# Planer blade height



## bbrwer (Dec 3, 2011)

I am the pround new owner of an older Powermatic 15 straight blade planer. It looks like I will be able to replace some inexpensvie parts and wind up with a good planer. What I need to know is the correct height of the planer blades. I used a setting that I found on the Grizzly web site, but it is too shallow for the Powermatic. I could try experimenting, but adjusting planer blades is not my idea of a fun evening. I have a dial indicator that I use to set the blades, so I would really appreciate it if anyone out there has one and can tell me the correct height.
Thanks,
bbrewer


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*not a Powermatic ...*

But for what it's worth on my 15" Foley Belsaw the tip of the blade is 0.173" above the cutterhead. It would think it's a relative measurement rather than a specific one, since the blade to cutterhead needs a certain amount of clearance for the chips to pass through. If you have removed the blades and now need to reset them you have lost your previous setting. When I recently removed mine for sharpening, I set the height gauge to the existing height before removal, just for reference, since it was working fine. 

this link: http://www.woodworking-news.com/woodworking-questions/planer-blades.shtml

Someone may have your specific model if you would post it. 
TATFAICATGY... :laughing: bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*any luck?*


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

bbrwer said:


> I am the pround new owner of an older Powermatic 15 straight blade planer. It looks like I will be able to replace some inexpensvie parts and wind up with a good planer. What I need to know is the correct height of the planer blades. I used a setting that I found on the Grizzly web site, but it is too shallow for the Powermatic. I could try experimenting, but adjusting planer blades is not my idea of a fun evening. I have a dial indicator that I use to set the blades, so I would really appreciate it if anyone out there has one and can tell me the correct height.
> Thanks,
> bbrewer


You might be able to see markings on the knives from being installed to get an idea of their positioning.












 







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## bbrwer (Dec 3, 2011)

Hi Bill,
I also have a Foley Belsaw that was sold by Sears under the Craftsman name years ago. It has been a great workhorse and still works fine, but thought I would "upgrade" to the Powermatic since the price was unbeatable. My Belsaw blades are set just a little less than yours, but that is still a big difference from the Grizzly manual that specifies .059. I didn't check the blades that were installed on the Model 15 because they were set so low that I just couldn't believe that they were anywhere near close to being right. The Grizzly setting seemed to be low but I thought that since all of these 15" planers look alike that I would try their setting. I guess I'll go with 1/8 or a little more. I'm sure that will work fine after I readjust the feed rollers and chip breaker to the new blade setting. 
I was hoping to find the factory setting for the Powermatic because, if this thing works well, I may upgrade to a Byrd Shelix and would like to have everything set and working properly before making the change.
Thanks for the reply.
Buddy


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