The way you describe the planer that is pretty good size unit I have a 16 inch unit but unforetally it is not a electrique unit it is diesel driven but I put in a shear bolts in case someone jammed with hardwood and stall it.
{ it did happend couple time allready }
I know how long it take to get up to the running speed and I have one of my customer he have very serious sized planer IIRC it will take up to 48 inches that one have 2 motors in there one for planer head the second motor for feed drive { that one is a DC motor } the planer motor itself is 30HP that thing really screams once it get up running speed.
Merci,Marc
