10 Inch Planner Thicknesser (help!!)

[tenfingers]

I have just bought a second hand 10 Inch Planner Thicknesser (like the one a Carbatec for $1050), it is in near new condition and I picked it up for $650 (TCM or TMC brand sticker on the side).

I have had a play with two bits of very twisted hard wood and managed to get them straight (after making lots of sawdust). The second piece was a very hard piece of wood and in the Thicknesser Mode unless I pushed or pulled the timber through the "edged roller" seemed to find it very hard to grip the timber to drive it through, did not matter if it was only taking next to nothing off or 2mm off.

The machine have been sitting idle of a while and I guess shining the metal surfaces would help the timber slip through but it worked fine on the first piece.

Anybody out there have any tips on working this machine?? (did not come with manuals)

Thanks.

[BobR]

Tenfingers, the first thing I would do following your description of events, is to clean down the jointer table and planer bed with something like scotchbrite to remove any trance of grit, rust, or material left from previous timber. Whilst there are several things that can be used to lubricate the surface, just try a regular candle to wax it up. Then try another piece through the machine. Believe me, a clean table waxed up will make a massive difference to the feed. If it still does not at least the obvious has been elimated. good luck.

[Groggy]

I have just bought a second hand 10 Inch Planner Thicknesser (like the one a Carbatec for $1050), it is in near new condition and I picked it up for $650 (TCM or TMC brand sticker on the side).

I have had a play with two bits of very twisted hard wood and managed to get them straight (after making lots of sawdust). The second piece was a very hard piece of wood and in the Thicknesser Mode unless I pushed or pulled the timber through the "edged roller" seemed to find it very hard to grip the timber to drive it through, did not matter if it was only taking next to nothing off or 2mm off.

The machine have been sitting idle of a while and I guess shining the metal surfaces would help the timber slip through but it worked fine on the first piece.

Anybody out there have any tips on working this machine?? (did not come with manuals)

Thanks.Hi, welcome to the forum. We need a little bit of info to help.

Thicknessers. Did you flatten one side of the board first? Thicknessers are for making boards of even thickness, they cannot flatten them unless one side is flat already - this is the job of the jointer (aka buzzer).

Manual. Most manuals are available in Adobe Acrobat format on the web, it is just a matter of finding it. Mr Google is a great help here.

Dust/Chips. Dust or chips will make it difficult for the rollers to gain purchase on the wood, use a dust collector.

Feed Tables. Give these a good polish, but do NOT use anything with silicone in it like most automotive products. Paraffin wax does a good job, silverglide is best if you can get it.

[echnidna]

As well as polishing the table,
clean the feed rollers with a rag dampened with metho.

[tenfingers]

Thanks everybody,
I will give the surfaces a good clean up with these ideas, I did flatten two sides using the jointer mode first and am using a 1hp Hare and Forbes Dust extractor.

Is funny thinking of it now, it did the first piece with nobody looking, then after being proud of the first attempt I called the wife to show her doing the second piece and she couldn't understand how I was so excited one minute then confused the next!!

Thanks again
Tenfingers