I have been looking for a planner and I have read that the new Jet and Powermatic 15 inch units have “corrugated” infeed rollers. I have not seen the units so I can not “look in” to learn. What is the corrugated material? What does Delta use for a similar machine?
Replies
wafa,
The ones I have seen are made of steel and have been told the finish surface is not as mirror like as the soft rollers of smaller and older type machines .
dusty
Corrugated infeed rollers are pretty standard with stationary planers. They provide the necessary grip to advance the work without slipping. The planer knives are set in such a relation that they remove any marks made by the roller. The exception is when you try to take skim cuts, less than 1/16". Planers aren't meant to take these fine cuts and the cut won't be deep enough to remove marks. Heavier duty planers use segmented, corrugated rollers. These allow you to feed multiple boards that may vary in thickness a little. Feeding two boards or more with non segmented rollers can result in a kick back. Rubber infeed rollers may be used on planers that convert to sanders, like a Woodmaster and on portable planers that take light cuts. The Delta 15" planer has a corrugated infeed roller and a rubber outfeed.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Hammer,
Actually there is no reason to have any infeed roller marks- I am not familiar with Grizzlys and the like but I am used to having the facility of a variable pressure setting on the rollers-to enable one to take a whisker off without these marks.
Rubber outfeed?? Very bad idea to me....skid marks and low mileage too....
I begin to see why there is prejudice against thickness planers amongst the general (American) populace....Philip Marcou
Edited 12/6/2006 4:36 am by philip
Philip,
Them rubber rollers on my Scheppach planer/thicknesser do a very good job of feeding in, and avoiding marks on, the work. The rubber used is tough stuff and seems to last forever; nor does it put any skids marks on to the work. My machine is 8 years old and has planed thousands of feet of mostly hardwoods, in its time.
Scheppach have used this stuff on their rollers for decades and have no doubt perfected its composition. They use the rubber rollers as one of their selling points and I must say it does seem to work very well, even contributing to the smoothness of the cut that results. They seem to deaden vibration and bounce.
Perhaps the rubber rollers also contribute to the thicknesser's ability to take very light cuts - 0.2mm is quoted by Scheppach and I hereby atest that this is indeed possible.
It is a good technique, with the Scheppach, to sneak up on the final required thickness by taking ever more lighter cuts, which can (with many timbers) result in a finish even you might not wish to apply a scraper to! Even the tracks left by the odd knife nick can be taken without planing any more off the rest of the plank.
Remarkable engineers, them Germans.
Lataxe, rubber fan
Hi Phillip ,
The roller material is the same or quite similar to power feeder rollers , they do not last forever but do a great job . Imagine a stock feeder with steel tires , probably would not leave as smooth a surface .
regards dusty
There are steel wheels with teeth on them for power feeders for rough stock.
The standard feeder wheels aren't that good a quality. http://www.westernroller.com offer different durometer rated replacement wheels.
Also of note is Martin offers their planer with rubber feed rolls and they make some of the most expensive machines out there.
Philip,
I have a Makita combination 12" planer - 6" jointer, this is an old stationary tool no longer manufactured (or at least no longer offered in the US) I changed the "rubber" rollers this year for the first time after more than 15 years of constant (daily) use.
These rollers are actually neoprene, no skid marks, ever !
I can make 1mm passes.C.
Folks, I must confess to having an extreme view on this question of rubber rollers. Neoprene rollers are superiorto rubber, but all the same I would rather see those on power feeders-bigger diameter and not critical to accurate results- and accepted as a wearing part .
To the best of my knowledge none of the big boys use anything but steel for their feed rollers on thicknessers.No problems with stuff becoming embedded either. Ofcourse all these things work well enough under civilised conditions.Philip Marcou
Philip,
"....Of course all these things work well enough under civilised conditions...."
I suspect that all that metal swarf from the making of Very Superior Planes has been getting in your gubbins, which therefore must be made of the most resilient stuff. As it's Christmas, I am tempted to send you a Lovely Cleaning Lady in a nice pinny and a red frock with white bunting on it, to tidy you up a bit.
Unfortunately I don't know any ladies who would be willing to fly that far when so-dressed, so I suppose you must forgo the pleasures of rubber, in all its guises.
Lataxe
Lat, thanks for the kind thoughts. Send the lady, and don't worry about pinny and frock.Your suspicions are well- founded.Philip Marcou
As stated before serrated rollers ore usually only on the infeed and are steel with ridges milled in them. Serrated rollers grip better, which is necessarry when planing at the faster rates the big machines work at, and they don't gum up like trubber rollers. There should not be any marks left if the knives are installed correctly because they project past the rollers.
Pardon my spelling,
Mike
Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.
Thanks to you, and everyone, for the considered replys. I'm pleased to learn that the material is still steel.
I'm still looking. I has a Rockwell 13 at one time and I liked it a lot.
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