Minor thicknesser issues for a noob

[RedMist]

Hi all,

I'm a newcomer to woodworking and currently using a planer for the first time. Just having some teething troubles I suspect, if anyone could advise me with these issues it would be greatly appreciated!

It's a brand new machine, a Triton TPT125

Issue 1 - Horizontal slices?

I seem to be getting some thin slicing cuts on the left of the boards. Slices run from left to right. Most of the board is smooth as I would have expected. I took a few mm off these boards to convince myself it was the planer (or more likely me or the setup). The slicing seems random and intermittant the whole length of the board.

Slicing seen on some timber

And on some cherry hardwood

These `slices` can be sanded out, but I'd rather just get an all over great finish from the planer.
Instructions detailed no prep work for the blades before first use.
In and out tables are not quite dialled in and level with the bed yet.


I am also getting some cutting/chipping?

Am hopeful whatevers causing this will be blindingly obvious to someone out there

 

[Jacob]

If you get irregular cuts it might be because the bottom of the board is a bit convex across the width and its rocking about a bit. If a board isn't perfect its often better to go concave side down for the first cut.
Or if it's bowed along the length you need to take out the high points first, with careful handling.

PS ALWAYS use two push sticks with planer or circular saw. The highest risk is at the end of the pass as the blades are uncovered and you are having to reach over to hold the workpiece

 

[RedMist]

Could it be tearout? I have only just now learned I should have looked at the grain to determine which way around to feed the wood into the planer. Does it look like tearout?

 

[PAC1]

Are we talking English planer or American planer. From googling TPT125 it comes up with a thicknesser in UK speak.
It looks like the blades are not a sharp as they should be or you are taking too much off each pass or the shavings are not clearing.
Whilst you can take a few MM off at a time it is best to cut less. Try removing 0.5mm or less and then look at the finish. If no better then the blades need sharpening

 

[RedMist]

I can confirm it is a thicknesser in UK speak

If the blades arent sharp though surely it would be a continous issue, but it's not....

It's a brand new machine, I wouldn't have thought the blades would need looked at ?

 

[mbartlett99]

apart from anything else cherry can be a real ***** for tearout - reduce your cut depth for one and try changing direction.