Help me choose between two planers

[robert cohen]

Well, I have found a local retailer which will sell and deliver a PM209HH (after $100 rebate) for $2599.

If I get a Grizzly G0454 for $1455 delivered with liftgate and add $975 for a Shelix , I will spend $2430. I willl also have to switch out the heads myself.

Am better off getting the PM, No?

[John Miliunas]

Just MHO, Robert but, owning a Shelix head on my jointer, I must say that it's the way to go. Now, having a regular cutter-head on my planer, I've looked into switching it out with a Shelix when funds allow. To that end, I've looked into the job it would be to do the switch. Yes, do-able but, not for the faint at heart! :rolleyes: Mind you, I have nothing against Grizz but, in this case, my "vote" goes for the PM with the Shelix all setup and ready to go for you. The difference in price is almost negligible. The only other deciding factor may be which vendor you'd be going through for the PM. If the vendor has positive Customer Service and the shipping (unless you're getting it locally) is comparable, go for it! :) :cool:

[robert cohen]

Do you get the famous "scallops" on your finished jointed wood?

[Frank Snyder]

Rob - Just how long are you going to dwell on this decision? :confused: You're wasting valuable woodworking time ;).

You can change out the head if you have a bearing puller and are mechanically inclined. I did mine a few months back and it wasn't terribly difficult (see http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=48501&page=2 ). Getting the gasket to properly seal the gearbox upon reassembly was the only tricky part.

There is no scalloping with my Byrd head. The consensus is that they've improved their tolerances since their earlier models. The benefits of the Byrd head are obvious in my opinion and worth the added expense.

Now go get one.

[Tom Cowie]

Hi Robert

I have the 15HH Powermatic with the Shelix head. Hope this helps to answer your question.

62042
62043

No scallops!!
I like using my woodworking tools not working on them so I bought this planer with the head installed.

Good luck

Tom

[Paul Johnstone]

Well, I have found a local retailer which will sell and deliver a PM209HH (after $100 rebate) for $2599.

If I get a Grizzly G0454 for $1455 delivered with liftgate and add $975 for a Shelix , I will spend $2430. I willl also have to switch out the heads myself.

Am better off getting the PM, No?

For me, it would be worth the extra money to get the PM with the shelix already installed.

I guess I'm a brand snob, but I'd get the powermatic over the grizz even if the grizz had the head already installed. No offense to people that love grizzley. I'm just a snob, as I said.

[Rob Will]

I have a 24" Byrd head in a PM 225. Yes, it makes a slight scalloped pattern in the planed surface. I find this most noticeable in a fine textured wood like cherry - especially if you hold it up to the light and look at the reflection from the surface.

Is this a problem? Not really. A sander or cabinet scraper seems to erase the problem.

Do I like the Byrd head? I think so. It does a good job on grain reversals and is dead quiet compared to those howling straight blade machines.

I think the PM will have slightly better eye appeal and resale value than the Grizz but let's face it, both are imports.

Rob

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Hi Robert,

I did two things yesterday - one cost me nothing and one depleted the piggy bank. I registered for this site and this is my first post and I hope it gets in OK.

The other was I bought the Shelix 20" head. I had checked the Grizzly site and it said they were having a "sale" on all Shelix heads. I had seen it some time back but wasn't ready yet and was afraid I might not get it but the order went through OK for $850.

I have looked and looked at various posts about the Shelix and some have the scallops and some don't, but everyone who does says just a touch of sanding takes them out. And my thinking is that everything that comes off a planer should get sanded anyway, especially something that gets a stain. A real slick finish can give blotchy staining and especially if the knives are somewhat dull they could beat down the top layer of wood fibers and make stain take unevenly. I don't have evidence to support this other than some problems staining boards straight from a lumberyard with no sanding. Maybe I think too much :).

I looked at Grizzly's head but decided to go with the Shelix as the inserts are angled and shear the wood. To my way of thinking the Grizzly inserts are at 90 degrees and would act like little knives. Not tearout like the big knives but who knows?

A friend and I are setting up a wood operation and will be planing a good bit of eastern red-cedar (probably about 1000 ft at a time) and I'm hoping it will help with tearout around knots.

Hope this helps and good luck with the planer - whatever you get.

Richard

[Roy Wall]

Welcome Richard!!

Robert - I agree with your logic on getting the PM due to the cutter head install.