Need some help before I can continue on my new project. Trying to dimension some roughsawn maple. When I get to the planer I couldn’t seem to get my pieces square. I took a piece to the joiner and made it PERFECTLY square. Ran it through my planer and found it was cutting the wood more on one side than the other! Ouch! Then I measured the Cutterhead and roller distance to the table. Turns out (if I did it right) it seems the cutterhead and roller are actually higher on the side taking the deeper cut. I would think the opposite, but I am fairly sure my measurements were correct.
I read on the forum and founds lots of info (esp. JohnW’s posting) but Nothing is working. I can’t mess with the chain, can’t figure out how to disconnect the chain, tried removing the gears from the jack screws and stripped out my allen wrench. Measured the knives, a little worn but AOK. I am at the point where you start to feel helpless. Besides, the planer squared stock perfectly before this last project. Didn’t drop the thing or hit it with my car.
The manual has nothing about truing this gadget up. The Delta 6″ joiner manual does a great job, but nothing for the 12″ planer. It is 6 months old! I have never seen a planer go out, let alone in 6 months. Help me please! A case of beer to whomever can help me fix this thing!!! Haha.
-John
Replies
Take out the knives and remeasure the distance from each end of the cutter head to the table. You can use a small block of wood. Raise the table until the cutterhead just touches the block of wood on one end. Then slide the block of wood over to see how much gap is at the other end. Ideally they both will be exactly the same.
If not, then either the table had changed or the cutter head has changed.
What about the bearings on each end of the cutterhead? Do they seem be be tight and alligned? If they look ok, then it's gotta be the table.
Is the table chain driven? Could it be that the gear that the chain meshes with on one side has slipped?
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Thanks for the reply! Further inversigation has reveild that the knives are pretty much paralell to the table. However, the in/outfeed rollers are not. They are off by the same amount. I don't know much about planers, but if the rollers are farther down whould they hold the work father down from the knives? Simply because like I said before the knives are cutting deeper on the side where the rollers are higher. I dunno. I will make adjustments to the rollers and see. I will keep posting the results.
-John
p.s.- What would cause the rollers to displace the same amount while the cutter head remains fixed? I have only run about 300bf of material through this thing.
is there tension adjustment for the rollers?
As a test, take a flat 2' or 3' piece of pine lumber and shave off a little. Measure to see if it comes out thicker on one side or the other.
If it does not, then the rough lumber is probably warped a little and the rollers are not pressing it down fully to the table on one side. Hence, more is being cut off where the rollers are the highest.
Do you have rubber or metal infeed and outfeed rollers? Mine are steel and I have the tension adjusted pretty tight. My rollers aren't exactly parallel with the bed but the high tension still forces the boards down. The infeed roller is seareated (sp?) steel.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Edited 1/28/2004 12:05:28 AM ET by PlaneWood
The lumber is fully square on all four sides before going through the machine-o-death, when it comes out, only the planed side is out of whack. I have tried 8" and 3" wide stock, both 8/4. Makes no sense. So, in my frustrated fury, I replaced the planer blades entirely. Ran a few passes, a little better but not quite there. Then I used the cutter-head lock for the first time ever and it worked even better.
The rollers are both stiff rubber. I adjusted them and got the outfeed roller paralell but the infeed is non adjustable. But I really don't think that would be the problem, unless the deck is warping. I don't know how Delta makes the deck on the 12" planer.
Honestly, it still isn't where it was before, but it works for this project. Across an 8" wide board, there is a 0.07" gap of material from one side to the other, kinda stinks but it's all she'll give me. Any other suggestions for me please let me know. Thanks for the help!
-John
John,
I had problems too with my Delta 12.5 about 9 months after purchase. I talked with the service center quite a bit...and they were very responsive in sending out parts ...however, I ended up bring it in to the service center and they worked on it. It cost me about $35 and I talked to the repair guy when I picked it up. He said several little things were out of whack and he adjusted all. Since then I always use the lock handle....no problems.
"Any other suggestions for me please let me know." John, you've done a great deal of troubleshooting on your own and covered all the tune-up type things. It's time to call Delta. It's still under warantee, right?? If, for some reason, it's not, there is a Delta service guy who hangs out at the WWA forum. You could post over there, putting "Delta 007" in the title so he sees it. Click here, there's a "Register" option in the upper right-hand side.forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Thanks forestgirl
I already called them and they told me the same things I already knew. Unfortunately the nearest service centers are either Renton or Bellingham, Wa. Both a good drive away. I will continue to work with it until I can't take it anymore. I may also try the guy you are speaking of.
Let me know how Washington Alder works for you by the way!
-John
If its 6 months old call delta they have a 2 year warranty on it. Let them worry about it.
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