Depth of Cut
The depth of cut on a planer means the amount of material that is removed from the top of the workpiece as it passes underneath the cutterhead.
The depth of cut is set by adjusting the distance of the table below the cutterhead. This distance is the thickness of the workpiece minus the depth of cut.
Although the correct depth of cut varies accord- ing to wood hardness and workpiece width, we recommend a maximum depth of cut no more than 1⁄16”. A series of light cuts will give better end results and put less stress on the planer than try- ing to take off too much material in a single pass.
The planing depth of cut is controlled by using the table height handwheel on the right side of the machine. Rotating the handwheel clockwise raises the table.
The depth of cut is read directly from the inch/mil- limeter scale on the front of the planer, as shown in Figure 17.
One complete turn of the handwheel raises or lowers the table approximately 1⁄16". The range of material thickness that can be planed is
Table
Height
Handwheel
Depth of Cut
Indicator &
Scale
Figure 17. Depth of cut indicator and scale.
Bed Roller Height
Bed Roller Height Range |
The correct height of the bed rollers will vary, depending on the type of material you intend to plane. However, as a general rule, keep the bed roller height within
Table | |
| |
| Roller |
Figure 18. Recommended bed roller height
above the table surface.
When planing rough stock, set the rollers high to keep the lumber from dragging along the bed. When planing milled lumber, set the rollers low to help minimize snipe.
To ensure accurate results and make the adjust- ment process quicker and easier, we recommend using a Rotacator (refer to Page 28) to gauge the bed roller height from the table surface. If a Rotacator is not available, a straightedge and feel- er gauges can be used, but care must be taken to achieve accurate results.
G0453/G0454 (Mfg. Since 3/08) |