Planer adjustment help needed

Jim54 · Post by **Jim54** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:43 pm

I can't get my Pro Planer (24 years old) adjusted properly. The planer works but I am not getting a smooth enough finish on hardwood. Is there anyone in Northern Virginia who can do this for me? I will gladly pay to get my planer working properly again.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 1:03 pm

How long since ya sharpened the blades?

Jim54 · Post by **Jim54** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 1:32 pm

It has been several months since I sharpened the blades -- and I think they are in alignment. I have had the problem I described since before the last sharpening and have been playing with the adjustsments without success ever since then.

That said, sharpening the blades again has got to help some. So I will do that.

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 2:36 pm

Jim54 wrote:I can't get my Pro Planer (24 years old) adjusted properly. The planer works but I am not getting a smooth enough finish on hardwood. Is there anyone in Northern Virginia who can do this for me? I will gladly pay to get my planer working properly again.

Have you installed the Planer Pulley Retro-Kit 555114 on your planer? This really helped smooth out the cuts I was getting with hardwood years ago when I was using the Pro Planer. I used a link belt to reduce vibrations which might effect the operation.

This kit increases the cutter head from 3450 to 5750 RPM. I believe you can go up to around 7,000 RPM for the planer cutter head without any problems other than making a pulley guard to keep objects/chips/etc. from getting in the belt path. Here is the program I use when playing with motor to machine speeds for belt driven equipment.

Pulley to Pulley Ratio Calculator
http://www.csgnetwork.com/pulleybeltcalc.html