Hey all,
Hope everyone’s been well and enjoying the summer. It’s been hot and muggy here in Northern VA.
I just purchased a Delta 22-580 13″ planer. It did a fantastic job on some knotty boards, until I noticed a board come out with the telltale signs of nicked blades – ridges that run the length of the board. I checked the last smooth board for ferrous and non-ferrous metals – no evidence of either. So why would the blades get nicked the very first time I used the planer? Could it be the knots? I’m not sure what kind of wood it is that I’m planing – Kind of golden yellow with a really pleasant and strong smell. If it’s pine, I’ve never seen this variety before.
I’ve turned the blades around, but I’m now worried about how long the second set of edges will last. Replacement blades cost $40/pair. Would you ask Delta for new blades if this happened to you? I figure it can’t hurt to ask, but even if they say yes, I have to wonder how good a purchase this was if the knife edges are that delicate.
Please let me know what you think.
Best regards,
Mitch
“I’m always humbled by how much I DON’T know…”
Replies
MVAC,
The very first board I put through mine had a nail in it. I always take a final pass without making any depth adjustments...moving the board over a bit takes care of the issue.
Mitch,
If I were Delta I think I know what I would be saying....
You mention not being sure of the type of timber you were using. Nicks can be caused by other things in addition to those metals you mentioned-such as calcareous stone deposits and silica like you find in Iroko, for one. You could also have had an object such as a pebble in one of those knots- can happen at timber yard.Grit can also be embedded through careless handling at timber yard or elsewhere. Usually one can tell if the knives have cut metal by examination of the "grooves".
The fact is that the sharp edge of the planer knife is delicate. It is very thin.No matter what type-high speed steel or tungsten -the edges are delicate, being intended for cutting wood which is relatively soft.
My bet is that you had a board that had grit or gravel embedded.
Knots are great for nicking up blades. There are all kinds of things that will reduce the life of your blades, simply laying your lumber on the floor, where it can pick up a little sand is bad for them. If you want your blades to last, keep the knots, metal, dirt and grit away from them.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Aloha,
Don't throw the blade away, usually there is enough room to shift one blade to the right and one to the left.
It dosn't have to be a piece of metal to nick a blade, just a small rock imbeded will do it. If you don't know what kind of wood it is, you probably didn't get it from a hardwood dealer. In the future if you don't how it's been stored, inspect it carefully before planing.
Reminds me that when I was taking woodworking in college, one of the students brought in a fiberglassed diving board from his pool at home and ran it through the planer to clean it up. Needless to say the instructor hit the roof and we students were'nt too happy either. Put it out of commission for quite some time.
Thanks, everyone. While I wish the story were different, I'll chalk it up to the learning process. I don't know if the knives can be moved enough, but I guess putting the board though a second time in a different position will take care of the immediate problem.
Thanks again,Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
On the Delta 13" planer the indexing pins go into slots in the knives that allow them to be shifted left and/or right. Just shift one of the knives. IIRC, the manual describes the procedure.
Thanks, Doc. I'll re-read the manual.Mitch
"I'm always humbled by how much I DON'T know..."
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