Harbor Freight Tools 10" Auto Planer Suggestions for Better Planing, Select your wood with care

Suggestions for Better Planing

This tool is ideal for finishing wood boards.You can use it to level or remove veneers.You can level warped boards. You can convert rough boards into finished wood. You can shape boards to a desired size.

Select your wood with care.

1.Be sure your wood is dry and properly cured. Green or wet wood will continue to shrink and may warp after planing.

.	Do not use splintered wood, or wood which may splinter while being worked. Some species such
	as Eucalyptus or Bamboo are prone to splintering and are not suitable for planing.

3.Do not use any boards with loose knots, or knots which are significantly harder than the surround- ing wood. These can break out or come loose during planing, which can jam the machine.

4.Check your workpiece for foreign objects, such as nails, screws or stones which may be embed- ded in the wood. Remove any foreign objects before planing, or select another workpiece. Foreign objects may come loose and be ejected from the machine causing a hazard. Foreign objects may also damage the knife blades.

Plan the best way to handle warped and bowed boards.

1.Boards which are warped across the width of the board (“cupped” boards) should have the top planed flat first, then turned over and the bottom planed flat.

.	Depending on the width of the board, you can reduce
	waste in planing cupped boards by ripping them length-
	wise first, then planing both resulting pieces.

3.Boards which are warped lengthwise (“bowed” boards) are difficult to successfully straighten out. The feed roll- ers in the planer will effectively straighten out bowed boards as they pass through. But the board will remain bowed when freestanding. If the bowed board cannot be used as is, it is best to select another board.

It is important to consider wood grain when planing.

1.It is best to cut in such a way that the planer’s knife blades are cutting with the grain. This will reduce chip- ping, and result in a smoother finished surface. You can identify the grain direction by looking at the edge or end of the board. You can also often feel the grain

Figure 6. A Cupped Board

Figure 7. A Bowed Board

Figure 8. Feed the Board so the Knife Blades cut WITH the Grain

	with your fingers.
.	In some boards, the grain direction reverses part
	way along the board. If possible, cut such boards
	at the transition point, and plane each piece sepa-
	rately.

Avoiding Kickback.

Figure 9. Boards Whose Grain Changes Direction in the Middle.

1.Always insert boards for planing into the front of the

machine. The insertion direction is indicated by the arrow on top of the left belt cover.

. Anti-kickback devices are installed along the top edge of the front opening of the planer.

WARNING: Avoid kickback by never overloading the machine.

SKU 41921 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page