Looking for a planer: Any opinions re: HF 13" Industrial Planer?

[reddog552]

HF planer

Since I saw this thread I am verry interested in this machine. Being a previous owner of a Grizzly G1037Z planer moulder.I ran 15,000' or more of maple,cherry & oak through it. Infeed and out feed support were neded to control snipe.Once I learned to pick up a little on the boards at start and finish of my cut snipe was elliminated.Now Im curious,Im looking at the chance the HF machine will accept the Grizzly Moulder blades. I have looked at the specs for the cutter head on both machines. they seem to be compatible Both the lenth and whith of the head look to be the same??? Blade thickness is the same,blade adjustment and tighting system looks compatible. Any one have any info thoughts on this.

[Frank Ivy]

Just to update the thread - I ordered the planer some time ago, but it has been backordered until the end of April.

Chinatown did not do a good job of telling me this - I had to call to find out.

So unfortunate first step. Hopefully the next step will be better.

[Frank Ivy]

Update

Sorry to take so long to get back to this.
Got the planer, have used it enough to write a preliminary review.

To start with, HF is no longer selling the OEM 13" blades that I ordered with the unit. Not to worry. Grizzly makes a 12.5" blade with the same thickness (1/8") and the same height (3/4 inch). G1195, set of 2, for 30 bucks. The HF planer takes 3 blades, so you're looking at 45 bucks for a replacement set, which is about what HF was originally charging.

Quick review - more later.

I have been planing mostly 1" red oak from 5-10 inches wide and up to 10 feet long. It was milled by an Amish guy on an old Batman and Robin mill. The unit has done wonderfully well, and I am very happy with it.

The only hangups so far have been:
1. I ran a piece of flooring through early on. It had old flooring staples in it, so the blade got nicked all up. I staggered the blades to continue playing with it.

2. The blades are very easy to access and loosen, but they arrived out of level. In other words, two of the blades hadn't been properly leveled at the factory. For the first 12 boards I just thought the thing was a piece of crap. Then I took the time to check the blades (to stagger them because of the staples). One blade was low at least a 16th. I adjusted, and BOOM, thing planes great. Finish coming out is ready for show.

3. I've got little to no experience, so I don't know how much to take off. I try to take off only a bit at a pass. To go from circular saw marks new to furniture appearance was about 3 passes for a flat board. The machine doesn't bog down at all at that rate.

4. The machine came with a standard 120V plug, but a very clear plate saying 240V on it. I knew it was a 220 because it was a motivating factor in the buy. So I call HF and, sure enough, "some got shipped with 120V". Lame, to be sure, but the unit was sold online with the clear designation "you must provide the plug." In effect, I ended up getting a free plug.

5. I toughed up the blades, in situ, with the 6 dollar HF hand honer. Worked darn fine. Other than opening up a huge gash on my finger. Holy Christ, it's the worst cut I've ever had. It filleted my hand. My wife stitched it up for me. Lesson learned. I finished the sharpening with a Kevlar glove that I used for cutting meat.

Ask any questions you have. I may post a video eventually.