APTC AW106PT2 problem?

[Pond]

Hello,

I received my new Axy 106PT2 p/t last week, and after setting it all up (including struggling like a b*tch to get the feet on!!!), cleaning the grease off the tables and rollers, setting the outfeed table to the blades, setting up the blades and squaring the fence up, I started using it yesterday on some 27mm planks of European oak I've got.

I'm not sure if there is a problem with the machine but when thicknessing, the timber keeps getting jammed against the second feed roller and I have to push it to get the roller to 'grab' it. The first (toothed) roller picks it up ok. It seems like the two rollers are not level, ie the second roller is very slightly lower than the first so the timber 'hits' it, rather than being pulled through cleanly. There are springs on the second roller mounts to provide some vertical movement of the roller. I have checked the mounting of both rollers, all looks OK, there seems to be no adjustment.

I am also struggling to get a good finish on the planer table, sniping and breakout galore, even on 1/4mm material removal on the infeed table, this is with brand new blades.

I used to have a little MB9020, this gave a better finish on planer and thicknesser than this thing with the same timber!!

I wanted to check if there is any advice on here before I ring Axminster and moan; as it works, just not as I expected, seeing as it was 3 1/2 times the cost of the little 9020!

Also:

I bought an APTC 350 bandsaw at the same time. They included an Axcaliber 1/2" 4 skip blade separately, which I have fitted. What sort of finish should I expect with this sort of blade on 27mm oak, all straight rips, as it isn't good at all. Lots of score marks, in fact no better than a cheap handsaw cut! I have tightened the blade as much as I can.

On the front of the fence is a 'magnifying glass' obviously to see the measurements on the scale better. This, however, is screwed to the front fence with two tiny machine screws and washers, which sit approx 2mm above the fence/ table, so foul the timber if it more than about 50mm wide!! I am not sure if I am doing something wrong, as, as usual, the chinese assembly/ operating instructions with APTC machines are a complete waste of paper!

I also can't get the table to tilt.

Other than the above, everything is groovy! (hammer)

any advice peeps? Sorry for the essay!

 

[Solicitus]

Hi there

Proshop posted an excellent guide on the forum to the aw106pt planer in August 2004 - it was invaluable to me in setting mine up. I'm not sure what the differences are with the AW106pt2 are, but it might be worth a look.

Best of luck

Robert

 

[colinc]

I had a similar struggle with one a friend bought off ebay. I suspect that it went on Ebay for similar reasons. The feed was bad and they wood was being driven to one side.

There was way too much tension on the rollers. They are adjustable and I ended up using a spring balance to even them up. I think suggested pressures are somewhere in the article below. Also, the spring that tensioned the drive was also applying so much force so that it was pulling down the roller on that side and causing the drift. I actually re-drilled the tension arm to halve the lever-arm and that fixed it.

The bed also needs a good and regular waxing to make the wood feed smoothly.

This topic was the one that steered me in the right direction: axminster-aw106pt-planer-thicknesser-t594-30.html

here's another useful link: http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/Gettin ... mance.ashx

I have to say that I prefer my own Scheppach for the work I do, but when sorted, the Axminster's a good planer but it looks like you can't just expect to use it out of the box. That's a shame really as for most people these are their first planers and they don't know what to expect. Axminster would do a service to their customers if they were to write up a supplement for their manual and/or offer a pre-delivery setup service at extra cost.

regards,

Colin

 

[hanser]

If new kit doesn't work properly ask Axminster to collect it/refund you. I had problems with a new TS200 - after several goes at getting it right Axminster gave me a new machine. All down to poor mfg quality I'm afraid.

 

[Peter T]

Been reading this, and all the links, with interest as I have an older 106PT.

While I'm generally happy with the setup, I do notice that, when thicknessing wider boards of 3 or 4 inches plus, they tend to drift over to the drive side of the bed rather than running straight through.

Reading about problems with drive roller spring tensions I did a simple test of trying to lift the ends of the drive rollers by hand. I found that the drive ends of both rollers were virtually solid, while the other ends could be lifted against the springs!

On removing the cover the problem became evident. The drive chain tensioner applied so much tension that it rendered that end of the rollers virtually solid. I toyed with the idea of modifying the system to reduce the tension but then realised that the primary chain that takes the drive from the cutter block is as loose as a really loose thing while the secondary chain was being tensioned to a ridiculous level!!

Easiest remedy was to simply remove the tensioner completely. This means that the tension on each end of the drive rollers is roughly the same and wider boards now track straight through.

Sorted, thanks for the information,

 

[Pond]

Thanks peeps for the advice:

Peter T, I think you are right!

I had the whole p/t to bits today, as it just won't work properly. Both feed rollers, one toothed, one solid steel, have springs on both sides which have an M4 (ish) stud through the middle fixed to the roller bearings, with a nyloc on the other end. I removed both feed ends of the rollers (can't get to the slave ends), reduced the nylocs to reduce the spring tension to nothing. I then 'adjusted' the chain tensioner spring to remove some of the tension, as this seems to be a major problem. Re-set the blades, put all back together.

NO DIFFERENCE! The main feed roller (toothed) is scoring the timber so deep, it is still there after the cut. 1 in 10 pieces goes through OK but are now sliding across the bed, I presume because of the spring tension difference.

It appears that the rollers are 'pushing' the work too hard onto the table so jamming it against the table. If I reduce the depth of cut to virtually nothing, there is not enough pressure to grab the work, so it just sits there, juddering.

I am going to ring axminster tomorrow.

It must be a 'quality control' issue (or lack of), as everything looks OK but it isn't planing properly.

I have a suspicion my blades are blunt too, as the work is 'jumping' on the planer bed with lots of breakout. It is hard to tell, without buying new blades, which I ain't going to do!

One plus, though, the finish may be c*ap but it is very square and true!!!

 

[Peter T]

So can you lift the drive rollers by hand?

I got mine to the stage where both ends are about the same pressure and I can lift them by hand against the spring tension. At the drive end this meant completely removing the tensioner. This didn't seem to be any great loss!

I also found that the tension on the drive roller chain varied during each turn, tight then looser for each revolution. I put this down to one or more of the sprockets, probably the drive one, being eccentric. I was going to dissmantle it but it seems to be working OK now so I didn't bother!

Good luck,

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Mine worked pretty much perfect out of the box other than an issue with a dead motor. I would ring aximinster. I was having issues with there ducting for the extractor and they sent a pro around.

With the bandsaw, mines a 350 I think. The blade isn't great that comes with it. Purchase one from Tuff Saws and you notice a very big difference. I brought the bandsaw fence upgrade and had that on mine before turning it on so I have never used the stock fence system to know if mine had your issue. The tilt although a pain works on mine, its not that accurate as once you tighten the clamp it moves from your set angle. Great bandsaw though.

 

[munkypuzel]

Reminds me of why i gave up and paid £700 for a used Sedgwick PT. I have owned (and still do) some chinese machines, but on the P/T its wourth a few quid more for the real thing that just works first time every time.
This is of course is no help to those currently fettling thier AXI's but is aimed at those in the market with £600+ at the moment

 

[Pond]

The problems are now SORTED!

I spoke to Axminster (as usual their customer service was very good), the chap said just lubricate the cast iron surfaces. I said I had cleaned all the shipping grease off and all surfaces were clean. I explained I didn't have an lubricating wax, he said use furniture polish. So I did and it made everything run like it should!!

I can't believe it can make that much difference. The tables 'looked' clean and smooth, but obviously not!

 

[graduate_owner]

I bought an APT106 about 5 years ago - just before they brought out the newer model with cast iron fence. I had read a review of planer thicknessers in a magazine and this one was given the best buy status in the price range.
I had similar feed problems as some of you have described, and I tried waxing the tables 'just to see'. What a difference!! I haven't tried any adjustments such as roller tension because this seemed to work.

Overall the machine seems underpowered to me, and slows down seriously when I put wide timber through. However I am not a pro user so I can live with this. I do need to sharpen the blades though - I bought the Axminster sharpening stone when I bought the p/t but I'm not sure it does the job.

I would like to try improving the beast. Can you explain how I can access the info posted by Proshop?

K

 

[Peter T]

I did a bit more work on my 106 today to try to further improve the drive roller situation.

Although I previously said that removing the chain tensioner had fixed the problem, there was still a nagging doubt that the chain tension was too high, and that it varied at different parts of each rev due to some eccentricity in the drive sprockets.

So yesterday I ordered a new drive chain from Axi, 12 quids delivered. The intention was, if the new chain was longer, use it as is, or, if not, take some links from the old chain to add to the new chain.

Anyway, the new chain was no longer so I took a couple of links from the old one. So now the chain is too loose, but by replacing the tensioner, everything is good.

This is a picture of the old setup with tensioner. Note how much the spring is extended -

This is the new setup with the longer spring. The extra spring length means that the spring is under far less tension -

I think the mod was worth doing. The boards now go through straight and true!

 

[Col]

I had the same problem. Stock was always dragged off to one side when thicknessing.

Here's another solution to release the tensioner.

I used an old keyring. It's just big enough to release the tension when not under load.

 

[Peter T]

I had the same problem. Stock was always dragged off to one side when thicknessing.

Here's another solution to release the tensioner.

I used an old keyring. It's just big enough to release the tension when not under load.

That's a good idea!

Problem with mine tho was that the chain was too tight even without the tensioner.

I've been running for about 6 months without the tensioner and that helped but there was still a bit of a problem.

 

[RogerS]

..... I explained I didn't have an lubricating wax, he said use furniture polish. ...

Make sure it's silicon free