Got a planer problem

Tony Baideme

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1,100
Location
Honolulu, Hawaii
Hi everyone. Hope you got to see the lunar eclips. We are socked in solid here, so we missed it.

My planer problem is with the feed rollers on my Delta 22-540 12" "lunchbox", which doesn't see a lot of use and is like new yet. The rollers are not gripping the wood and I have to push or pull the pieces through. The rollers are clean and in good shape and are turning. The springs have plenty of tension so the rollers are contacting the wood pretty well. The stainless bed plate is clean and has been waxed too. The wood pieces have been run through my jointer so the down side of the 5" wide boards are clean and smooth. Still, most of the time now, I have to help the wood through.

Who else has had this problem? (I know I can't be the only one), and what did you do about it? Seems as if the roller rubber is not "biting" the wood surface.

Solutions or suggestions? I cannot afford to replace parts just now, and a new planer is out of the question.

Thanks for any help.

Aloha, Tony
 
Tony, you say the rollers are clean, but I find if I wipe them down with denatured alcohol before it seems to make the more grippy. (I do the same thing with my jointer push blocks and Grrripper on the tablesaw.)

Ned's suggestion of making sure the blades are sharp is also a good one. I've had that dog bite me before, too.
 
Hi people, Thanks for the suggestions. The blades were flipped over the last time I serviced the planer. It doesn't get that much use, but the cutting edges should be just about new. I wrote that "The stainless bed plate is clean and has been waxed too." I'll do it again to see if it helps. I will also try the alcohol wipedown as Vaughn said.

Thanks a lot. I will see what happens.

Aloha, Tony
 
Depimg om the wood and the way it was stored can dull knives very quick. Wood that has been sitting on the ground or in a barn can get alot of grit in/on it and basiclly sand the blades dull. Try the new blades and it sshould fix it.
 
Got a planer problem / not so much anymore

Thank you one and all for your help.

Well, I didn't have any new blades, so I honed the ones I took out with my diamond hone. Yes, there was a wire edge on them and they looked dirty with what appeared to be some kind of finish residue. All gone now.

I didn't have any DNA here so I dampened a cloth with Lacquer thinner and wiped the rollers down. I could feel the surface changing so I didn't linger too long. I WAS CAREFUL NOT TO GET DIRTY HAND PRINTS ON THE ROLLER SURFACE. I could see right away that would have been a problem again. I had taken the rollers out, so they were easier to wipe down. Having them in the machine is a pain to get all the way around them.

OK, the results. Yes, the blades must have been dull. (Delta factory blades don't hold an edge long, huh?) The rollers moved the wood through at a steady rate. I was able to plane all the boards for this part of my project very well, thanks to all your advice. My thanks again. :thumb:

So, now I know, and will remember. Maybe I can help someone else someday.

Looks like tonight is going to be clouded over so I won't see the second go round of the eclipse. I hate when that happens.

Aloha, Tony :wave:
 
Got a planer problem / boards being planed

Al, I can't really say where all these were stored, except for where I got them from. They were in an underground ammunition bunker/storage unit when I got them. Had been there for a while. They reportedly came from Asia, as part of "Bali Beds"? (that was written on one of the pieces.) Fairly hard wood with a kind of reddish color. Nice grain too. Showed some minor tearout in certain soft grain areas, but I can live with this. I guess this is what we get for trying to recycle wood. Got to be extra careful I guess.

Thanks. :wave:

Aloha, Tony
 
Ha Ha, Ok Tom, that happens to me too. I knew I had done that waxing, and I even went back to the original post to see if I HAD written it. So see, I'm getting old and forgetful. :doh:

But, the planer did work, much better. If I keep building things especially out of recycled wood, I may need a better planer. That's off in the distant future though. :dunno:

BTW, your kitchen looks fantastic. Gives me some ideas too. Great job. :thumb:

Aloha, Tony
 
I learned my lesson from planing a bunch of hard maple. Dulled my blades much faster than I expected and caused all kinds of feed problems. A little honing and it worked much better...
 
I learned my lesson from planing a bunch of hard maple. Dulled my blades much faster than I expected and caused all kinds of feed problems. A little honing and it worked much better...

I tore up one side of a set of blades milling some old pine or fir 2 x 10s that had been painted. The blades were about as sharp as an old screwdriver when I flipped them over.

Hey Tony...did anyone suggest wax yet? :hide: :D
 
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