JULY/AUG
2002
Volume 45/Issue 4
IN
THIS ISSUE
Project
Articles
•
The Four-Poster Bed
• The Sunshade Sandbox
• The Secret Compartment Paper Towel Holder
DEPARTMENTS
•
Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners
Academy Notes
Finishing
Touches - Pt.6 Paints & Stains
Service Pointers
Keep
Your Thickness Planer Running Smoothly
Safety Tips
Safety
Dos and Don'ts
What's
New
Incra
TSIII Ultra Fence System
EDUCATION
• Find
A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
• National
Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH
ONLINE
CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
• Request
Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online
Replacement Parts Catalog
MARK
V INFORMATION
• Find
A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
• Request
MARK V Information Package
LINKS
•
Links Worth Visiting
•
Free Woodworking
Tips
FEEDBACK
Contacting
Shopsmith
Copyright
2002.
Shopsmith, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Troubleshooting
Table
Keep Your Thickness Planer Running
Smoothly
Printer
friendly PDF copy of article
Here's an easy 6-point maintenance plan that will assure greater efficiency and long-term, trouble-free operation for your Shopsmith Thickness Planer. If your Planer unusually hard, you will, of course, need to perform these maintenance procedures more often than this schedule indicates. For additional detailed procedures, check your Thickness Planer Owner's Manual.
Before starting any maintenance procedure, unplug the Planer and disconnect the Coupler from your MARK V's Auxiliary Spindle (if you're using your MARK V to power your Planer). If your Planer is mounted on its own Power Stand, be sure to unplug the power cord and remove the V-Belt from the Planer pulley.
Ever 1 hour of running time...
Use
a brush to remove all loose sawdust and chips from the outside of your
Planer and a shop vacuum to clean out the inside areas of the machine
thoroughly.
Inspect
the feed rollers and roller arms for impacted wood chips. Use a stiff
bristled brush (not a WIRE brush) to clean the rollers. An alcohol-dampened
rag can be used to remove fine sawdust.
Use
a good quality furniture paste wax to wax the Planer Table. Buff and remove
any excess wax from the Table surface. It's important that you not over-wax,
since sawdust can mix with the wax and discolor the wood you may be planing.
Every 5 hours of running time...
Use
mineral spirits to clean the wood pitch from the cutterhead, knives and
chip deflector.
To
prevent the build-up of rust, wax and buff the cutterhead and tie bars.
CAUTION: Work carefully around the sharp knives to avoid injury.
Check
all alignments and adjustments, including knife positions, thickness scale
adjustment and synchronization of chain tension and roller pressure. See
your Owner's Manual for proper specifications.
Every 100 hours of running time...
With
graphite powder or 10-weight oil, lubricate the roller arm bushings, mounting
post bushings and the threads of the mounting posts. The synchronizing
chain should also be lubricated with powdered graphite or a very light
coat of 10-weight machine oil. Powdered graphite is best for these lubrications
since it won't mix with sawdust to form a “sludge”. If you do
elect to use oil, use an oily rag to wipe off the entire length of the
chain, then follow-up with a clean cloth to remove all excess oil.
If you have tried these remedies and they didn’t work . . . or if you’re experiencing difficulties that are not listed here, feel free to call Shopsmith’s TOLL-FREE Technical Services Hotline (1-800-762-7555) for the answer or send an e-mail to Shopsmith Technical Support.
WARNING: Always unplug machine before making any adjustments or performing any maintenance procedures.
