Replies

1. 
   zendo | Feb 26, 2005 03:21pm | #1

   I noticed an add regularly in the back of FHB or JLC, for another brand.

   -zen

1. 
   DustinThomps | Feb 26, 2005 04:28pm | #2

   Williams and Hussey is the way to go, a bit more pricey, but American made.  This is actually just an opinion really.  The grizzly probably is a quality machine.  As far as I know, it is a Taiwanese clone of the w and h.  I know the w and h can shape curved molding.

   Good luck,

   Dustin

2. 
   Sphere | Feb 26, 2005 04:54pm | #3

   Hey FG..the W&H is the best going. I had one till the fire took my shop, and still sold it afterwards, that says a lot.

    

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..

3. 
   andybuildz | Feb 26, 2005 07:20pm | #4

   I've owned the Williams and Hussey for mucho years.
   The cool thing about it is that one end is open so you can get some expanded widths on it.
   The tool totally rocks....I just planned down some 326 year old flooring in my current project/house.
   The blades install within less than two minutes from planer blades to molding blades.
   Be floored????
   a...

   The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!

   When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..

     I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,

   I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.

   I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you

   and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.

    

    

   
    

    

4. 
   mike4244 | Feb 26, 2005 07:57pm | #5

   I have the older Jet model, similar to the Grizzly but the motor is below the feed tables.1 1/2 hp 115 volts motor, fairly quiet for a planer. I have only used the molding feature one time. I had to shape 400 lf of red oak cove and bead molding. The molding feature worked very well, almost no sanding. The planer is what I use several times a week, this feature also works well. You do have to keep the planer cuts light ( harder species 1/32", poplar ,pine 1/16".Grizzly planer blades are about $39.00 for a set of three, they are less expensive and better than the Jet blades.

   I have a set of Freud blades for this machine too, but I haven't used them as yet.I am not positive but I think Grizzly molding blades will fit the Jet.

   If I had to do over again I would have bought the WoodMaster 18" model.I saw this machine in action last year, does everything it is hyped up to be.I was remodeling the showroom and office of a medium sized shop, they had the 18" Woodmaster and two 24" Woodmasters.One of the larger machines was used for sanding all the time. The other one was used for every thing. The 18" was  mainly used as a finish planer.I believe there is a 12" machine also.

   Save your money and buy the best quality machine you can.

   mike

5. 
   frenchy | Feb 26, 2005 08:40pm | #6

   ForestGirl,

     You already know how much I like Grizzly,   however I choose this time to go with the shop Fox G0552 over the Grizzly.    The greater power and 220 volt is what convinced me.  But then I already have a 20 inch planner and a 12/1/2 inch bench top planner so the added width of the Grizzly held no attraction for me.  Maximum width of 6 3/4 for the Shop Fox is as wide as I'm likely to ever want to make moldings.   If I should want to make evan wider moldings it becomes a two pass situation.

     For one machine to do both planning and molding the Grizzly doesn't look too bad. 

    The W&H others speak about is dramatically more money. nice but hard to justify. 

6. 
   DougU | Feb 27, 2005 03:23am | #7

   FG

   Do you need the width of the planer or just looking at that specific tool.

   The W&H is OK but as others have said, a bit more money. If your need the width I don't think the W&H will be much help.

   Someone correct me but I thought the W&H only planes 7 or 8 inches.

   I used to condemn all Grizzly tools but I'm starting to re-evaluate my opinion on some of them. Their planers are a good example of that.

   Doug

1. 
   forestgirl | Feb 27, 2005 04:18am | #8

   "Do you need the width of the planer or just looking at that specific tool."  I ask for a good friend of mine.  He was just about to drop $499 on a DeWalt planer when he saw the Grizzly 1037Z displayed a few feet away.  He builds theater sets and frequently has to run a few hundred feet of moulding, so he's very interested in this combination machine.  It's been a bear getting feedback though! :-)  Finally came to the right place.

   The $2500 machines are out for now I think.  But $795 is very doable.  The Grizzly does have the motor mounted underneath, which I like.  Sounds like changing out the blades is no big deal?  (i.e., installing the moulding knives)

   The Shop Fox combo is too narrow.  He doesn't have a planer at all, so needs the 13" width.

   Thanks!  Still would love to hear from someone who owns the Grizzly!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   DougU | Feb 27, 2005 05:10am | #9

   FG

   I don't have the planer but if he needs the width, needs the moulder feature and does not have an unlimited supply of money than I wouldn't hesitate to buy the grizzly.

   Seems like everything that I read regarding the Grizzly planers is positive.

   Doug