Powermatic 1791210 Model 15S Deluxe 15-Inch 3-Horsepower 230-Volt 1-Phase Planer with Spiral Cutterhead and Digital Readout

by Powermatic

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Featuring a spiral cutterhead for smooth cuts and fine finishes, the Powermatic 15S 15-Inch Planer is ideal for precision wood dimensioning. And because it can create 13,500 cuts per minute, the 15S is the perfect tool for high-capacity jobs. Accurate and dependable, this planer's powerful motor, smooth infeeds, and robust construction make it a true workhorse that will produce fast, high-quality results every time you use it.

The 15S 15-Inch Planer At a Glance: Spiral cutterhead creates quick, smooth cuts 3-HP TEFC motor; handles wood up to 6" thick 2-speed gearbox provides choice of feed rates All-metal dust hood diverts debris Lockable casters and sliding handles for portability

Power is transmitted to the cutterhead by three v-belts that turn the pulleys.

Table height is adjusted with a large cast-iron handwheel with a spinner knob.

Powerful Motor and Spiral Cutterhead for Big Results
The 15S owes its vigorous performance to a three-horsepower TEFC (totally enclosed fan-cooled) motor that is operated by a magnetic switch. Three V-belts transfer power from the motor directly to the spiral cutterhead for fast, efficient planing. This robust design not only means you'll be able to get jobs done quickly and safely, but you'll also be able to tackle workpieces up to six inches thick.

Smooth Infeeds and Outfeeds
The 15S features stock return rollers, a serrated steel infeed roller, and a smooth steel outfeed roller, that increase the speed of repetitive cuts and allow for positive feeding without marring of the stock.

What's more, the 15S offers a choice of material feed rates, so you can get the right finish for the job. The two-speed gearbox features an automatic chain tensioner for consistent cuts.

Durable, Adjustable, and Maneuverable
The 15S's table is made of cast iron with a smooth, precision-ground surface for durability and easy feeds. A pair of extension wings lets you handle larger workpieces, and a large cast-iron handwheel and digital measurement readout help you position the table quickly and easily.

A locking table design prevents the table from shifting during cutting, and lockable iron casters make sure the tool moves only when you want it to. And with hidden sliding handles for lifting the machine, portability is never a problem.

Dust Hood Deflects Debris away from Your Workpiece
To help protect components and improve visibility, an all-metal dust hood diverts debris from the cutterhead. The hood terminates with a four-inch diameter port that is conveniently angled to the side, so the dust collector hose does not interfere with the exiting stock.

Dimensions and Warranty Information
The 15S measures 28.0 x 43.5 x 48.0 inches (WxHxD), weighs 507 pounds, and is backed by a five-year warranty.

What's in the Box
15S Planer; dust hood; two cast-iron extension tables; handwheel; handle; standard hex wrenches; T-handle hex wrench (4mm), two open-end wrenches (8 - 10mm and 12 - 14mm); three bags of fasteners; owner's manual; two knife adjustment pins; and warranty card.

Built around an enclosed, welded steel base cabinet, this planer uses precisely machined iron castings to ensure durability and precise, repeatable operation.

Product Description

Includes 15S 15-in Deluxe Planer - 1791210, Spiral Cutterhead w/ (3) Flexible Steel Knives, Cast-Iron Extension Tables, Closed Stand with Built-In Casters, Digital Readout, 4-in Dust Port

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Product Details

Product Manual [904kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 48 x 28 x 43.5 inches ; 537 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 576 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000C6DYV
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 1791210
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,427 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Last Powermatic I'll Ever Buy, August 16, 2008

By 

K. Miller - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Powermatic 1791210 Model 15S Deluxe 15-Inch 3-Horsepower 230-Volt 1-Phase Planer with Spiral Cutterhead and Digital Readout (Tools & Home Improvement)

I waffled between buying the high-end Jet planer and the Powermatic 15HH (both with Byrd Helical Cutters) and ended up buying the Powermatic. The unit arrived with the packaging in good condition.

I started working through the assembly/test process and it rapidly became apparent that Powermatic has lost the Quality they were known for. What I've found:

1. The built-in lift rods seemed great at first glance. And while they might work for a fork-lift, they won't work with a shop crane - the rollers on top of the motor interfere with the webbing.

2. Removing the pulley cover revealed about 1/2 cup of belt shavings in the bottom - obviously it had been turned on, and just as obviously, no one checked to see if the pullys were aligned right. The motor pulley was 1" (!!!) out of plane and the motor mounting bracket (which is welded to the frame) was not horizontal - I had to shim up two of the mounting bolts almost 1/4" to get it parallel. (by the way, all but one of these are hidden inside the machine, so you are doing some painful contortions to get to these bolts.

3. The casters on the base are not the same height and are not adjustable. I end up shimming it up.

4. You can't add the extension tables unless you add washers to the mounting bolts - the bolt torque throws the tables out of alignment.

5. All the remaining roller, blade, chip deflector, etc settings were according to the manual, however, it simply would not plane. The wood runs in to the serrated in feed roller and makes a hard stop. The in feed roller simply chews away the wood until you turn it off. After several hours of tinkering, here's what it took to get it to work:

5a. table rollers must be ~.02 *above* table (were originally set below table). If they are lower than this, the feed roller pushes the lumber down and it jams in the feed roller opening on the table. NOTE: when you tighten the set-screws, the table rollers drop about 0.03", so you have to start high and feel your way into the right final setting.

5b. feed roller tension had to be backed off 3 full turns (all 4 adjusters) - original settings were so high that it simply mashed the lumber (red oak) so that it catches in the table roller slot.

5c. had to raise the chip deflector to 0.04" above recomended setting.

5d. for me, the table rollers were the key to eliminating snipe.

After it's up and running, here are the good points:

1. You can tweak it to be snipe-free. That is wonderful!
2. The cuts are mirror smooth - no tearout at all.
3. Lots of power.
4. Quiet. Really quiet. You have to look for chips in the dust collection to make sure it's planing.

Unfortunately, I have to wonder what other hidden flaws are embedded in places I can't see. And, honestly, it is so sensitive to minor (as in 0.005" is the difference between working great and not working at all) adjustments that I'm not sure how it will work over a large set of wood species. If you have to tweak it for each one, it will be a nightmare.

Final minor annoyances:
1. Powermatic used every different kind of fastener possible on this. Most high end products standardize to a few so you don't have to have all of your tools out to work on it.

2. The finish is the usual poor Powermatic finish - doesn't cover all of the casting, and over-spray on what should be machined surfaces (like the table tops).

3. There seems to be a lot of slop in the table height adjustment - there is about 1/8 revolution of slack when you are adjusting it. That means you always have to back off past the desired depth setting, then advance to where you want it to take the slack out before you lock the table.

4. The casters don't pivot. The only way to turn it is to drag it. Not a big deal if it's fixed, but I tend to move mine around a lot.

5. Ergonomics are bad. Table height adjustment is on the opposite side of the table locks, so you have to walk around the machine/lumber to lock/unlock it.

6. I just don't like power cables dangling to the control box. I'd rather have them in the chasis with a big kill switch and no exposed wiring runs.

My first Powermatic investment was an 8" planer, which had/has similar problems. I assumed it was just a fluke and bought this. So now I know, it's not a fluke, Powermatic has either lost the recipe or just doesn't care.

Stay away from the 'Gold Standard', it's really just 'Mediocre Mustard'

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good machine, February 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Powermatic 1791210 Model 15S Deluxe 15-Inch 3-Horsepower 230-Volt 1-Phase Planer with Spiral Cutterhead and Digital Readout (Tools & Home Improvement)

Machine was well packaged, easy to set up and running within one and a half hours. Finish on an eight foot x twelve inch piece of hickory was almost as smooth as a drum sander with almost no chatter. A very very very small bit of tear out ocurred on a nasty knot. I ran over 500 feet of red oak and was pleased with the quality of the finish and dead on consistency of depth of cut. The in and out feed tables are excellent and well worth an increase in price. Rollers leave some marring on softer woods but this can be adjusted and I have not found the need to do so. A single 220grit pass with a r/o sander cleaned up the marks on some soft maple.
Another reviewer mentioned their dissapointment with the spiral blades. I have yet to cut enough to see how they hold their sharpness but am pleased to date. The spiral blades reduce noise levels but not enough to make it a selling point.
One of the gibs(one of the twelve curved plates which holds down each of the three blades) was defective. The repair took only minutes--getting the part was a bear, took three and a half weeks with me having to call and be a pest. I had to go through the seller and not powermatic. On that note the tech support at powermatic was more than helpful. I am pleased by their performance--they seem to cut smoother than the traditional straight blade.
Mobility of machine is a breeze. There are hidden sliding handles which are to be used rather than the feed table for gripping, nice touch.
The digital readout works fine but could certainly be improved in the user friendly department. I find programming the scale more taxing than it ought to be. This should be thought out better on future models.
Snipe is truly minimal--though it is there, perhaps a 64th. Occurs on first and last 4 inches of board I have little or no problem with this factor.

If the machine runs this well in five years-with proper care, I will be very pleased.

41 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not ready for market, February 27, 2004

By 

frank thomas "frankman" (Roseville, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Powermatic 1791210 Model 15S Deluxe 15-Inch 3-Horsepower 230-Volt 1-Phase Planer with Spiral Cutterhead and Digital Readout (Tools & Home Improvement)

It seems that this planer was not tested thouroughly before being distributed. The digital scale has to be re-calibrated after being turned off and back on. The locking casters don't lock. The serrated infeed roller leaves marks on softer woods on light passes. The disposable knives are very poor quality and leave valleys in the planed material along the length of the boards. Both sets of knives I tried were completely dull after less than 300 board feet of planing. The flexible blades are self gauging but are difficult to wrestle into place. These results were after checking all factory settings with micrometer.