POWERMATIC 15HH, 15” 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. Robust
construction, a powerful motor, precision cut depth adjustments and
the legendary Byrd helical cutterhead are just some of the reasons
the POWERMATIC 15HH is setting the standard for modern
planers.
The Powermatic 15HH brings the
durability and performance you
expect from a quality
woodworking machine.
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 POWERMATIC 15HH around the shop easy. A foot-operated
brake locks the casters to keep it stationary during use.
Should lifting the POWERMATIC 15HH be necessary, four pull-out rods are built into the cast
iron base. These rods provide safe lifting points for straps or forklift arms.
A powerful 3HP, (continuous duty rating) 1PH, 230V TEFC (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.
Byrd Helical Cutterhead
There are many cutterhead designs that carry the helical moniker,
including simple straight blades broken into segments and dispersed
around the cutterhead cylinder. However, despite the name, they retain
many of the liabilities of the long blade designs. While designing the
POWERMATIC 15HH we wanted to incorporate the finest cutterhead
available to insure the unmatched performance of a true segmented,
shear-cutting helical head. That criteria meant the choice was very
simple. POWERMATIC teamed with Tom Byrd and installed his
famous, US-made Byrd helical cutterhead in the POWERMATIC
15HH as standard equipment.
The Powermatic 15HH
comes with a genuine Byrd
cutterhead.
The Byrd cutterhead is made from a billet of exotic “stress proof” steel that insures unrivaled
durability. The Byrd cutterhead is so effective because its 98 carbide inserts are 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-degree 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.