Shopsmith Forums

I bought a pro planer over the weekend. I'm trying to figure out if I need to replace the outfeed roller. I believe the answer is yes, but wanted to check before I spent the $80. This is my first planer fyi so I'm not very knowledgeable about them.

I would be more concerned about the CI bed.

I started cleaning the surface rust off the bed and I think it'll be fine. As long as it's flat and smooth that's what matters correct?

I don't believe your question can be answered based on the photo image. The question (for me) is does it move the work piece through the planer? You can't accurately answer that question until you clean and wax the table. If those rust spots are pits, you have a problem bigger that the feed roller.

Gotcha, makes sense. My main concern with the outfeed roller was that its wore unevenly so I didn't know how that would affect it. I'll get the bed all cleaned and waxed and then see how it does. What's the best wax to use?

That roller appears to have a lot of wear on the left side. That may have been caused by uneven pressure adjustments on the roller from side to side. If the pressure is uneven, that allows narrow boards to slip more when fed through one side than the other side. Once that roller is worn down like that, wide boards will create more wear as the smaller end will be slipping badly as the wide board passes through, erasing more of the roller with each pass. Only a roller with the same circumference across its length will solve that problem. I personally would order a new roller and replace it.

The same concept shows up on a truck with limited slip differential. If one tire is a bit smaller than the other one on that axle, the smaller tire will be dragged down the road erasing rubber off it very fast. Again, only replacing both tires with a matched set of the same circumference will fix it.

Thanks for the input Gary. Yeah I'll prob just go ahead and order one. Is replacing it too tough?

Tremarti wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:26 am Gotcha, makes sense. My main concern with the outfeed roller was that its wore unevenly so I didn't know how that would affect it. I'll get the bed all cleaned and waxed and then see how it does. What's the best wax to use?

This is an opinionated answer but I don't use anything other that Johnsons Paste Wax for tasks like this.

Thanks dusty, I'll try to use it if I can

Since you will be applying it to 'fresh' cast iron, wax it more than once(it fills the pores).

Replacing the roller can be a PITA(reassembly). Not difficult, just . . . . . .

I suggest replacing both rollers.