SCM planer thicknesser, timber not feeding

[JMHjoiner]

Hi all, looking for some help. Over the past few weeks my planer thicknesser has become increasingly more difficult to pass stock through. Wider stock is almost impossible without physically pushing and then pulling it through which creates a terrible finish. Yesterday I was trying to take just 1.5mm off a very narrow 10mm length of sapele and again it got stuck and I had to pull it through. The rollers look clean enough and the bed has been waxed. Could it be the feed roller drive belt losing tension? If so, how does one adjust it? Model 2009 SCM Technomax fs35 elite 4kw motor 3 phase. Many thanks in advance. James

 

[Jacob]

I have had similar prob in the past - caused by dust and shavings getting under the bearing housings of the feed rollers and stopping them from lowering right down onto the workpiece.
Examine with a torch and a mirror - lift the roller by placing a block on the bed and cramping it up a touch.

 

[pgrbff]

I have an older 12" minimax. The feed roller is steel and even the smallest amount of dust on it makes the wood jam. I wish I had never bought it. I have to clean and lubricate the feed roller constantly. It also has 4 plastic screws which can be seen from above to adjust the tension.

 

[Jacob]

I have an older 12" minimax. The feed roller is steel and even the smallest amount of dust on it makes the wood jam. I wish I had never bought it. I have to clean and lubricate the feed roller constantly. It also has 4 plastic screws which can be seen from above to adjust the tension.

Maybe same problem - you need to check the roller bearing housings for accumulated dust? It gets packed down solid.
Mines a Minimax Lab 300 and there is no adjustment or plastic screws. I'd be surprised if what you describe are for adjustment.
Always worked perfectly except I have had to clean out the dust from the roller bearing housings once or twice. Quite easy to do, no dismantling involved but you need a mirror and a torch.

 

[pgrbff]

has been the same since new. I preferred my previous 6" "toy" Scheppach which gave better finish. The main problem was it took so long to discover why I was having problems. Boards would start to vibrate giving a very poor finish and finally would stick producing deep gouges in the wood. I often have to stop halfway through a job to make sure I don't have problems just before final thickness. It's a 90's model and rubber rollers not available.

 

[Jacob]

has been the same since new. I preferred my previous 6" "toy" Scheppach which gave better finish. The main problem was it took so long to discover why I was having problems. Boards would start to vibrate giving a very poor finish and finally would stick producing deep gouges in the wood. I often have to stop halfway through a job to make sure I don't have problems just before final thickness. It's a 90's model and rubber rollers not available.

I'd check the bearing housings anyway. They might have picked up a bit of dust from nearly new.
Minimax are noted for reliability and good quality so there is obviously something amiss. Mines about 20 years old.