Shopsmith Forums

I sent these cherry boards through my Shopsmith pro thickness planer. The pland left the boards with what appear to be burn marks. I sent them through at the lowest feed rate and took only a small amount of material. What did I do wrong? Dull blades? Feed rate? Is there a way to remove these marks?
Any help appreciated.
John D

here is the picture

There are most likely other factors. Feed rate as been suggested by others (and I don't disagrre) but the pattern of burning also indicates that there is something about the grain in these two boards that is a bit different. The burn marks would be where the wood (the grain) is most dense.

Get yours blades sharpened and set out to get educated. Take off very minimal amounts and surface at different speeds. You'll soon have it mastered.

You can't get a better setup for doing this (as a non-professional) that you have. Enjoy and the best of luck.

From the pix it looks like the burning is taking place in an area that is likely from a crotch. A difficult task.

Sharp Sharp Sharp.

Light cuts.

Rapid feed.

That would be what I would attempt.

However sanding might be the better approach.

dusty wrote:There are most likely other factors. Feed rate as been suggested by others (and I don't disagrre) but the pattern of burning also indicates that there is something about the grain in these two boards that is a bit different. The burn marks would be where the wood (the grain) is most dense.

Get yours blades sharpened and set out to get educated. Take off very minimal amounts and surface at different speeds. You'll soon have it mastered.

You can't get a better setup for doing this (as a non-professional) that you have. Enjoy and the best of luck.

I totally agree Dusty. Blade sharpness and feed rate are the answer. Is there any other comparable planer in the industry that has variable feed rate?

As far as the Pro Planer yes, it is a PRO planer. It is extremely well built and will last a life time. Some say "Oh, the DeWalt lunch box planer is 13" not 12". I can't remember the last time I planed something 12" wide let alone 13". I also think I saw somewhere that there is a helical cutter head available.

I have worked with cherry allot, it has an oil in the wood that will leave that type of "burn" marks, be it ripping, routeing, ect. I have never experienced planing, but most of my cherry I have planed and run through there drum sander at my provider. The bit I have planed on my lunch box I take only off a 32nd at a time, and my blades are sharp, and not much crotch/burled where the oil is and not seen that on mine.
Now for the next tip, do to this oil in cherry when you go to finish it it can be blotchy, read up on that, or get Flexners finishing book, explains all on finishing.
It is not all about oil in the wood, but also the grain tightness, open/closed pores which will absorb more/less stain/finish.

One thing I would do is to wax the table really well. I have had occasion where the wood would kind of stop and stutter if the table is not really slick. I also agree with the other suggestions to sharpen the planer blades and to increase the feed rate.

Thank you for all the replies.
I think I will try to remedy all of the potential causes and try again.

One late entry here. Check the moisture level of the cherry.
Paul