The Jet 15″ Planer is a powerful and versatile addition for any woodworking enthusiast looking to achieve perfectly flat and smooth boards in their shop. With its sturdy build and 3 knife cutter head, this planer leaves an exceptional finish on the wood.

In this comprehensive review, we will take an in-depth look at the Jet 15″ planer by covering all aspects from its key features, build construction, dust collection, ease of use, cut quality and much more so you can determine if this is the right stationary planer for your shop.

Key Features

The Jet 15″ Planer comes equipped with some great features that enable it to deliver excellent performance:

Powerful 3HP motor – Provides plenty of power to smoothly plane boards up to 15″ wide
26,500 cuts per minute – Fast cutter head speed leaves a fine finish
3 knife cutter head – Gives optimal life and allows smaller cuts

2 feed speed settings – High speed of 23 feet per minute or low of 10 feet per minute
Anti-kickback fingers – Prevents kickback and snipe
Large cast iron table – Provides sturdy support for stock

2-1/2″ dust port – Removes dust and chips efficiently

Build Construction

The overall build construction of the Jet 15″ planer is quite robust with its heavy duty cast iron table and sturdy steel cabinet. However, there are some flaws with the cabinet that are worth pointing out.

The cabinet itself is fairly lightweight, being made from 16 gauge steel which is around 1.9mm thick. The corner supports are 1/8″ thick steel plate welded on. These thin materials lead to the cabinet corners bending and welds cracking when raising or lowering the 255lb machine.

The cabinet would be much sturdier if constructed from thicker 12 gauge steel and if proper lifting points were incorporated into the design rather than having to lift from the cutter head area. The addition of a built-in mobile base with locking casters would also help reduce strain when moving the planer around your shop.

While the cabinet needs improvement, the cast iron table provides rigid support for your workpieces. The tables are machined flat and remain true with minimal twisting. This gives you the flattest cuts possible.

Dust Collection

Dust collection is a crucial part of any woodworking tool and the Jet 15″ planer is no exception. It comes equipped with a 2-1/2” dust port that connects to a 4” dust hose running to your dust collector.

The dust collection is decent but struggles to keep up when planing wider boards at full 15” capacity or on faster feed speed. Some fine dust particles still make their way around the cutter head so wearing a respirator is recommended.

The biggest annoyance is that the dust port mounting bracket gets in the way of fully folding up the outfeed table for storage. You have to completely remove the bracket to fold the table. This is a poor design choice and extremely inconvenient if you need to move your planer frequently.

While dust collection could be improved, the planer still does a reasonable job of collecting most chips and coarser shavings. Just expect some excess fine dust. Proper dust collection is crucial to prolonging the life of your planer knives and for your own respiratory health.

Ease of Use

Assembling the Planer

The Jet 15” planer comes mostly assembled in the box. You only have to attach the infeed and outfeed tables, connect the dust port and plug it into your electrical outlet. The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes with basic tools.

Raising and lowering the cutter head is smooth and fairly easy thanks to the dual post and gear design. The gear release allows the head to be moved manually without power.

Adjustments

There are a series of table locks that must be released before making any cut depth adjustments. This prevents accidental changes while running. The hand crank allows precise depth adjustments down to 1/16” increments.

The cutter head pressure rollers can also be adjusted up or down to optimize pressure on the workpiece. These adjustments help reduce snipe.

Installing and removing the planer knives is quick and uncomplicated. Simply loosen the screws and rotate the knife out. Replacement takes seconds.

Operation

Operation of the planer is very straightforward. Flip the power switch to ON and turn the speed knob to desired feed rate. Then simply push your workpiece through the infeed table.

The pressure rollers do a good job of grabbing the wood and feeding it through without much effort. The anti-kickback fingers help prevent snipe and nasty kickbacks.

Keep feed rate consistent for your best cuts. Slow down at end of pass to minimize snipe. Wear hearing protection as it is very loud when running.

Overall the planer is easy to use whether doing fine detail work or longer production runs. The learning curve is small for new users.

Cut Quality

The Jet 15” planer produces nice smooth cuts when properly set up. The 3 knife cutter head leaves a very fine finish on hard and soft woods. Snipe is minimal when taking lighter passes.

However, slight snipe does still occur on some boards when taking full depth cuts. This is common on portable planers. Leaving extra length to trim snipe spots is advised. Slowing feed rate at end also helps.

Cutter head speed is very fast at 26,500 cuts per minute. This enables very fine cuts without tearout. The high speed does lead to quick knife wear when planing abrasive woods. Keep extra knives on hand.

Overall the planer leaves your wood with a glassy smooth surface ready for final sanding and finish. Taking proper passes and replacing worn knives is key for best results.

Motor

Driving the cutter head on the Jet 15” planer is a powerful 3HP TEFC motor. It produces an abundant amount of torque without bogging down, even when taking full 1/8” cuts on hardwoods.

The motor stays cool thanks to dual cooling fans pulling air through the sealed unit. An emergency thermal overload switch protects from overheating.

Speed is adjustable via a ratio belt system. Low speed runs at 10 feet per minute while high speed pushes 23 feet per minute. Slow speed works better for rough dimensioning cuts. Faster speed gives best finish.

Noise level is quite loud at 98 dB so hearing protection is absolutely mandatory when running. Vibration is not too bad thanks to rubber isolation mounts on the motor.

Overall the 3HP motor provides all the power you’ll need for smooth planing while still running fairly quietly compared to other 15″ planers.

Maintenance

The Jet 15” Planer is easy to maintain with just a few key items:

Cutterhead knives – These should be rotated once dull and eventually replaced. Keep extra knives on hand to reduce downtime.

Table surface – Over time your tables can get scratched or build up resin. Light sanding followed by a coat of paste wax keeps them slick.

Gears – Lubricate the lifting gears yearly with gear grease to prevent binding when raising/lowering cutter head.

Belts – Check belt tension and alignment periodically. Re-tension or replace if belts slip.

Dust removal – Blow out dust from inside cabinet to prevent buildup on components.

Rust prevention – Apply a light coat of paste wax or corrosion inhibitor to the cast iron table to prevent rust.

Following these basic maintenance practices will keep your planer running smoothly for years.

Pros & Cons

Here is a helpful breakdown of the main pros and cons of this planer:

Pros

Powerful 3 HP motor
Leaves surfaces smooth and flat
Easy knife changes

Minimal snipe when adjusted properly
Cuts up to 15” stock
Cast iron table for rigidity

Cons

Cabinet is too lightweight
Dust collection is subpar
No built-in mobile base

Slight snipe still occurs
Noisy at 98 dB

Accessories

There are a few handy accessories available to enhance your Jet 15” Planer:

Additional knives – Keep spares to reduce downtime for changes
Infeed and outfeed roller stands – Support long boards and reduce snipe
Mobile base – Allows easier movement around your shop

Dust collection fittings – Adapt to your dust collector hose

Purchasing some additional knives and stands will get you the best performance from your new planer.

Customer Reviews

Here are some common thoughts from other Jet 15” Planer owners:

“This planer is an absolute workhorse. Flattens boards incredibly fast and the cut quality is superb. My only complaint is the lightweight base cabinet.”

“This machine madedimensional planing so much easier. The anti kickback fingers really work. Dust collection struggles a bit but I added a dust hood which helped.”

“The power of the 15” capacity motor is great. Handles anything I throw at it without bogging down. Love the easy knife changes too.”

“Does a great job flattening rough lumber and putting a smooth surface on boards. My only annoyance is the snipe that still occurs on some woods no matter the adjustments.”

“Overall this is a great planer for a small shop like mine. Does everything I need it to. Just wish the dust collection was a little better.”

As you can see, owners are very happy with the planing performance but the dust collection and snipe are common complaints.

Price

The Jet JWP-15B currently sells for around $1500 at most retailers. This puts it in the middle of the pack price-wise for stationary 15” planers.

While not cheap, it provides excellent cut quality and power for the money. The 3 year warranty also protects your investment if any issues arise.

For the serious hobbyist or professional woodworker doing smaller projects, the Jet 15” is a great option without breaking the bank.

Comparison Table

Here is a helpful comparison table looking at the Jet 15” Planer vs the Dewalt DW735X:

| Feature | Jet JWP-15B | Dewalt DW735X |
|-|-|-|
| Motor Power | 3 HP | 15 Amp |
| Cutterhead | 3 Knife | 2 Knife |
| Max Cut Depth | 1/8″ | 1/8″ |
| Feed Speed | 10 & 23 FPM | 14 & 20 FPM |
| Table Size | 37″ x 15 1/4″ | 35 3/8” x 19 3/4” |
| Dust Collection | 2 1/2″ Port | 2 1/2” Port |
| Weight | 255 lbs | 92 lbs |

While the Dewalt has the advantage of being portable, the Jet offers more power and a 3 knife cutterhead for smoother cuts. The Jet also handles full 15″ width boards better.

Should You Buy It?

The Jet JWP-15B 15” Planer is a very capable machine that can handle the needs of most small shops. It leaves a finely finished surface while still being easy to operate.

Before purchasing, be sure a stationary 15” planer meets your current and future needs. This type of planer excels at flattening, thicknessing, and smoothing large boards but lacks portability.

If you require maximum cutting width and power for fine finish work, then the Jet 15” Planer is an excellent choice. Just be prepared to handle the large size during any future relocation.

Overall the planer produces great results once tuned in properly. Pay attention to snipe and dust collection, but otherwise this planer will serve you well for many years.

Your woodworking will reach a whole new level with boards coming out of this planer ready for finishing and assembly.

Conclusion

The Jet JWP-15B 15” Planer offers solid performance for the money. The powerful motor and 3 knife cutter head make quick work of dimensioning lumber while leaving a super smooth finish ready for sanding and finishing.

While not without some flaws, the Jet 15” planer is built tough and will serve small shops well for many years. Just be sure to add some mobility upgrades like casters to overcome the poor base cabinet design.

So if you are searching for an affordable stationary planer with enough muscle to flatten wide boards, then the Jet 15” is an excellent choice. Be sure to leave some extra length to trim off snipe and use proper dust collection.

Hopefully this detailed review gave you all the details to decide if the Jet 15” planer is the best fit for your woodworking needs and budget. Happy woodworking!