powermatic 15 inch planer question
I am having a problem with my powermatic planer. It is the 15 inch floor model, and about 8 years old. It has generally been a very satisfying tool to work with and not caused any big problems until this past year. The two issues i am having, and wondering if anyone has some suggestions are:
1- the rollers on the bed or floor of the planer that ease the wood through do not maintain their position and drop down so that the wood does not slide through. This is happening because the set screws are no longer holding the rollers in place. i need to continually readjust and tighten the set screws.
2- the clutch does not stay engaged in the slower speed setting. this model has a clutch that you pull out for the slower speed, and push in for the higher speed. the middle setting in neutral. when pulled out for the slower speed, it eventually slips back into neutral every fifteen or so minutes of work. If i push it in to the hi speed setting it seems to stay.
Any experience and help with these two problems is greatly appreciated. thanks.
Marc
Replies
Have you ever changed the gear lube, or checked the lube level? Might have something to do with the problem.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
1) Are you referring to the rollers directly below the cutterhead, or the in and outfeed rollers?
2) Are you changing speeds while the planer is running?
kreuzie
yes, the rollers directly under the cutter head. there are two rollers, and both have 'set screws' which are actually tightened with an allen wrench. they both are adjustable to provide for even gliding through the cutter head action. both do not hold and lose alignment frequently. i realign and tighten the set screw and am good to go for another fifteen minutes of work. i suspect that the bar that slides thru the roller is worn and needs to be replaced.
i am not shifting while machine is running. i just discovered this past year or two that i needed to hold the shifter out to keep it from sliding in to neutral. now i just leave it in high gear, because it is to much of a hassle the other way. but of course that affects my wood projects as well.
marc
marc--
How old is your planer? My Powermatic 15" is a 1995 vintage, and I've never adjusted nor had an issue with those rollers. Maybe ask Powermatic what to do??
As to the gearbox, you're supposed to change speeds while the machine is running.
kreuzie
thanks. will do . marc
Good luck, and let me know what you find out.
Where in Wisconsin do you call home? We pass through your fair state every summer on the way to northern Ontario.
kreuzie
about ten miles outside of Sparta, which is mid state and on the western side. Not too far from Lacrosse, and about 2 hours north of Madison. It is the driftless part of the state, the part the glaciers did not level eons ago. Very hilly and beautiful.
marc
I see from Google Maps that Sparta is not far from where I-90 and I-94 fork at Tomah. We continue on I-94 to Eau Claire, then 53 north to overnight in Rice Lake, before driving on to west of Kenora, Ontario. Small world!
kreuzie
I have the newer PM15HH but I am sure that with all of this model that you have to shift between speeds only while the machine is running.
I leave the bed rollers below the surface unless I have some really rough lumber that wants to catch or give me fits. I strongly suggest that you wax the tables (no silicone) if you are not already. Taht makes a big difference in how the wood moves through any planer.
Tom Hintz
Because there is always more to learn!
Hmmm, that is interesting. i can try that. it seems like even fairly smoot clean wood does not slide through without the rollers reducing friction. the cutting blades do not seem to move it through without binding and burning the wood. I have used some silicone in the past but have not waxed it. i can try that, although it must wear off pretty quickly and the metal already seems pretty smooth. I think i will remove the rollers and look at the point of contact with the set screws and see if this is the problem as well.
marc
You might need to adjust the feed roller pressure also. I wojld start with waxing the tables though. That cures almost all of the planer feed problems I get email about.Tom Hintz
Because there is always more to learn!
The cutting blades do not seem to move it through without binding and burning the wood ?? When did you sharpen the knives last ?? Anyway the knives rotate counter to feed direction, they don't pull the lumber through at all.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Marc
I've got a similar 15" planer, although not a Powermatic. I changed the oil in the gearbox recently. It's no big deal. Just make sure you have something in place to catch the oil. Mine had what looked and smelled like marine lower unit lube. I had some on hand, so that's what I used. In case you haven't used it, it comes with a long, flexible tube and a pump, so it's easy to fill. Just don't spill it. It smells nasty.
As far as the rollers, there should be some provision for locking the adjuster cams in place. Mine has some set screws on top of the bed. One thought is that maybe the bearings in your rollers are seized and the causing the whole mess to shift?
Let us know how you do!
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
David B
I have a Taiwanese 15" planer that I bought 25 years ago that has exactly the same problems as yours, since new. Can't remember which way my speed selector worked but it constantly worked it's way in while planing. Cut a piece of 1/2" copper pipe & slid it over the handle. Plastic knob fetches up on the copper pipe & can't move. Bed roller set screws were poor quality & would not stay tight, also stripped out so allen wrench wouldn't work. Replaced with better quality set screws & eventually the same thing happened. Finally replaced with a hex head bolt that I can get a box end wrench on to adjust - problem solved. Otherwise, planer has served me well for 25 years ( or maybe more) & has planed miles of hardwood lumber.
thanks to all of the above. all great ideas and thoughts. i will work on both problems using some of the suggestions. since the set screws actually loosen up and the rollers drop down, i really think that this is the feed problem. waxing is a good idea as suggested by some, but clearly the set screws should not loosen and the rollers not drop below grade. the blades, while probably in need of a sharpening, work fine when the bars are set and tightened. they only stop working when the bars drop down. the idea about the copper tubing to prevent the clutch from moving in is a great one. thanks again to all.
marc
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