Recommedation 15 surface planer

[williamg smithdvm]

Greetings just new to this post. I looked for any previous post showing recommendations for 15 " planers with Byrd helical head cutter. I make period furniture using mostly hard adn figured woods as primary and poplar pine birch for secondary. Not commerciaol by any means but with lkarge family made many beds, dressers, etc mostly quenn anne style. I go through portable "lunch box 13 " planers quickly and I need something with more power.

I sure would love to buy US made. The only option seems to be the Woodmaster 712 or 718.

I have heard some real negative things about the Powermatic 15" HH unit mostyl because its a asian rim made Powermatic product. Jey ??, Oliver ???

I had it with Delta, I too am still waiting for a rebate and the `13" plane rI purchased could not get replacement parts, I am talking drive belt and
housing.

So any recommendations. Sure would love a nice hefty flat base, mobile, and built to least a spell.

[Bruce Wrenn]

The four post 15" planers are pretty much generic. The two basic choices are top, or base mounted motor. All morphed from the Rockwell / Delta 13" planer (RC-33) of many years ago. Grizzly gets great reviews. I only own a Grizzly jointer. My planer is a Delta made in either Brazil or Tiawan.

[Robert Chapman]

I have a 15" Powermatic with the Byrd helical cutter and have had no problems with it. I guess I have been using it for four or five years. I work with a lot of birdseye and curley maple and have no problems with tear out.

[David Kumm]

There have never been any US 15" planers to my knowledge. The General 14" was probably the best made small planer ever. The old PM 100 was a good machine too. An older 13" RC 33, PM 100 or similar can be retrofitted with Byrd as well. The Woodmaster is a fine molder but the design makes compromises to allow for the knives so it isn't a great planer unless they have come up with a model specifically for that purpose. Dave

[Dave Cav]

I sure would love to buy US made. The only option seems to be the Woodmaster 712 or 718.


Your other alternative would be to buy an Old Iron planer and retrofit it. An old PM 160 or 180 would work fine and if it's rebuilt and taken care of it will outlive you. I have a 70s vintage PM 180 with a Byrd head and I am very happy with it. Of course if you went in this direction you would also have to come hang out at the OWWM dot ORG website as well.

I had a Grizzly 15" with a Grizzly helical head for a couple of years before I got the PM. It worked fine and I had no significant problems with it. I retrofitted the carbide head myself and it's easy to work on. As others pointed out, all of the four post planers are pretty generic and based on a classic design originated by Delta many years ago. While I really favor old iron, I also have an 8" helical head Grizzly jointer and two Grizzly bandsaws, a 14" and a 17" I use for resaw work. They work fine for me.

[Gary Herrmann]

Agree. If you want US made, look at vintage machines. I've got a General 130 and love it.

[williamg smithdvm]

I am now thinking about the Grizzzly G0453X ( $ 1,450) with spiral cutterhead and the Powermatic 1791213 for $ 2,460 through local vendor.

As an alternative and maybe a "better machine" than the Grizzly is Jet. They have a 15" planer with quick changing knives that may be an option as well. That unit osts $ 1,949.0). Changing knives always seesm to eb a hasle and this may be a good choice.

So ..........................

[Cary Falk]

Jet is not any better of a machine and you can't get much better CS than Grizzly. Straight knives will be noisy. Go with a carbide insert head. I have the G0453z and am happy with it. I have many Grizzly tools and a couple of Jet tools.

[glenn bradley]

I too was drawn to the spiral head for a planer after going spiral on my jointer and see the greatly reduced tearout on highly figured or reversing figure woods. I went with the Grizzly G0453Z as it was on sale at the time I was looking. I run it on a nearly daily basis and have done so since August 2010. Watch your hours when new and change your oil as directed. After that it is just a worker. I did remove the foam baffle that detracts from dust collection for whatever reason. Beyond that I haven't done anything but wax the tables and use it. I did have to run ducting from my more powerful DC as the smaller unit in that area would not keep up.

[williamg smithdvm]

Thank you, seem many are recommending the Grizzly GO453Z. Many positive comments about Grizzly's customer support as well. Do not know why my local tool vendor, Burns in Fall River, trashes Grizzly so. Delta's customer service is virtually non existent to so I am finished with that brand for a while.

[Matt Day]

Trashing the competition's product is a pretty common practice, but normally I think of used car salesman types doing that. Too bad a woodworking store is stooping that low - likely it's because of ignorance, jealousy, or doing everything possible to make a sale. I just got a used 15" Jet planet, but if I was buying new it would have been the Grizzly. Good luck!

[Stephen Cherry]

I vote for a 15" Taiwanese planer from craigslist (they pop up occaisionally for 300-600 bucks), with a bird head from the grizzler (they're on sale)

http://www.grizzly.com/products/15-Shelix-Cutterhead/H7768

[Jim Foster]

I have the Powermatic 15" with the Byrd-Shellix head and it's very nice. No tearout. Dust collection could be better (4" exhaust, but 5" would be better). I tried a Grizzly machine (8" jointer) many years ago, sent it back when I got it for several reasons, but a lot of their new machines look well made and look like they are a good value. If it's possible to see and look over any of the machines you are considering, I think the choice would get easier and you would not be risking buyers remorse.

[Jim Andrew]

I have a Grizzly 453z to be delivered tomarrow. Watched Craigslist for months, no luck. A neighbor has one and it really does well. I already have a woodmaster 18", it is just a bit slow. Can't figure why the Grizzly planes so much faster, but it does.

[Danny Hamsley]

The GO453Z is a proven performer. The quality of the cut on mine is superb.

[williamg smithdvm]

Thank you all for your comments. The Grizzly 453Z it is !

Say, I was on Knots forum for a while then got busy and not on for a long while. Went their to ask about the planer and it was sort of a ghost town.

This forum is very good and well desigend and popular.

I certainly look forward to some great advice and recommendations here :)

Best and Happy Holidays to all!!