Hi Folks,
Does anybody here have an older Rockwell RC-51 20″ planer (model 22-461)? Mine is serial #390, made 12/84, but the manual I got with it is for machines serial #3429 and higher, which differ in a number of ways.
My planer has two steel outfeed rollers rather than the single rubber one specified in the manual I have. Should they both be set at .035″ below the cutting circle, or is one supposed to be set differently from the other?
Secondly, there does not appear to be any way to seperately adjust the height of the bed rollers above the bed surface – there is only one point of adjustment, and it affects both rollers simultaneously. The rear roller always remains .004″ higher than the front (ie. when the front roller is set .002″ above the bed, the rear roller is .006″). Both rollers are parallel to the table surface. Was the machine designed to work this way? I’ve always adjusted front and back bed rollers to the same height.
I’ve contacted Delta, but was told they had no information for this model (!!!). I was hoping someone might be able to tell me what the correct manual says.
Thanks a bunch,
Ron
Replies
We have one of those in our shop. 1st outfeed roller is set to .011" below cutting circle. 2nd outfeed roller is set to .023" below the cutting circle. Sometimes you have to just fake it I've found. Meaning I've found exceptions to the rule. The front and back bedrolls were off by quite a bit more on mine so I split the bar and put an adjuster so I could get them even. I also set the pressure bar higher than the manual specified. Got it to run with no snipe so that's OK in my book! This model was made in Brazil by Invicta so Delta doesn't seem to have saved any of the literature.
Edited 10/28/2003 1:04:19 PM ET by Rick at Arch. Timber and Millwork
Edited 10/28/2003 1:06:46 PM ET by Rick at Arch. Timber and Millwork
Hi Rick,
Thanks very much for the info. It makes sense that solid steel outfeed rollers would be set a bit higher than the .035" spec'd for the single rubber roller, which I assume would compress in use.
I set my rollers to .011" and and .023" like you suggested, and things are considerably improved, though i'm still getting about .003" of snipe on the back end of boards - perhaps I'll need to do some surgery on the bed roller adjuster like you did to eliminate it entirely.
Thanks again for your help,
Ron
Keep the bedrolls as low as possible. The spilt I had was about .010" different from the front to back with the outfeed being higher. Actually I got things a bit mixed up. I gave you the readings on the upper feedrolls from my manual. It was my Delta 24" I did the modification on for the bedroll difference. I actually had the whole bed out and determined it was easier to nodify it the way I did than any other. Also have a Yates American 24" so it gets a bit confusing at times.
Edited 10/28/2003 5:22:06 PM ET by Rick at Arch. Timber and Millwork
Try going to owwm.com (old woodworking machines). Browse the site and check all the Delta/Rockwell manuals that have been uploaded. If you are unable to find it there then go to the discussion forum and ask if anyone has an old manual they can upload. Read the FAQ's and make sure to see if one is already available first, they can get a bit testy sometimes if you ask for info that is already available with a little time spent searching the web site.
Brian
Hi Brian,
I checked the website you suggested, but didn't find an archived manual for the RC-51. I'll post an enquiry there later when I get a bit more time.
Thanks for your help,
Ron
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