Replies

1. 
   Thorvald | Jan 18, 2009 04:24am | #1

   It depends a little on what kind of finished product you're trying to get from the machine.  If you hand plane all of your surfaces, you can clean up a lot of minor flaws in the material you run through the planer, but if you're looking for a clean surface that doesn't need too much work before you put finish on it, you won't be able to tolerate dull or dinged irons.

   One of the common flaws that show up is that you'll have small ridges that run the length of the board caused by nicks in the blades.  Most of these are easily cleaned up with a plane.  Depending on your planer, you may be able to shift one or two of the blades a smidgen to one side or the other so that the nicks are offset and you get a smooth surface. 

   Verne

   If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to cut it up and make something with it . . . what a waste!

2. 
   bldrbill | Jan 18, 2009 04:30am | #2

   The ridges in the boards are a good clue and so is noise level.  Dull blades are a lot noisier than sharp ones.

3. 
   billy5151 | Jan 18, 2009 04:37am | #3

   johnDMcleod,

   Different companies make honing stones for touch-up on planer blades. Keeps them going a bit longer. But like everyone else says; noise and streaks. time to do a replacement. Bill D.

1. 
   pezzi | Jan 18, 2009 04:41pm | #4

   I have found (on my delta planer) that I always get longish shaving initially with a sharp blade and, eventually, a few hundred bd ft later, I get fine dust, and the poor thing had to labor more. I planed a lot of black hickory for a deck and that was quite hard on the poor planer. Also wore out a set of brushes in the process.

1. 
   billy5151 | Jan 18, 2009 05:18pm | #5

   Yep....The nice longish-fluffy type, when it's sharp. Then smaller....and smaller,until the poor thing is screaming. That's when to change 'em. But the small honing stone keeps things going (for alittle while ) unless I have dulled them past that point. The nice fluffy shavings are just the thing to get the fire going in the morning. When I run cedar I always put some shavings in the "shop kitty's bed ". She showed up awhile back, and it was just too cold to just throw her out. So I guess it's home for her now. She always jumps up to greet me when I come in the shop now. Will have to give her a name soon. Maybe today's the day. Gotta go get the fire started and work more on my first granddaughter's cedar chest. Walnut foot band and "bird's eye cypress" for the top.

   Have a GREAT DAY!!

   Bill D.