Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 01, 2002 09:17am | #1

   Donny, there's somethin' wrong there for sure!  The first wood I ran through my Delta 12.5" a few weeks ago was oak, and it came out almost as smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom!

   Obviously, I'm fairly new to the planer too, but a few questions/answers might help others help you:

   Was the head locked when you planed?

   Does the oak that you planed have some kind of wild, hairy grain (not likely with oak, but just checking).

   Have you visually checked both of the blades?  Done all of the alignments? Be sure the machine is unplugged before doing this.

   Where did you get the machine?  If it was a local store, they might be able to help you. 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   bill_1010 | Aug 02, 2002 01:38am | #2

   if you were planing rough wood was the side that wasnt being planed nice and smooth? You said thin? What kind of thin are we talking about 1/32? 1/16?

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 02, 2002 04:50am | #3

   Donny, bill's questions were for you, and they're good ones.  A planer makes the upper surface parallel to the lower (against-the-table) surface, so you need a smooth surface below -- if the lower surface were extremely bumpy it would put some stress on the roller mechanism.  Your description of chips makes me wonder though.  forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   bigdonny | Aug 02, 2002 08:30am | #4

   The wood I was using was smooth on both sides. I was really just giving the machine A try, and the 3/4 oak was all I had around the house. I am going to try some pine this weekend. I checked the tables and I think I can maybe make A small adjustment there.

   Thanks for the input gang!

1. 
   tom_gattiker | Aug 02, 2002 05:16pm | #5

   Just to clarify an earlier post and yours.  One side (the underside) must be FLAT; SMOOTH doesn't matter (it can be smooth and still not be not flat). 

   How thin are your passes? After the first pass, I would try cranking one quarter turn.  I found there's a big difference between quarter and half turns.  Also if the wood is figured, try wetting it with a sponge first.     

   I too had great results right out of the box.  In my opinion, you should not have to futz with the thing too much right out of the box.  It is Delta's job to make it right the first time.  If you are not getting good results following the tips here, I'd return it.

2. 
   LarryPile | Aug 03, 2002 01:31am | #6

   Something is odd there...

   Are you trying to take too big of a "bite"??  Try lowering the blade until it just barely touches...make sure that your grain is running in the right direction and see what happens.

   If your wood is wildly figured, nothing will cure it....but otherwise, I'm stumped!

   Do you have a friend/acquaintance with a Planer?  Maybe run the board through another machine...just in case it's the board..and not the machine....

   Good luck!

   lp

2. 
   uncommontree | Aug 03, 2002 02:43am | #7

   Big D

   I did not read through all the posts yet but I can tell that a couple of months ago a good friend of mine bought a Delta 12.5 planer and right out of the box had trouble with it . Seems that Delta was having miss aligned or defective gears  and it was not working well or not at all, or self destructing which was the case with my friends planer. Not one but 3 of them. He took them all back to Farm&Fleet and was given a new one . He found out about the defect through a repair center that I use from time to time. If its not working and its new take it back ASAP  . Write down the serial no.first and date code check this with the replacement tool.Delta did correct this problem but there may be still some of these tools out there on the shelves yet. Hope this helps. Enjoy Rick.........

   Big D.  A correction. I was wondering about my buddie J.T's planer so I called him. Seems the first planer that died was a Dewalt ,it was under warrantee so he returned it for a Delta. This Delta 12.5 had the motor burn up so he thought it was his own mistake because the store told him he used to long of a extension cord (50') . So he paid to have it repaired. Soon after he got it back it self destructed. Then he called my repair people and was told the truth about his planer. Not only did Delta give him a new planer but they refunded him the money he spent fixing it the first time. I have a older Delta 12" that has had the snot kicked out of it for 6 years and it seems to be going strong. Get a good one and you will be a happy dust maker. Rick

   
   

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   Edited 8/2/2002 11:16:31 PM ET by ADESIGNS