Powermatic 15HH 15" Helical Head Planer
The ability to accurately dimension wood with parallel faces is crucial to virtually any woodworking task. Producing an ultra smooth, tear out-free surface at the same time is just as important. The Powermatic 15HH has been designed to handle these tasks with the accuracy, durability and repeatability you need.
Built around a fully enclosed, welded steel base cabinet, the Powermatic 15HH uses numerous precisely machined iron castings to insure durability and precise, repeatable operation. A heavy-duty caster system built into the base makes moving the 517- lb planer around the shop easy. A foot-operated brake locks the casters to keep it stationary during use.
A powerful 3hp (totally enclosed fan cooled) motor is mounted within the base cabinet. Power is transmitted to the fixed cutterhead assembly by three v-belts that turn precision-machined pulleys. A full-length belt cover is easily removed for maintenance by spinning off a pair of finger-operated knobs. The motor is operated and protected by a true magnetic switch mounted on the head assembly within easy reach.
The Byrd cutterhead is made from a billet of exotic “stress proof” steel that ensures unrivaled durability. This cutterhead is extremely effective thanks to its 74 carbide inserts arranged in spiral-shaped rows. The inserts have a 4” radius ground into them and are mounted so they approach the wood at a 14° angle. That creates a true shear cut that eliminates much of the impact and the resulting fiber disturbance other cutterhead designs deliver to the wood. This cutterhead is also quiet - so quiet, in fact, that many users don’t think it is cutting until they see the results.
The Powermatic 15HH has two material feed rates –20 FPM (Feet Per Minute) used primarily for rough dimensioning and 16 FPM to increase the cuts-per-inch to create a silky-smooth surface. A push/pull knob shifts between the feed rates on the fly. The rollers are driven by a gear and chain drive with an automatic chain tensioner, housed in a cast iron case. The gear section runs in an industrial style oil bath for maximum control over long-term wear.
To make moving the stock from one side of the POWERMATIC 15HH to the other for repeat cuts easier, Powermatic added a pair of material rollers to the cutterhead. The iron rollers are spaced above the cutterhead, putting the often-heavy stock at a comfortable 43-1/2” above the floor.
An all-metal dust hood comes with the 15HH that creates a short, direct path for the debris directly from the cutterhead. The hood terminates with a 4”-diameter port that is angled to the side so the dust collector hose does not interfere with the stock as it exits. A 500-600 CFM dust collector is recommended.
