Pro Planer Table not level problems

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killscreen123
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Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by killscreen123 »

Hello Everyone,

This past year I upgraded the cutter head in my pro planer from the standard 3 knife head to the Sheartak helical cutterhead (I highly recommend it!). I was happy to not have to deal with fiddling with knife changes, sharpening and the like anymore.

I did notice when edge gluing panels that the boards themselves were not the same thickness. Butting two edges together would show maybe 1/16th" deviation. I also noticed that when running a board through the left side of the planer, if I immediately put it through the right side of the planer without making any thickness adjustments, the board would be planned again. The Sharktak head was rock solid so I figured this meant the planer's table needed to be adjusted (which I've never done since inheriting it from my Grandfather).

Following the manual I noticed the table had a slight wiggle when rocked up and down, I tightened the bolts on the bottom of the threaded rod and this helped eliminate most of the rocking (a tiny amount still persisted but any tighter and I couldn't turn the adjustment crank). Still, the boards weren't being planned properly. I decided to take apart the planer and level the planer bed to fix the problem.

I read the manual, and numerous posts on the forum for advice and went at it. I spend 3-4 hours slowly adjusting the table using my 1-2-3 block and trying to get the table as close to level using the guide bars as I could. I knew it would never be perfect as most people online could only get their tables level to within .004 - .005.

After putting the planer back together I tested it with a 12" wide pine board and measured the thickness at the middle of the board as per the manual with a pair of calipers and found .5 mm (0.019685") difference between the left and ridge side of the board. Is this acceptable? I figured it was good enough for me.

I only own SS's 4" jointer, so when milling rough sawn stock I use a planer sled and shims. The problem is no matter how much "rocking" I eliminate from the board using shims, the freshly thickness planed face of the board is never flat. There is always a minor rocking when testing it against my main SS table (flattest surface I own). Once I remove the planer sled, and place the "freshly planed rocking face" of the board face down on the planer bed, the opposite face is perfectly flat. I end up with a very flight "wedge" thicknessed board. When pressing down on the flat end, the opposite end lifts off the table about 1/8". Seems that no matter what I do, I can't get the "wedge" out of the board.

Does this mean I didn't do a good enough job with leveling the pro planer table? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't mind taking it apart again but I can't help but feel like I wasted the entire day and only made my problem worse.
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JPG
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by JPG »

What were you adjusting when leveling the pro planer table?(chain/sprockets?) What were you using as a reference? (cutter head/connecting rod?)
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Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
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br549
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by br549 »

The Trouble Shooting portion of the Planer Owner's Manual says if your boards are tapered side to side, then the Pressure Rollers may need to be adjusted. From what you have already done, it sounds like you have the Owner's Manual, but if not, there is one available on Everett Davis' My Google Drive, found inside his thread Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More viewtopic.php?t=16113
killscreen123
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by killscreen123 »

JPG wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 5:57 pm What were you adjusting when leveling the pro planer table?(chain/sprockets?) What were you using as a reference? (cutter head/connecting rod?)
As per the manual I loosened the table and barrel nut setscrews, removed the chain and then put my 1-2-3 block under the tie bars at each corner. Adjusting each mounting post by installing the crank at each post and slowly turning it until it barely touches my block. Once all four corners of the table are barely touching the block, I tighten the table and barrel nut setscrews underneath the table.

From there I use my block to check the four corners at the tie bar, and if any adjustment is needed I once again slowly turn the mounting posts ever so slightly. Once I'm happy I carefully put the chain back on as tight as I can.
killscreen123
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by killscreen123 »

br549 wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2023 8:11 am The Trouble Shooting portion of the Planer Owner's Manual says if your boards are tapered side to side, then the Pressure Rollers may need to be adjusted. From what you have already done, it sounds like you have the Owner's Manual, but if not, there is one available on Everett Davis' My Google Drive, found inside his thread Shopsmith Large Format Drawings, Illustrations and More viewtopic.php?t=16113
Thanks br549, I didn't think to check this. The rollers haven't given me trouble feeding, so I assumed they were okay. I will readjust them next time I'm in the shop hopefully that helps.

One thing that has me confused is that the boards are also tapered from end to end, into a very slight "wedge shape". The manual also has a solution for this, but the wording confuses me. The manual says the end to end being tapered is due to the table "creeping down" during planning. The solution is to "Adjust thickness from greater to lesser. Also check chain tension". What does "adjust the thickness from greater to lesser" mean? Aren't we always adjusting the thickness from greater to lesser when planning?

From my limited understanding, does this mean to plane the board, and then spin the board around and plane it again without adjusting the crank/thickness? So the thick end of the wedge get's planed down, whilst the knives don't catch the thin end?
br549
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by br549 »

For the table creeping down, I take that to mean that too deep of a cut is being attempted and the extra pressure is causing the table to self-lower. The solution of going from greater to lesser is not worded very well, and yes, that is the correct way to plane. Mine is manual feed, so it is hard for me to try to take too deep of a cut. With the motor feed, I can see where that might happen.

I've never disassembled mine very far, or tried to remove or replace the cutter head. Is there any vertical adjustment possible when installing the cutter head? Did you try comparing the measurements from the cutter head to table at each end of the cutter head?
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JPG
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by JPG »

Re "greater to lesser". This is to remove backlash in the post threads. Greater to lesser means adjust to table from lower to higher thus maintaining the close contact of the threads.

Your chain/post adjustment should remove the side to side taper. However those adjustment also need to be from greater to lesser to eliminate backlash from tainting the result.
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
procrastinator
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by procrastinator »

Just wondering if all the mentioned planer issues were present before the helical cutterhead replacement?
killscreen123
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by killscreen123 »

br549 wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:19 pm For the table creeping down, I take that to mean that too deep of a cut is being attempted and the extra pressure is causing the table to self-lower. The solution of going from greater to lesser is not worded very well, and yes, that is the correct way to plane. Mine is manual feed, so it is hard for me to try to take too deep of a cut. With the motor feed, I can see where that might happen.

I've never disassembled mine very far, or tried to remove or replace the cutter head. Is there any vertical adjustment possible when installing the cutter head? Did you try comparing the measurements from the cutter head to table at each end of the cutter head?
I only ever turn the height adjustment crank about 1/4 turn but I will try taking a shallower cut next time I'm in the shop. As for the cutter head there is no vertical adjustment to my knowledge. The bearings of the cutter head sit in the bearing supports on either side of the planer with no adjustment possible.
killscreen123
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Re: Pro Planer Table not level problems

Post by killscreen123 »

JPG wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:25 pm Re "greater to lesser". This is to remove backlash in the post threads. Greater to lesser means adjust to table from lower to higher thus maintaining the close contact of the threads.

Your chain/post adjustment should remove the side to side taper. However those adjustment also need to be from greater to lesser to eliminate backlash from tainting the result.
In this regard I am assuming this means to lower the table height farther than I would want and then raise the table height to the required depth. IE If I want to turn the adjustment crank 1/4 turn (3 o clock position on the crank), I will first be required to turn the crank 1/2 turn (to 6 o clock), then reverse the crank (raising the table height and subsequently lessening the depth of cut on the wood) 1/4 turn to get me back to 3 o clock position?
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