I recently purchased the Powermatic 20 inch planer.
I’m getting small 1/8 x 3/16 sections of tear out accross the board.
Knifes are sharp, machine has been factory set but I have not checked it.
Powermatic people tell me its the chips falling back down on the board and being crushed by the rollers. This would leave an dent not a tear out.
I’ve got plenty of dust collection.
Any suggestions?
Replies
Are you putting the board in with proper grain direction? Some species are more prone to tear-out. Check the chip breakers. Follow the manual and do a check. The factory setting can always be improved upon. Is it tearing out in just certain areas or all down the length? Try another type of wood. What kind of wood are you using?
Are the knives set correctly?
Jeff
Was just reading about this in "Understand Wood" yesterday. The author discusses how some woods will tear like this when the knife catches the softer pith in the wood grain. From the pictures in the book, this is obvious by the tear out following the grain. I can't say if the pictures would identify all the woods that do this though or if the pictures are representative of what all woods that are prone to this would look like. He also discusses problems from the cutter head cutting passing too many times per inch over the board. Is there a chance you are trying to take too little for a planer? Maybe the opposite, too much?
It's an interesting book if you haven't seen it.
Don
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