# A Love/Hate Relationship



## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I got one of these a couple of years ago, but with the helical cutter head. My previous planer had been an old (1982) Rockwell/Invicta 13" machine that was probably the best planer I've owned, especially with the reliable way it fed the stock. But it howled like a banshee, though not as badly as the Dewalt 735. I actually disassembled it to get specs for a custom cutter head from Byrd, but hesitated because I knew I'd never get my money back out of it-not that I usually let that be a primary concern.

There's a Jet-Powermatic outlet in Auburn, WA (between Seattle and Tacoma) that regularly advertises on CL. These tools are always "scratch and dent," though the planer/jointer I got didn't have a scratch on it. The employees surmised it might have been a demo at a trade fair, but the cord didn't look as if it had ever had a plug on it.

I have generally been very pleased with it. I added a Wixey gauge to make switching between jointing and planing functions go easier, and have worked out a way that avoids having to move the dust collector hose when switching functions.

Your comments on the outfeed roller are interesting to me, because at times I've felt I wasn't getting quite the robust feeding I had gotten used to (though that has sometimes been an issue on other planers I've owned). I'll check that out.

One reason I wanted the helical head (aside from the ease in maintaining sharp cutters at all times) was the quieter operation. The difference is significant and really worth it.

My price, with the helical cutter head? $1800, which was quite a bit less than Grizzly's combo machine with spiral cutter head at the time.time.


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## vikingcape (Jan 3, 2013)

Thanks for the review. Someday in the future I would love to have a machine like this. Very practical for the smaller shop it looks like


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I never had one of this but I had a 5 operations combination machine with 3 electric motors on..
Like you do, I love the space saving but after a while switching from one operation to the other really become a pain.
One thing I really liked, was that the planer could plane as tall than it could wide (300mm in each direction) thing impossible to to with most planers.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Very cool…. I want one.

What's ya pay for it?

Regarding the instruction manual thing…. you'll have to turn in your man card for that one :^)


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## krisrimes (Jun 17, 2011)

Nice write up. You should post more on here, that was entertaining.


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## Lildrgnoflb01 (Feb 25, 2010)

Matt, final cost on the unit only ran $1050…add $50 for some new cam levers and a plug. I hear the helical cutter head from JET is around $650. That would really make this a great deal…1/2 of what the new unit sells for


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## Robsshop (Apr 3, 2010)

Thanks for the input on this machine as I have just recently given it some serious consideration. Mostly for the same reasons you have stated and my set up now is similar to what you had. I am sorry to hear of your issues but was exited to hear of the machines accepted performance after your efforts and fixes ! If you don't mind I might contact you via PM down the road to see if your opinion and or expieriance has changed any ? One quick question, the process of swapping between the two ops, do you find it time consuming and does it happen some what effortlessly, just wondering from your personal expieriance ? Once again thanks for the review and any more input you share!.....ROB


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

Rob , they have the same unit at the TechShop in San Jose and I have used it severeal times and have not found the switchover to be a problem at all after you do it a couple of times it is very fast and easy. They have the helical cutter head on it and and as far as I am concerned you will never want to go back to straight after you use one.


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## Lildrgnoflb01 (Feb 25, 2010)

Rob,

I actually have had the machine for a little over a year but just now got around to posting the review. I chose this unit over the grizzly because of the change over..it's pretty smooth. Since the tables move together and you don't have to remove the fence, the change is fast. I have not seen any movement in the alignment of the beds durning the change over either. You do have to make sure the beds are locked down, the look like they are even if they are not…so u havee to confirm they're locked by pushing the lock handles down..if they move at all..it wasn't locked.

I will probably pull the trigger on the spiral cutter head here in the next few months so I'll let you know how that install goes. I ordered a wixey digital height gauge too just because the standard gauge is archaic.

Feel free to PM anytime with more questions.


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## Robsshop (Apr 3, 2010)

@Richard thanks for your response and welcomed info!

@Lildrgonfib01 once again thanks for taking the time to share the additional info. It is good to know that this machine is living up to your expectations and others ! It will make my decision that much more educated and easier to perhaps pull the trigger when the time comes. Also thanks for your your continued willingness to help with ?'s down the road!

Much Appreciated,
ROB


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## cathode (May 18, 2014)

This unit looks great. Out of my current budget, but it seems like a good thing to save up for.

A question for those who own combination machines, either a jointer/planer, or any of the euro-style 5-in-1 or similar … presumably a major factor choice to own one of these machines is shop space, so for a shop with "enough" space (does such a thing exist?), would these still be a good buy?

The type of projects that interest me, at least in the short term, are making small decorative pieces like boxes, or small furniture, as well as built-ins and cabinetry for my house. A type of project I really enjoy is veneering and working with highly figured wood. If I were to go out and buy a jointer right now, I would probably go for a 6" long-bed model with a helical cutterhead. But a 6" jointer can't true up a wide figured board for resawing into veneer slices. A stand-alone 12" jointer is going to be way out of the price range that I can justify considering this is a hobby for me. But it seems like the jointer-planer combo machines can satisfy this type of work without costing an arm and a leg. Do units like the JJP-12 do as good a job as their stand-alone companions?


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## tcarswell (Nov 4, 2014)

Any update with the spiral head. I have one on the way I'm reading all I can


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## BoilerUp21 (Apr 19, 2016)

ACME Tool has a 15% off that is good for Jet…I am about to pull the trigger today before the sale ends. Can anyone explain why the straight knife version is $2300 and the helical head version is $3,430??? Waiting on Grizzly to get anything is stock is getting ridiculous!

I would just buy the straight knife version and buy a byrd or jet HH later for less money.

Any opinions ASAP would be greatly appreciated!


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