iTech SP300c - Dialling in....

[Gandalfs Staff]

Picture for attention.....

The back story is a) I am a DIY'er, b) took up woodworking during the pandemic, c) learning as I go, d) like most blokes, jump in with two feet, e) I buy shiny new stuff whenever I can.....

I 'think' it is dialled in reasonably well (but not perfect) - over the length of the bed the planer is 0.15mm out and the fence I can only square to 90.1.

I am however getting square planed wood out of it (albeit over relatively short dimensions thus far at 50mm). I know it can be dialled in better and my technique when using the machine could probably be improved.

For the price of petrol and a few beers does anyone in the North East London/South West Essex area want to come and check/verify my setup of this new machine and lend a newbie a hand.

Clearly no compulsion on anyone to come and lend a hand but if someone has a spare half a day coming up in their diary and wants to wax lyrical on their experience to a noob, I'm your man.

Thanks

 

[Bojam]

Nice machine! One I considered buying a couple of years ago when I was in the market for a 12” PT. I’d love to come and check it out / lend a hand. Sadly I’m not in your neck of the woods but hopefully someone local will be able to assist you.

In terms of technique, one important thing when surface planing (“jointing”) boards is to remember to transfer pressure from the infeed to the outfeed table as soon as you can once the board has begun to pass over the cutterhead. And try not to apply too much pressure either, just enough to firmly register the board against the table.

Edge “jointing” can be a bit more finicky in my experience but again avoid too much pressure. Clearly you need to ensure that the board is firmly registered against the fence and there is enough downward pressure to maintain registration against the table. Too much downward pressure, especially if applied in the wrong place (i.e. on the infeed table rather than the outfeed once the board has started to pass the cutterhead) can result in misshapen boards.

It’s probably easier to demonstrate than explain in writing but there’s plenty of YouTube videos that given decent demos. @Peter Sefton has a series of DVDs / digital downloads about how to use and maintain planer thicknessers if you think you might benefit from some quality tuition. Available from the @Wood Workers Workshop website.

Best of luck!

 

[rogxwhit]

Your set-up on the surface tables & fence sounds about as good as it's going to get - but what about the thickness table side to side?

About feeding technique, appraise the wood before starting - bow, twist, grain direction etc, and act accordingly in how you influence the passage of the work. Having any bow in the work facing down is the norm for surfacing & edging, and plane with the grain not against it as far as possible. Imagine how each piece of wood is contacting tables / fence - you are having to feel those surfaces at one remove, if you like, through the medium of the wood. But feel them you must, as much as you can. Be attentive at all stages to what's happening. There can be an awkward disjunction as your hands navigate the guard, but aim for for as much 'flow' as you can.

When feeding the thicknesser, even before the first roller grabs the work, pivot the wood vertically through a small arc to feel how it aligns with the bed, and support it accordingly until both rollers are in full control. This is all the more important with heavy stock over which the rollers will have less control. Pay attention at the outfeed too after moving round to support the wood as it exits. If you observe the above you'll reduce or eliminate sniping.

For accurate work on long lengths, support rollers are a rather poor substitute for long planer beds ...

 

[Ttrees]

Just a guess from someone with no experience with P/T's
Might be worth placing a spirit level around the machine to see if the floor maybe
reason for it not going to spec tolerance,
perhaps the sheet metal base is slightly deforming if the ground isn't totlly flt
I noted with my strtrite 275 machines sliding table would foul if not leveled.

 

[MARK.B.]

Make full use of that guard especially when edging thinner stock as your pinkies may get uncomfortably close to the bit that bites

 

[Gandalfs Staff]

Bumping this thread just in case there is anyone in my neck of the woods who is willing and able to come and check my attempt at setting this planer up..... happy to pay petrol and drinks money as required!

Also if anyone is in my neck of the woods and needs access to a p/t feel free to dm me. Would be happy to help out.

Regards

 

[COWS]

The fence on my RP is the same. It was 4thou out of square with no more adjustment, so took it apart and drilled out the slots to allow for adequate adjustment. Pita but knowing both yours and mine are similarly out, you'd bank a replacement would be out too. I cant help with the beds as mine lift as a singe unit.

 

[Gandalfs Staff]

Bump again. Anyone in the North East London/South West Essex willing/able to come and fine tune my p/t - for the price of pertol and a drink?