Planer Pro Perturbances

[Sterling]

My brother, Skou here, talked me into a SS Planer Pro several months ago. I've been tickled with its performance. It has handled everything I've thrown at it.

Until this afternoon.

Responding to a self-inflicted wild hair, I tried planing a 10.5" wide oak plank. On the first pass, imagine my surprise when the cutterhead pulley started to slide out of the safety housing on the left side of the planer. I made sure from then on to plane only minute amounts.

I check, manually, to see if the pulley was loose, but all appeared tight and normal.

I am at a loss to explain this, and am hesitant to use the machine again until I have a reasonable idea what is going on.

Is it a reaction to the heavy load of the wide board?

I would appreciate any insight anyone may have.

Thanks,

Sterling Skouson

[JPG]

Offhand I would say it was not 'tight enough'.

Yes you created considerable loading.

How deep a cut?

[ERLover]

Sterling, I guess mom loved you best, better then Steve!!!!
An old Smother Brothers skit every week on there show.
I dont have a SS planer, 2 old but the original Maker of the lunch box planers, Ryobi, when they were quality tools back then, I always take less then more, takes more time but they are what they are, and helps prevent/lessons any tear out, which if the blades are dull does not make a difference.
Good luck, and many here to help.

[Sterling]

Upon further investigation, it seems that the cutterhead pulley is not stock, nor is it part of the official SS pulley upgrade. It appears to be a variable width pulley with moving sheaves.

My question is: Could I replace whatever this pulley is with a regular 3" x 5/8" pulley with a 3/16" keyway? There is a picture from Dusty showing what appears to be this setup.

Thanks,

Sterling

[JPG]

Upon further investigation, it seems that the cutterhead pulley is not stock, nor is it part of the official SS pulley upgrade. It appears to be a variable width pulley with moving sheaves.

My question is: Could I replace whatever this pulley is with a regular 3" x 5/8" pulley with a 3/16" keyway? There is a picture from Dusty showing what appears to be this setup.

Thanks,

Sterling

I think that is a good plan of action.

Steel is better than aluminum.

[Sterling]

On my way to Tractor Supply to pick this up:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produc ... re-3-in-od

I'll let you know how it works.

Sterling

[dgreen810]

Sterling

a word of "Caution". I just went down the path you are on and had the following problem. I bought a steel pulley like the one you show that I found was made in China that was a steel hub and the belt flanges were welded to the hub. Result, I found it wobbled so bad the belt hardly stayed on the pulleys. I called the seller and complained, they sent me another pulley. It also wobbled also, not nearly as bad as the first but as far as I was concerned it also was junk. End result, I ordered from Amazon TB Woods cast iron pulleys and they run absolutely true. In any case be sure you check for quality. See my post "SS Planer" in Woodworking Tool Reviews. It is rather long and somewhat boring, but you will get the "Drift"

Good luck!!

Don G

[Sterling]

Sterling

a word of "Caution". I just went down the path you are on and had the following problem. I bought a steel pulley like the one you show that I found was made in China that was a steel hub and the belt flanges were welded to the hub. Result, I found it wobbled so bad the belt hardly stayed on the pulleys. I called the seller and complained, they sent me another pulley. It also wobbled also, not nearly as bad as the first but as far as I was concerned it also was junk. End result, I ordered from Amazon TB Woods cast iron pulleys and they run absolutely true. In any case be sure you check for quality. See my post "SS Planer" in Woodworking Tool Reviews. It is rather long and somewhat boring, but you will get the "Drift"

Good luck!!

Don G

Just put on a new pulley. It is working very well. No apparent problems with wobbling or vibration. (Knock on wood)

It is also much quieter than with the old pulley.

Who knew?

Thank you all for the input!

Sterling

[skou]

"My brother, Skou here, talked me into a SS Planer Pro several months ago.
I've been tickled with its performance. It has handled everything I've thrown at it."

Great!

Throw ME under the bus! (Hope it wasn't one
of yours.) Sterling used to run the bus system for
a LARGE school district in the area. But he got fired.
{Really, he retired.}) Now, he plays all day in the shop.

Seriously, GLAD to hear the fix worked!

steve/S2

[Sterling]

So after installing the replacement driven pulley, and seeing how that inproved things, I ordered the pulley upgrade kit from SS.

Just installed it and it fits and works great.

Sterling