What Size/kind Planer?

tccoggs

5HP single phase 220 is a very common motor and is plenty of power for a 20 inch planer, unless your looking to remove 1/2 across the full width in one pass. I have a 5HP single phase Woodmaster 718 that has done lots of duty as both a planer and moulder with no lack of power.

The powermatic 180 18" and the 15" are commonly found in single phase applications. The 24 is another story, it will usually be either 3ph 7.5HP or even 10HP.

I don't recommend phase converters, they are expensive and not very effcient, you can typically replace the motor for less that installing a phase converter.

tommytwo

Don't know much about planers, but the Craftsman professional 20" is marked down from $2400 to $600 right now.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00921704000P

Looks like shipping is about $500 too.

WarnerConstInc.

Wow, thats pretty cheap, wonder if it worth a hill of beans?

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tccoggs

Its the same basic 20" design that the importers have been selling for 15 years. Nothing wrong with it assuming the motor is a halfway decent unit.

It compares to the Grizzly G0454 which goes for $1670 delivered.

Other companies that sell this design include Jet, Powermatic, and shopfox. They each add an item or 2 or paint it a different color, but they are all the same design. The only thing I never liked about this design was the chipbreaker springs are just pieces of spring steel, which tends to fatigue over time.

I'd be surprised to find that at a sears store but you never know. I got a steal on an enormous tool chest at sears when they changed from red to black. The department manager saw I was looking at a smaller chest that was like $350, he took me over to the huge one, its 2 pieces and is probably 6 ft wide and 6 feet tall. Regular price for both units would have been $1400, I got it for $350.

HitchC&L

Weve got a powermatic with a helical head...Ive never seen anything better, boards come raw out of our planer better than what alot of companies put of for a final product

I used a Makita contractor planer on a jobsite once, what an absolute joke that thing was, if your going to invest in a planer, make sure its a good shop machine, dont cheap out on it, if you buy the right one the first time, your not going to have to worry about it.

My vote is for a powermatic, most of our machines are powermatics, but you couldnt go wrong with an older delta

PA woodbutcher

Depends on what your looking for out of your planer. I drag mine to the jobsite a dozen times a year at least. I load it on the truck myself...can you do that?

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tccoggs

Powermatic 180, Baldor Motor with a helical head

THATS AMERICAN QUALITY

Leo G

15" is a minimum. 20" would be nice and 24" would be more than you would usually ever need. I am limited to building a (standard) 19" wide door if I want to glue up panels in one shot. I have a buddy that has a widebelt and I have been using it for all my panel needs. That is going to be my next purchase.

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WarnerConstInc.

Wide belts are sweet.

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