General International 30-115HC planer

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WOOD magazine rating

Replaceable inserts, respectable cut

3.8

out of 5

Brand:

General International

Model:

30-115HC

Price:

$2,860

Description

• Heavy-duty enclosed stand provides a stable work station.
• Heavy-duty cast-iron frame reduces vibration for more precise planing.
• Four-post design provides added stability to keep the table aligned with the cutter head.
• 4” dust chute for easy hookup to a dust collector.
• Magnetic 2-step safety switch to prevent unwanted or unintentional start-up is equipped with an extra-large easy access stop panel and a lock-out key to prevent unauthorized use of the planer.
• Base is equipped with four (4) lockable wheels to allow easy movement around the workshop.
• The head of the machine is equipped with anti-kickback fingers.
• Large cast-iron extension wings.
• Equipped with four rubber leveling feet.
• Powerful 2 speed, 3 HP motor.

Table area with extensions 15’’ x 47 3/4” (380 x 1210 mm)
Maximum planing width 15’’ (380 mm)
Maximum thickness of stock 6” (152 mm)
Minimum thickness of stock 1/8’’ (3 mm)
Minimum length of stock 6 1/2’’ (165 mm)
Maximum depth of cut 1/8’’ (3 mm)
Cutter inserts: 42
Cutter head speed 5000 RPM
Feed speeds (2) 16 & 20 FPM (4.87 & 6.1 MPM)
Base dimensions (L x W) 21 1/2” x 21” (546 x 533 mm)
Motor 3 HP, 240 V, 1 Ph, 15 A
Weight (shipping / net) 545 LBS (248 kg) / 462 LBS

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WOOD magazine review

Replaceable inserts, respectable cut

Reviewed by: WOOD Magazine

Review Summary

Pluses: The cut quality in its slowest feed speed is about as good as you can get with a spiral-head planer. Thanks to the top-mounted motor, the cutterhead raises and lowers (instead of the table) when you make cutting-depth changes. So the fixed table lets you set up auxiliary infeed and outfeed supports for long stock when needed. A lockout key on its power switch gives you an increased level of safety when not in use. Minuses: The top-mounted motor also presents two drawbacks.

…

First, you don’t have stock-return rollers on top to pass boards back across the machine after each pass. And, the motor must be tilted out of the way to provide access (albeit limited) to the cutterhead for changing cutters, adding time to this process. The 3cm-long cutter knives have only two edges, so expect to replace them more frequently than you would with four-edged, square carbide inserts. This planer sniped the most of seven 15" planers tested head-to-head, and its workpiece-thickness scale proved the most difficult to read and use.

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