Thicknesser slowing down

[groeneaj]

Evening all,

I was just running some maple through my Deltra 12" benchtop thicknesser before and it really struggled (slowed down/had to push it through)
When the stock eventually came out, the face had little marks throughout (not sure how to describe it).

What could this be? Could the blades need resharpening?
When I bought the thicknesser off another forum member he reversed the blades so they should be quite sharp still (approx 5 months ago)

Andy

[toolbagsPLUS]

Before you race out and get the blade resharpened (which they may well need)
Check for blockages in extraction chute, the marks if they are like indentations, textured surface as it were,
means the shavings are not being cleared after they have been cut and are being pressed back
into the surface of the timber which has just been planned, by the out-feed rollers.


Cheers


Steve

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Pix would help. Different marks generally indicate different problems.

What Steve said above is one possibility, if they're fairly random.

If the marks are full-width, leaving the surface with a rippled effect (sorta like corrugated iron) then that's most likely from pushing the wood thru too fast. When it's struggling, only give enough "assist" so that the wood isn't stopped in the one spot. let the thicknesser cut at it's own rate... even if that is at a snail's pace.

If it's accompanied by a lot of tear-out, then it's more likely to be blunt blades.

A narrow "band" of repetitive marks tends to indicate something stuck on a feed roller.

Etc, etc.

[groeneaj]

Thanks for the replies,
I'll take some pics of the markings. It's still a relatively smooth finish so maybe it's the dust chute blockage as I did have issued the other week with my dusty (bag too full and a blockage)
Andy

[Claw Hama]

Yep, I'd agree with the blockage theory. I hate it when that happens and its your last cut to get to thickness.

[BobR]

If it is not a blockage, you might also check that the table does not need waxing. Have had my thicknesser come almost to a standstill and require some coaxing to get the timber through only to find that a waxing was required.

[China]

Another possibility if it is abelt drive belt could be slipping, although you would normaly smell burnt rubber

[Rifleman1776]

If it is not a blockage, you might also check that the table does not need waxing. Have had my thicknesser come almost to a standstill and require some coaxing to get the timber through only to find that a waxing was required.

BobR beat me to it. I was going to suggest waxing also. Drag can become enormous with a planer. This should be regular maintenance.

[Lignum]

Check your brushes.

[groeneaj]

Check your brushes.

What exactly am I looking for?

Andy

[Lignum]

What exactly am I looking for?

Andy

Andy, the small plastic caps both sides screw off, then pull out the spring loaded brushes and check if they are worn right down and have a big arc in them. If so take them both to your local tool shop and they will replace them for you. They are very cheap.

[groeneaj]

Problem solved: table needed waxing

[Claw Hama]

I've never noticed that the little bench tops don't have rollers in the bed. Ah yeh wax would help