-34-
W1747 20" Planer
SERVICE
Figure 31. Tension screw locations and
adjustments.
Spring Tension
Roller spring tension must be adjusted so that roller pres-
sure is uniform. Roller spring tension will vary, depending
on the type of wood you plane. This is usually deter-
mined from trial-and-error.
Generally speaking, less spring tension is more forgiv-
ing on workpieces. Therefore, if you primarily plane
milled lumber with relatively consistent surfaces, you
can get away with having less spring tension. Likewise, if
you primarily plane rough lumber with inconsistent sur-
face heights, more spring tension is a must to keep the
workpiece feeding through the planer without stopping.
If workpieces regularly stop feeding during operation, it
may be a sign of weak spring tension.
To adjust roller spring tension, do these steps:
1. Locate the four tension screws located on the top of
the planer, as shown in Figure 31.
2. Using a 6mm hex wrench, adjust tension screws #1–
#3 so that they protrude 1⁄8" above the headstock.
3. Adjust tension screw #4 so that it protrudes 5⁄16"
above the headstock.
Tension Screws
#1 - #3 Adjust to 1⁄8"
Tension Screw
#4 Adjust to 5⁄16"