Shopsmith Forums

I guess I may be dead wrong on this one. Charlese, why don't you surface plane about 100' of painted pine and come back to tell us for sure.

Trust me, paint can be *really* bad for planer blades. Don't ask...
I would recommend removing all the paint before running the wood through the planer.

Troy

horologist wrote:Trust me, paint can be *really* bad for planer blades. Don't ask...
I would recommend removing all the paint before running the wood through the planer.

Troy

O.K. I'll take your advice! After thinking about it - a painted surface wouldn't be too good on the planer bed either!

Paint has two, sometimes three properties which dull the knives of a planer, jointer, saw, or any cutting tool. Understand that paint is a pigment suspended in a varnish. I use the word "varnish" here to describe any finish that coats wood, including traditional varnishes, urethanes, epoxies, acrylics, lacquers, and so on. These varnishes are resins or solids dissolved or suspended in a solvent. The solvent acts as a carrier that helps convey the solids and the pigments to the wood surface, then evaporates leaving a thin film of pigments and solids. The solids often react with either the oxygen in the air or a chemical catalyst that causes them to form a tough chemical matrix. It is this matrix -- a hardened film of solid resins with imbedded pigments -- that is death to cutting tools.

First, the pigments are minerals that have abrasive properties, some more than others, but none of them are completely friendly to a sharp edge.
Second, the solids, particulary epoxies, acrylics, and urethanes, are expremely tough when they harden and may be more abrasive than the pigments.
Third, paint (or any finish) with a "satin" or "flat" finish has silica added to it to scatter the light and make the hardened resins appear dull. And silica, of course, is an abrasive.

With all good wishes,

You won't believe what happened to me today! If I ever had a thought about planing through paint - it is now GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I noticed one of my neighbors had a brand new DeWalt planer in his shop, so I stopped in to congratulate him on his purchase. To my surprise, he said it was a hunk of junk and he was going to take it back to Lowe's. He said the wood passes through too slowly. After asking if I could try it, I ran a 2X4 into the machine with only planing off less than a sixteenth. The machine sounded overloaded and the depth setting wheel actually turned by itself to a deeper setting. Immediately turned off the machine and raised the cutter head.

To make a long story short, the blades were a dull as a butter knife and somewhat chipped. Found out that he had bought the machine to plane off the finish from all of his old deck boards. He had actually accomplished this job, but after the planer stopped working for him he used a hand belt sander and succeeded in burning up it's motor.

After about an hour and a lot of cleaning with blade reversal, we got the planer back working in good shape. Boy! at first, I thought the thing would never plane again. It's amazing what a little mineral spirits and sharp blades will do for an abused machine. The belt sander is another issue!!:eek:

I've always wondered how many machines, woodworking or otherwise, are returned because the consumer just doesn't have a clue. Some people should just stick to their area of expertise and let us pros do the woodworking.

Bruce wrote:I've always wondered how many machines, woodworking or otherwise, are returned because the consumer just doesn't have a clue. Some people should just stick to their area of expertise and let us pros do the woodworking.

I think there is some room for debate here. If everyone was expected to do only that which they do well - I would not be on this forum discussing woodworking.

I am here because I need help from those who are willing to ignore my shortcomings and help me become more of an equal to them in woodworking skills.

...let us pros do the woodworking.

I do hope that was said in good humor. Even the most learned among us were clueless once.

I'm sure your neighbor appreciates the good deed, Chuck.

With all good wishes,

I was not at all hesitant to reveal to my neighbor that I had just learned about the hazards and risks of trying to plane, or joint painted/varnished/finishes from wood in the past few days. I had been as uninformed about this hazard as he, until this thread in the Forum. Thanks, folks!!!!:D

BTW: My buddy had also put a great big long gough into the bed of this planer. He used his automotive finishing skills to remove the goughs and polish the bed. After a waxing, it worked very well.

Yes, He vociferously appreciated not only my help, but also the help learned here in the Forum! He is really quite a skilled carpenter/builder, by profession and home practice - he is just finishing up building a new garage/workshop and remodel of the outside of his home. As he says, he has never done any fine woodworking, and is looking forward to making some furniture.

Nick wrote:...let us pros do the woodworking.

I do hope that was said in good humor. Even the most learned among us were clueless once.

I'm sure your neighbor appreciates the good deed, Chuck.

With all good wishes,

Did you not see the big grin? Of course it was said in jest!