Grizzly G0453Z Planer Owners - A Question

glenn bradley

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Just you Z owners or operators. I already know the G0453 is a solid platform and have no interest in a knifed machine, I already have one.

Question - How is the material handling as far as the feed rollers go?

That is, do you ever end up with marks (other than cutter marks) on your material after feeding it through. I am obviously asking this question out of ignorance as I have never run a serrated feed roller machine.

And since we all like talking about the specific tools that we own (I know I do), please share ony other thoughts, tips, tweaks, " I shoulda gotta XYZ"-like statements, opinions, tirades and soap-box sessions.

TIA,

Glenn
 
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First: I had to look it up to find out what it wuz.

Thanks for the reminder Frank. I have tried to stop tossing out model numbers like everyone knows what they are. I slipped up :eek:. I know I am completely lost in Lathe Land when people talk numbers. :rolleyes: I changed the title.
 
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I've eyed this before. I'm curious too what the minimum thickness you can plane without leaving marks, or if it always does. I'd love to replace my little ryobi with something else, but I can't make my mind up between the dewalt or one of the bigger induction motor planers, preferably with carbide cutters.
 
Glenn we have a 20" powermatic at work that has the serrated feed rollers and anything less than 1/32" it will leave marks on the board. I know it's not the same machine but figure the info might be helpful anyways.
 
I know it's not the same machine but figure the info might be helpful anyways.

Thanks Alan, that is good info and I will factor it in as I go :thumb:.

I guess this starts to flesh out my (probably too specific) questions. Have you G0453Z users tweaked your machines and afterward how little can you take off successfully. I have really gotten spoiled being able to take off a whisker at a time on my lunchbox machine.
 
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I don't own that planer, but if you don't mind me asking a question, that could help you out.....?

Why are you wanting to take off such a "Whisker" :huh:

I could be very wrong, not the first time, but to my mind it would be better to take that whisker with a drum sander or widebelt machine, no? :dunno:
 
I don't own that planer, but if you don't mind me asking a question, that could help you out.....?

Why are you wanting to take off such a "Whisker" :huh:

I could be very wrong, not the first time, but to my mind it would be better to take that whisker with a drum sander or widebelt machine, no? :dunno:

If I had one (or the other) yes that would be a nice way to do it. The problem I am trying to eliminate is the knifed machine taking a tearout of a depth that is non-recoverable, requiring a new piece be made. If I am after a 5/16" panel I will bring it just fat of that dimension while thicknessing and use a scraper or hand sand to fit. I like to be close enough to where that is just a few swipes. If I pull a 3/32" tearout, then its over for that piece.

Not being able to get very close is not a big deal on 1 or 2 panels but on 24 I like to have a reliable starting point and just kind of get "in the zone" while working the finished surface. I guess it would be more appropriate to say that 1/64" being doable would be nice.

I read where some of the larger machines leave marks if you don't take at least 1/32" off and that is fine when closing in on a dimension. I've just gotten spoiled at being able to get quite close and still have a surface that requires very little working to get to "done".

I'm just trying to figure out (at the 11th hour, you know) if the trade off of a machine that can really hog off some material versus a helical head upgrade to a lunchbox is the better decision ;-)
 
glenn i wouldnt spend the money fora helical head on lunch box planer. you will never get it back only threw use. and the helical heads may take the lighter cut better than knifed head and i have seen some very impressive cuts from helical heads...
 
How much clean up is required to remove the feed roller marks from the larger planers? Are we talking drum sander/finish planer, or is it something a few passes with a random orbit sander can clean off?
 
jeb, the only time i have seen feed roller marks is when i tried to take a real light cut, if you take a normal cut the marks are gone so your fine. cant give you a thickness i just go a 1/4 turn on mine for a normal cut it will take more but i dont take heavy cuts much. i am sayun its less than a sixteenth..
 
Thanks to one and all. I have gotten enough feedback to see that the marks, if any, are possibly like the elusive scalloping some folks find intolerable from spiral cutter-heads. I have never seen this scalloping except for a time when I purposely ran the material across the head really fast to see if I could make some (I know, get a life).

It is always good to hear from folks who use a certain machine or machine-type to see how these things play out in actual use. I did the Bing/eBay/Cash Back thing a few minutes ago (stealth gloat) so if there are technique issues, I'll have to adapt ;-)
 
Ok, question for the 15" planer owners. I currently have a little ryobi planer that I'm looking to upgrade. Price isn't a major issue, I'm 31 and plan on doing this for a while. I like big heavy equipment that I can get 20 yrs out of when there's an option.


Is a 15" planer like a grizzley 453Z usable by itself without a finish planer or drum sander to make final cuts with? I had been saving for a bigger planer, but I might upgrade to a Dewalt 735 or drum sander first if I'm going to need one to do final thicknessing. I really hadn't put much thought into the serrated feed rollers before this thread.
 
Hi,

My 735 leaves a beautiful finished surface. I am an amature so you have to factor that into my version of "beautiful."

Enjoy, and lots of luck with your decision.

I spent time with the decision thing and capped it off yesterday with a new midi wood lathe. So far, no buyer's remorse. Do you know about "So far, so good?"

Guy jumped off of the 40 story building to commit suicide. At the last instant he changed his mind. As he went by the windows on floors 25,24,23,22 people heard him saying, "So far, so good."

Enjoy,

Jim
 
...I did the Bing/eBay/Cash Back thing a few minutes ago (stealth gloat) so if there are technique issues, I'll have to adapt ;-)

...I spent time with the decision thing and capped it off yesterday with a new midi wood lathe...

The Bradley Boys...proving that stealth gloats run in the family. :D

Congrats to both of you. :thumb: What lathe did you get, Jim?
 
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