Still a toy

[tvrgeek]

I put a Lux head in my Jointer. Super pleased. It's a keeper. ( Ridgid 6 incher)
I picked up a 735 planer and dumped my old 12 inch lunchbox. Stuck a Byrd head in it. Just spent a few hours turning a pile of rough cut into workable stock. My conclusion is the DW is still a toy. It bogs down with the slightest cut. Tripped the breaker 3 times on 6 inch softwood boards only taking a 1/4 crank on the depth. Guess I need to get a "real" machine. 3 HP I guess. They call it a 13 inch planer, but I think of it more like a 2 inch. It does give a very nice cut.

 

[tvrgeek]

I gather the Jet is best in class. Sold out as usual for the better tools.

 

[bob vaughan]

Sharp HSS knives take far, far less power when cutting.
The Asian-made cast iron body 4-post machines, both new and used, would be a good bet for you to consider.
It takes me from 30 minutes to 40 minutes to swap out three 18" HSS knives once I've got my gadgetry together.

 

[Phil S]

Feel free to come over and try my Powermatic 15" planer.

 

[tvrgeek]

Feel free to come over and try my Powermatic 15" planer.

I should. PM me a good time. I am retired so anytime is good for me. I will bring a couple of the boards I just did as a great 1:1 comparison.

NO on the steel knives. Seems I nicked one every freaking time I ever used a planer and every other time on the jointer. Maybe if you can afford perfect stock.

 

[Phil S]

I was semi-retired but now fully back at it while the construction boom is crazy. This weekend I will be home on saturday after 3, all day Sunday and monday after 2.

I should. PM me a good time. I am retired so anytime is good for me. I will bring a couple of the boards I just did as a great 1:1 comparison.

NO on the steel knives. Seems I nicked one every freaking time I ever used a planer and every other time on the jointer. Maybe if you can afford perfect stock.
[/QUOTE

 

[tarheelz]

There is something wrong with your 735 or electrical system. 1/4 turn and it trips breaker? Nope. That's not how that works for anyone else - even those who have replaced the head.

 

[tvrgeek]

I'll put a meter on it. Could be more of a duty cycle issue.

 

[tvrgeek]

Pretty much confirmed it is duty cycle.
Confirmed, one crank is 1/16 dead on.
120V no load. 118V idling, 10.6A
Running the same board as it tripped last night ( 4 inch unknown softwood) 1/32 cut low feed rate, never exceeded 13.7A, 117V.
My 5 HP dust collector only dropped the line 1V.
I don't have any 12 wide hardwood to test loads with. Guess I'll glue up some scraps.

As I have about a dozen boards and many passes per board, I believe it is duty cycle. So, my conclusion remains. Still a toy. Not that it won't get the job done, but you can't feed one board, crank, and feed again for very long.

Some inconsistency in thickness, so configuring longer outfeed may be an advantage. All the boards that tripped were about 5 or 6 feet.
So, I will watch Craig's list and wait for new inventory to be back in stock. I guess I could run a new wire and put in a 30A branch for a 5 HP. Big bucks though. If a 3 HP is all I need, much better. A 110V universal motor is about 1 3/4 HP or so and not as much cooling as a big honking induction motor.

Phil, I would love to drop by. Saturday weather looks fantastic.

 

[Bill J]

I have a Jet 15" helical and love it. You're welcome to take a look at it. I'm in Chapel Hill and am semi retired too. Friday afternoon is a good time if you're free. But it does look like they are back-ordered.

 

[Rwe2156]

Sharp HSS knives take far, far less power when cutting.

True. So it could be motor load & overheating. Makes sense if you've never had an issue. Any universal motor is subject.

Grizzly also makes a good planer. Not familiar with current models, but my 20" is an exact clone of Jet and Powermatic my understanding is they are cast in the same factory. The only difference is roller, switch and motor. Its been used a lot for 20 years & its a beast. I would love to convert it to helical but $1000 = a ton of resharpening.

 

[bainin]

I'm not sure I follow all the details, but I run a DW735 using 1/4 turn steps without tripping breakers. I run shorter boards 3-4 ft, cherry, walnut, pine and poplar I havent changed the blades-so just using the
DW blades the unit came with.

The meter reading seems Ok (13.7A) but this is an average value. Its possible on initial contact with the board-the current spikes higher and the meter doesn't register that peak.

It might be enough to trip a 15A circuit but probably not a 20A dedicated though- which are you on?

Is the planer the only thing sitting on that circuit when this is happening ? If the planer is near 14A, that doesn't leave much headroom for any other tool to be used on that circuit at the same time.

b

 

[JimD]

My planner is a Ryobi AP-10. I believe it was the original lunch box planner. I have filled my 70 cubic foot collection box under my DC at least 4 times this year, mainly with planner shavings. Mainly I've been planning cherry but also did some poplar. When I am starting out on a 7-9 inch wide cherry board I often lower in 1/2 turn increments at first when the planner isn't really taking the full bite. How long I stay at 1/2 turn is a function of how sharp my knives are. With sharp knives I can take full passes at 1/2 turn. I don't think my planner takes even 1/16 off with a full turn, however. I think 1/2 turn is taking off less than 1/32.

Sometimes the 10 inch width limitation of this planner is an issue but the vast majority of the boards I find are less than 10 inches wide.

I don't think nicks in knives are the issue it is the overall sharpness. My knives are pretty easy to remove, sharpen, and replace. The planner came with plastic jigs for the sharpening which I have. I use my worksharp and it only takes a few minutes. The knives are bolted to a carrier and then bolted to the cutter head. The process aligns them pretty well simplifying the process .

When I bought this planner from a friend, he thought the planner did not work. The motor came on and it was trying to feed so I felt like I could get it to work. When I removed the knives I found them about as sharp as a butter knife. The feed rollers could not overcome the extreme dullness of the knives. I sharpened the blades up and the planner has continued to work fine. I got a replacement set but I don't think they are as good steel as the originals.

I think lunchbox planners are relatively slow to get material to final thickness and I have some variation in final thickness but not enough to affect my final results in the project. I have made a 10 drawer dresser and a dining room table and 10 chairs so far this year but my pace is pretty relaxed and I don't think my planner affects my ability to get things done. But if you are trying to do a lot more work and find a lunchbox too slow, or if it just bugs you, a more powerful planner may make sense. But I think the reasonable first step is to be sure the knives are sharp.

 

[tvrgeek]

It is the motor thermal breaker. Not the 20A branch.
It trips after several boards, about in the middle or later. So conclusion is duty cycle thermal overload.
It is well documented this is no 15A appliance, even with steel head. How UL and CSA allow a 15A plug I do not know.

I need to do one further test as the cheap thermal breakers in these things fatigue. It could be tripping at a bit low. I need to glue up some scrap oak into 10 wide to test max loading.

Summary of 15 inch 3 HP fixed bed planers. Number of bits is a little misleading as their size differs. Looks like only two basic sets of castings. Small differences in how they are executed. With the castings about the same, weight differences may be more in the base. They only need to be as smooth as a quick pass with 220 and 320 paper. Laguna only has a 5 HP and Delta only strait cutters. Harvey does not make one, It seems most companies are expecting availability in early September. So for now, just patience. Run a board or two, take a break.

Jet seems to be the newest design. If the fit and finish of the PM is still tops, then it is probably worth it. Unfortunately, at least in drill presses, it is not what it was. Oliver may be a best buy. Again, what we don't know is the quality of motors, bushings and bearings. There are no actual objective tests or even decent internal evaluations.

ShopFox W1874 $2274
48 bits 3/16, 6" min 48", 302 lbs
Lower motor, ribbed belt

Grizzly G1021X2 $2600
52 bits, 3/16, 6" min 48 bed
Lower motor, triple V belt

Oliver 10014 $2600
52 bits, 3/16, 6" min, 48" 401 Lbs
Lower motor, Built in Wixey DRO,

Jet JWP-15BHH $2750
48 bits, 3/16, 5 3/8 min49", 285 lbs
Lower motor, ribbed belt, Air strut cutter suspension ( just a piston to make cranking easier I think)

Rikon 23150-H $3324 ( with shipping)
72 bits ? x ? min 44" 492 Lbs
Top motor, triple V belt

Baileigh IP156-HH $3358
68 bits, 3/16, 6"min 48 bed, 448lbs
Lower motor, triple V belt,

Powermatic 15-HH $3500
78 bits, 3/16, 8" min, 48 bed, 502 Lbs
Lower motor, Built in casters, triple V belt

South Bend SB1108 $3545 ( wow, $900 to add a $60 DRO to a Grizzly!)
52 bits, 3/16, 6" min 509 Lbs
Lower motor, Triple v belt, DRO

 

[tvrgeek]

I have a Jet 15" helical and love it. You're welcome to take a look at it. I'm in Chapel Hill and am semi retired too. Friday afternoon is a good time if you're free. But it does look like they are back-ordered.

Bill, That would be great. PM me with time and place at your convenience. Favorite brew?

 

[Phil S]

Also look at Hammer. European quality

 

[tvrgeek]

Also look at Hammer. European quality

Only when I win the lottery. A3-31 would be really nice, but about $5500 to the door. Actually fair if one did not already have a jointer. Just more than I can swallow.

 

[Pop Golden]

For what it's worth, the casters that come on a PM 15 in. plane are worthless. They do not swivel. The only way you can turn a corner is to man haul the machine around. I tore those stupid casters out and replaced with a Grizzly HD Mobil base. Now everything is just fine.

Pop

 

[Rwe2156]

IMO the Oliver is probably the best value. The DRO is worth $100.

That said, I have two jet table saws, a Jet drill press and a Jet lathe. One thing I will say tech support is excellent (if you can get through LOL).

I just changed the 21 yr old arbor bearings in my cabinet saw.

 

[tvrgeek]

I just wish Oliver would fix their WEB. My security suite says it contains a trojan. It may, it may not but it needs to be resolved.