OPERATIONS
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TroubleshootingPlaning Results
FUZZY GRAIN — Grain fibers stand up on the
workpiece after planing.
SOLUTIONS:
• Do not surface damp or wet wood, check
it with a moisture meter. Anything over
20% should be allowed to dry.
• Install sharp knives.
GLOSSY SURFACE — The wood is scorched,
blackened, and/or glossy.
SOLUTIONS:
• Remove all resin or glue build-up on the
rollers and the cutterhead, and surface
acceptable wood.
• Install sharp knives so shallow cuts do not
have to be made to compensate for dull
knives that burn the wood. If this is the
case and the condition has existed for a
long time, the knives may be damaged as
a result and cannot be turned. The knives
must be replaced.
• If knives are sharp and a glossy surface
still results, increase the cutting depth.
THERMAL SWITCH POPS — The planer motor
overheats and shuts off automatically.
SOLUTIONS:
• Push the reset button in when the planer
completely cools down.
• Make shallower cuts.
• Remove all resin or glue build-up on the
rollers and the cutterhead. Often resin or
glue build-up can over-heat the planer by
decreasing the cutter sharpness while
increasing drag in the feed mechanism.
• Install sharp knives.
• Surface acceptable stock.
WOOD DOES NOT FEED CORRECTLY — The
planer draws wood in erratically or slowly.
SOLUTIONS:
• Plane wood that is not twisted or warped
• Remove any pitch build-up on the feed
rollers.
• Turn or replace the knives if they are
dull or broken.
Planing results are affected by the species and
condition of the wood, how the planer is setup,
and the condition of the knives. The following
characteristics are some common problems and
the solutions woodworkers might have while
planing.
SNIPE — More material is being removed from
board ends rather than the middle of the board.
SOLUTIONS:
• Provide more support on the infeed and
outfeed sides so the wood travels
completely through the planer without
any vertical tilting. This alignment
problem occurs with all planers to some
degree.
• Hold the workpiece flat against the
planer tables and rollers so the board
does not tilt while entering and exiting
the planer.
• Install extra roller stands.
• Raise the table/ lift the board ends.
CHIP MARKS — Chips are not being properly
expelled from the cutterhead. The chips get
caught between the knives and the workpiece
and hinder knife cutting ability. Chip marks
usually appear as random and uneven.
SOLUTIONS:
• Unclog the chip deflector blockage and
correct for cause of blockage.
• Increase cleaning intervals.
• Install a dust collector.
CHIPPED GRAIN — Grain shows cut marks and
chips.
SOLUTIONS:
• Do not plane against the grain.
• Do not plane wood with knots or cross
grain.
• Use sharp knives.
• Make shallower cuts.
• Surface acceptable stock.