session, I typically stall it once or twice (even taking light passes), so I'm concerned that even with the spiral cutterhead, the motor may still be underpowered (I believe it's a 2HP motor).

Hmm, I wonder if there's an easy fix for your old planer. I have a similar, generic Taiwanese 15" planer from the '80s. It also has a 2hp motor, which overheated and stalled when I first got it (used). It turned out that the motor bearings were dried out and the drive belts were misaligned. After I fixed those issues, it's been great, even after replacing the standard cutterhead with a Byrd. I think the motor bearings were $20.

[Ron Bontz]

It is my understanding that an insert cutter head requires more power as well. It makes sense since the head is always in contact with the wood. Anyway, I have both the shop fox 15" spiral and the PM15HH sitting in my shop. Right now I would have to say the shop fox leaves just as good a finish. But either one of them does well and what is left is easily sanded out. Quite honestly if I had the room I would keep both. Knowing the Griz is the same machine basically as the Shop Fox would tend to sway me toward the Griz. New machine, new warranty. Old machine + $800.00 no guarantees.

[David Kumm]

Bob, the feed speeds of 16 or 30, vs 16 or 20 had nothing to do with the spiral head availability. Most asian 15" planers are all copies of old Delta designs and all but the original delta seemed to have the 16-30 choice rather than Delta's 16-20. Don't know why but they were almost all that way. I think the biggest difference is just where manufactured. If you were really looking at used you should jump to the PM 160 or 180 which were much heavier machines. Those machines with a byrd head are heads above- bad pun. All 15" asian planers are basically the same so it really doesn't pay to compare them unless you know the quality control within the factory or have faith in the customer support of the company. The old PM 100, General 14, or Rockwell RC 33 were the pick of the small planers. General being first. Dave

[Rick Fisher]

I think the "more power vs less power" argument is subjective..

If your comparing fresh HSS knives in a planer, its likely true.. but when I had a straight knife planer, I hated changing the knives and they where dull more than sharp. I think the power requirements for dull straight knives would be more realistic to compare.

[David Kumm]

I replaced my straight knife head with a byrd on my 2 hp DC 33 and while I get a great surface I also believe the head requires a little more power. Not a deal breaker. Hard to really judge. A straight knife head is only cutting a small % of the time it is spinning while a byrd head is cutting a little the entire time it is spinning. Would not worry about the difference. Dave