Credit where it's due

[ColeyS1]

I used a powerfeed years ago planing 8x8 green oak. It was a godsend,no risk of it bowing the timber ! I suppose if you set the power feed so it's just touching bent wood it might be less prone to just plane it bowed. No different otherwise then just pushing it straight through the thicknesser.

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[Trevanion]

I've found you can straighten pieces pretty easily with a power feed on a surfacer, you just have to run the feed over the rear bed so that it's being pulled through the cutter opposed to being pushed. If you put pressure before the cutter block you will end up with a bow in your timber but if all the pressure is on the rear bed it comes out straight as an arrow.

Works pretty much on the same principle as the Wadkin PARs or any 4-sided planer moulder. If you keep the front feed rollers engaged on the timber you will end up with the exact same curve and twist in a board upon exit, but if you disengage the front feed and let the rear feed (Of the first cutter block) do all the work you will end up with a straight board.

 

[doctor Bob]

I've found you can straighten pieces pretty easily with a power feed on a surfacer, you just have to run the feed over the rear bed so that it's being pulled through the cutter opposed to being pushed. If you put pressure before the cutter block you will end up with a bow in your timber but if all the pressure is on the rear bed it comes out straight as an arrow.

Works pretty much on the same principle as the Wadkin PARs or any 4-sided planer moulder. If you keep the front feed rollers engaged on the timber you will end up with the exact same curve and twist in a board upon exit, but if you disengage the front feed and let the rear feed (Of the first cutter block) do all the work you will end up with a straight board.

Yes, put much better than my wording, as you state I take off pressure on the 2 feed in rollers but pressure is maintained on the outfeed roller.

 

[RogerS]

I've found you can straighten pieces pretty easily with a power feed on a surfacer, you just have to run the feed over the rear bed so that it's being pulled through the cutter opposed to being pushed.....

....

That's the way I've always run mine.

 

[Chip shop]

I never understand how a powerfeed on a surface planer can work. feed in a banana and you get a banana out.
I have a 4 sider, in effect it has a power feed but on a curly board I can disengage the downward pressure.

Well yeah (I suppose with a huge straightening table it might work) but in real life no matter what you put through a moulder it comes out as wonky as it goes in, but remember this is the internet, so we can argue about anything as if we know what we're talking about.

Edit: the above is no way aimed at Dr Bob. Having worked on a moulder (9 head Weinig) we still have an overhand plane for straightening timber.