One cutterhead, two jobs
In jointer mode the board rides face down across two tables above the cutterhead and comes off with one flat face; with that face on the fence, an edge is squared to it. In planer mode the same head cuts the top of a board fed underneath, on a table that rises to set thickness, so the second face comes out parallel to the first. That is the same order a separate jointer and thickness planer work in, from one motor. It is not a jointer and a planer running at once: Grizzly's manuals are explicit that the machine must be changed over between modes.
What changes over
Grizzly's G0633: jointer to planer
Disconnect the power
Every step is done with the machine unplugged.
Clear the top
The jointer's cutterhead guard and fence come off, and the dust hose comes off the jointer port.
Raise the tables
Both jointer tables lift and lock in the raised position. Grizzly warns of crushed fingers between tables and base.
Move the dust port
The planer dust port swings over the cutterhead and the hose goes on it.
Set the lever
The change lever goes up for planer operation. Back to jointing, the planer table goes below the 4 in mark and the steps are reversed — guard and fence back on before jointing.
The smaller G0958 and G0959 change over differently: the jointer tables stay put, a dust-port housing moves onto the outfeed table and is keyed in place over the cutterhead, and the guard is swung over the infeed table and held there by a lock-out while the planer works below. Each machine's sequence is its own; follow its manual.
Two Grizzly pairs by their figures
| Figure | G0633 / G0634 | G0958 / G0959 |
|---|---|---|
| Width, both modes | 12 in | 8 in / 12 in |
| Cutterhead | 3 HSS knives / 'spiral', 56 inserts | 'Helical', 18 / 28 inserts |
| Jointer depth | 1/8 in | 1/16 in in the specifications; 1/8 in on the label |
| Planer depth | 1/8 in full width; 5/32 in on a 6 in board | 3/64 in full width; 1/16 in on a 6 in board |
| Planer thickness | Up to 8 in | Not stated in the specifications reviewed |
| Shortest stock | 12 in | 6 in in the specifications; 8 in on the label |
| Feed and cuts per inch | 22 ft/min; 57 / 75 | 22 ft/min; 64 |
| Power as stated | 5 HP, 220 V, 1-phase, 25 A; 30 A breaker | 1-1/2 HP universal, 120 V, 15 A; 20 A circuit |
| Weight | 672 lb | 48 lb / 86 lb |
Each figure is Grizzly's own. Where the manual disagrees with itself, both figures are shown; use the stricter.
What the combination trades
- Wide jointing. Jointer and planer share one width, so these machines face-joint 8 or 12 in — wider than the 6 in benchtop jointers in the jointer guide.
- Short tables. The G0958's jointer tables are 29-1/4 in long, against 73 in on Powermatic's 8 in 60C; the G0633's are 59-1/2 in, against 84 in on the 12 in 1285. Long boards need support at both ends.
- Changeover. Jointing every board first and then changing over once to plane them all saves repeated switching.
- One motor, one supply. The 12 in G0633 needs a 220 V circuit and has no plug; the G0958 runs on a household 120 V outlet but takes much lighter cuts.
- Depth limited by width. As on any planer, the deepest cut shrinks as the board gets wider; the G0958's is 3/64 in at full width.
Rules from the manuals
- Change over only with the power disconnected, and keep fingers clear of the tables' pivots.
- Return every guard before jointing; Grizzly says never to run the jointer with a guard removed.
- Feed with the grain — down and toward you on the jointer, away from you on the planer, as Grizzly describes it seen from the edge.
- Do not joint or plane stock with knots that may come loose.
- Plane only stock above the shortest length and thinnest thickness stated; use push blocks for narrow or thin stock.
- Support the board as it leaves the planer and keep downward pressure off the trailing end to limit snipe.
Before changing modes
- Machine unplugged
- Guard, fence and dust hose moved as the manual sets out
- Tables locked; nothing between tables and base
- Dust port over the cutterhead for planing
- Guard and fence back on before jointing
Whether a combination machine or a planer alone suits a shop is in a jointer planer vs a planer; the jobs each machine does are in jointer vs planer, and the steps in how to use a jointer. Choosing one is in choosing a combination machine. Knives and inserts are compared in planer knives and inserts.
Sources
Grizzly's figures are for its own machines; other combination machines change over differently and their manuals govern. The G0958/G0959 manual gives two different jointer depths and minimum lengths — one in its specifications, one on its machine label — and both are shown; the stricter applies. Grizzly calls one head 'spiral' and the other 'helical', and each name is kept. No machine was tested.
- 1.
Model G0633/G0634 Jointer/Planer Combination Machine owner's manual (revised February 2018). Grizzly Industrial, 2018.
Used for: The G0633 (three high-speed steel knives) and G0634 ('spiral' head, 56 indexable cutters in 4 spirals): 12 in wide in both modes; jointer 1/8 in, 12 in minimum length; planer 1/8 in full width and 5/32 in on a 6 in board, up to 8 in thick, 22 ft per minute, 57 or 75 cuts per inch; 5,034 rpm; 5 HP, 220 V single-phase, 25 A, 30 A breaker, no plug supplied; jointer tables 59-1/2 in long; 672 lb; the changeover with the power disconnected — guard and fence off, dust hose moved, jointer tables raised and locked, planer dust port swung over the cutterhead, change lever up — and back; a pinch hazard between tables and base; grain running down and toward you on the jointer and away from you on the planer; snipe from an outfeed table set too low, pressure on the trailing end or an unsupported board.
- 2.
Model G0958/G0959 8" & 12" Jointer/Planer with Helical Cutterhead owner's manual (for models manufactured since 03/23). Grizzly Industrial, 2023.
Used for: The G0958 (8 in, 18 inserts) and G0959 (12 in, 28 inserts) with a 'helical' head: 1-1/2 HP universal motor, 120 V single-phase, 15 A, a 5-15 plug, a 20 A circuit; 8,500 rpm, 17,000 cuts per minute, 64 cuts per inch, 22 ft per minute; a jointer depth of 1/16 in in the specifications but 'never cut deeper than 1/8 in' on the machine label, and a 6 in minimum length in the specifications but 8 in on the label; 29-1/4 in tables on the G0958 and 42-3/8 in on the G0959; planer depth 3/64 in full width and 1/16 in on a 6 in board; 1/4 in minimum thickness; 48 lb and 86 lb; the conversion: power disconnected, fence set, dust-port housing moved onto the outfeed table and keyed, the cutterhead guard swung over the infeed table and held by its lock-out.
- 3.
Operating Instructions and Parts Manual, 8-inch Jointer, Models 60C and 60HH (M-1610084, edition 8). Powermatic, 2025.
Used for: A standalone 8 in jointer's 73 in tables, for comparison of table length.
- 4.
Operating Instructions and Parts Manual, 12-inch Jointer, Models 1285 and 1285T (M-0460216, edition 7). Powermatic, 2023.
Used for: A standalone 12 in jointer's 84 in tables, for comparison of table length.
- 5.
Used for: A standalone benchtop planer's 13 in width and 6 in thickness, for comparison.
About this guide
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