Warped Platen on Thickness Planer
hughesmr
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
I just bought a used Delta TP300 planer. When I run a piece of wood through the planer is comes out fine (even thickness for the length of stock). However when I just look at the platen (metal flat piece that is in the middle of the planer where the stock rests) – it looks warped. Slightly bowed in the front and back of the planer.
When I put the stock through the planer it pushed the front and back warped parts flat = leaving the planed stock flat. But should this platen be flat, or is a little warping fine (especially if when stock is run though it flattens out)?
Replies
Platen
I've noticed the same thing on my DW 735. Not to worry, unless there is a build up of chips under the platen , that would be another story.
Bad platen, bad
Although your results so far are OK, there is bound to be a thickness at which the stock is no longer able to flatten the platen. Whether to fix the problem is probably a function of how thin you go, stock-wise. In theory, however, the platen is supposed to provide the reference surface, and should be dead flat, dead square, etc.
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