Replies

1. 
   JMartinsky | Jun 12, 2007 01:30pm | #1

   Dear Tink,
   Unless I missed something, I think that you are paying a premium. I found the same machine WITH a Byrd cutterhead ($1300.00) for $2999.00 plus $85.00 shipping.

   http://www.monstermarketplace.com/Home/Landing2726a523.html

   Best,

   John

2. 
   JMartinsky | Jun 12, 2007 01:34pm | #2

   Dear Tink,
   Oops! You are correct. That price that you quoted was with a Byrd cutterhead as well. That's a pretty nice machine.

   best,

   John

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jun 14, 2007 05:19am | #8

   No one said anything bad about the either product or the company dealing with the PM so that lessens the concern.  I guess it is still the choice between the PM or the Grizzly.  I'm not all that crazy about taking the guts apart and changing them out.  I'd sooner just buy the machine complete. 

   Thanks guys,

   Paul

1. 
   JMartinsky | Jun 14, 2007 02:12pm | #9

   Dear Paul,
   Oh, I'm with you all the way. Spend one or two thousand on a machine and the first thing that I have to do is disassemble it? No thanks. If I was really compelled to do it, then I would so it the way it was suggested with Sunhill approach of a new gearbox.
   I am in the same boat. I have a PM 66 and a PM Jointer, so like yourself, I do appreciate the product. That aside, I believe that the Grizzly machines are a quality deal. Some of the folks who I have come to really respect, FG, Frenchy, and others have Grizzly equipment and speak highly about them. When it is my turn for a new planer, almost certainly;y it will be the Grizzly model:http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1033X The price is right and I am willing to try out the straight indexed cutterhead against the Byrd head that I put in my jointer. As good? Maybe not, better than straight knives? You betcha.Best,John

   Edited 6/14/2007 7:17 am ET by Jmartinsky

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jun 15, 2007 07:17am | #11

   Well, it looks like about $426 difference between the green and the gold.  I could probably save another $174 in freight charges if I would go get the Grizzly.  Not sure if I'm up to it and with gas prices these days....  Will need to decide before I can finish the stand for the work bench.  It needs a better home than a couple saw horses.

   You mentioned the PM jointer.  I have the PJ 882.  If I may ask, what will the byrd head for it cost.  It makes a deafening roar.  I've heard it quietens them down.  Would be nice to tone it down a bit.

   Edited 6/15/2007 12:18 am ET by tinkerer2

1. 
   JMartinsky | Jun 15, 2007 02:43pm | #13

   Dear Tink,
   That jointer is a nice machine. The Byrd head for my PM54A was $350.00. WELL worth the money. It cuts quieter than the straight knives, but under no load conditions, the straight knives had a pleasing "whir" where as the Byrd has a bit more of a "whine".
   As to the planer, I think that for $600.00 difference that you mentioned, I would be hard pressed to justify the PM planer. Try the Grizzly, that's what I would do.Best,John

2. 
   tinkerer2 | Jun 16, 2007 05:02am | #14

   Well it looks like the green won this one, though I'm not sure I want to make that trip.  Thanks guys. 

   On the side, does "pleasing whir" equate to "deafening roar?"  Since I have hearing loss, I'll let that one pass.

2. 
   creekwood | Jun 14, 2007 02:59pm | #10

   In another thread we discussed the PM 8" jointer. As far as the company goes, here's my only experience. The rabbeting ledge on the jointer was cracked and broken when I opened the crate. I called my sales rep, he called PM, and I had a new one two days later.

   I thought that was a good responce. Also, I got my rebate check quickly, unlike another one I'm waiting on from another company.

   Just a thought.

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Jun 15, 2007 07:25am | #12

   My PM 66 and the mortiser came in perfect shape.  That is after a couple years I found the bolts stuffed safely inside the front tube for the fence of the PM66.  The jointer first came 3 phase.  They had put a shipping label over the 3 phase label so you could barely make it out.  That was straightened out and the single phase came with a warped dust chute.  I thought it was unnecessary to put that old warped thing on it in the first place, but they made it right right away also.

   Edited 6/15/2007 12:27 am ET by tinkerer2

3. 
   mapleman | Jun 12, 2007 05:11pm | #3

   Tinkerer2,

   I had my heart set on the same planer, but decided instead to order the Grizzly G0454 for $1175 (on sale until Sept 1st) and put the byrd head on myself ($850 - on sale until Sept 1st). The $1000 left over will put me on my way to a 12" jointer.

   The wood won't know the difference!

   Good luck,

   Lee

1. 
   BilljustBill | Jun 13, 2007 06:13am | #5

     Mapleman,

     Before you order your Byrd head cutter from Grizzly, please weigh out what you're getting.   It's only the cutterhead....  Now, I'm one who is so tight with my workshop dollars, I'm known to squeak...but spending a few extra dollars on Sunhill's concept was worth it.

     Getting just Grizzly's cutterhead leaves you with draining and totally disassembling the whole guts to the gearbox, chains, and main bearings ...and then reapplying the sequence to get it back up and going.

     Consider buying the same head from Sunhill Machinery.  For $1150, you can get a new duplicate gearbox, new bearings already pressed on and already assembled; ready to slide in.  Because you pull out the old gearbox and 4-bladed cutterhead as a single assembly, the whole process is so much faster and less complicated.

     A final point is that after your new helical cutter is installed,  you have a set of replacement parts to your gearbox, should something happen to one of them.

   http://www.sunhillmachinery.com/Planer%20Cutterheads.htm

      Hope this helps,

      Bill

1. 
   mapleman | Jun 13, 2007 06:46am | #6

   Hi Bill,

   Yes, you are absolutely correct. I plan to go that route anyhow, I was merely making a point to the OP that the Griz is just as good a machine, and with the byrd head (do it yourself) you could come out with a grand left over.

   I ordered Sunhill's byrd head for my jet jointer, and it was a cake walk to install.

   Lee 

    

2. 
   frenchy | Jun 14, 2007 04:28am | #7

   BillJust Bill,

     Replacing the cutterhead sounds like a piece of cake.  I've not done it but compared to other mechanical tasks it's not much. 

    Your experiances may differ, objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.. close cover before striking..

4. 
   frenchy | Jun 13, 2007 02:19am | #4

   tinkerer2

     Please don't overlook the Grizzly.. Mine has been virtually flawless thru nearly 50,000 bd.ft.   of hardwood. (I say virtually since I did replace one of three drive belts, my local auto parts dealer stocked what I needed and it took me less than 5 minutes to put it on) 

    I would like to get the spiral head that's $695 for a 20 inch version while the basic 20 inch planner is $1250.00 in the currant catalog..  If you want them to install it it's  $2395