Thicknesser black marks

[jeffoak]

I have recently purchased a Makita 2012NB Thicknesser, its a great piece of kit, but I am getting thin black lines on the underside of the planks I put through.
The wood is Oak and I have cleaned the surface of the base plates and find it baffling that the marks are on the underside.
I could sort of understand it if it was the topside that came into contact with the rollers, although Makita describes one of the benefits of this machine as not having black rollers and so do not leave any marks!
I have contacted Makita, but unfortunately all they offered was to pack the machine up and send it back to them!
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[recipio]

I have recently purchased a Makita 2012NB Thicknesser, its a great piece of kit, but I am getting thin black lines on the underside of the planks I put through.
The wood is Oak and I have cleaned the surface of the base plates and find it baffling that the marks are on the underside.
I could sort of understand it if it was the topside that came into contact with the rollers, although Makita describes one of the benefits of this machine as not having black rollers and so do not leave any marks!
I have contacted Makita, but unfortunately all they offered was to pack the machine up and send it back to them!
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

If the lines are parallel to the board it is almost certainly some residue on the thicknesser bed being transferred to the board .Clean thoroughly with panel wipe or some other degreaser. If they are random then it's the oak itself. Does it occur with other woods. ?

 

[Argus]

You may care to eliminate the cutters.

If there are tiny, minute nicks in the blades, they will leave an equally minute raised line on the board as it passes through.
When that board is rotated and passed through the machine again, those raised lines will be in contact with the bottom table and may pick up friction marks.

The blade nicks may be barely visible. ......

Even if it's a newish machine, it is something worthy of elimination before moving on to the expensive options.

 

[HOJ]

How have you faced up your Oak boards in the first instance prior to passing through thicknesser?

 

[jeffoak]

If the lines are parallel to the board it is almost certainly some residue on the thicknesser bed being transferred to the board .Clean thoroughly with panel wipe or some other degreaser. If they are random then it's the oak itself. Does it occur with other woods. ?

To be honest I didn't try other woods, but will do now thanks and I did use a PTFE spray on the feed beds, but have cleaned them twice now with a white paper towel and didn't see black marks or residue.

 

[jeffoak]

You may care to eliminate the cutters.

If there are tiny, minute nicks in the blades, they will leave an equally minute raised line on the board as it passes through.
When that board is rotated and passed through the machine again, those raised lines will be in contact with the bottom table and may pick up friction marks.

The blade nicks may be barely visible. ......

Even if it's a newish machine, it is something worthy of elimination before moving on to the expensive options.

It is only a few weeks old, but will look at the blades - thanks

 

[jeffoak]

How have you faced up your Oak boards in the first instance prior to passing through thicknesser?

I get the Oak boards as they are imported from France, either 19mm or 27mm thick, Rough Sawn, still with the watermarks on, presumably from being Kiln Dried.
I then cut into the widths I need and put them through the thicknesser

 

[jeffoak]

To be honest I didn't try other woods, but will do now thanks and I did use a PTFE spray on the feed beds, but have cleaned them twice now with a white paper towel and didn't see black marks or residue. The lines are parallel with the rollers

 

[Farm Labourer]

Are your boards coming from AC in Ely? Coincidentally, I get the same issue on my 5 month old Hammer A3-31. (I'll put something else throug it and report back!)

 

[cowtown_eric]

If that model has bottom rollers a chip could jam them up and cause friction marks. I've just had the same problem with Cherry

 

[tibi]

I have the same issue with the very same 2012NB model. I have cleaned the tables but to no avail.

Here are some tips that help me minimize the issue:

1. Have sharp blades.
2. Clean rollers with neutral spirits (or with whatever that will not destroy them). Believe me, they look clean, but they are not. You do this by cleaning them from the underside with the power cord unplugged, then switch on the machine and stop immediately. Wait until the blade stops turning and unplug the machine again. Then clean the rollers again. Hopefully, after 3 or 4 times, you will be able to clean the whole perimeter of the rollers, as they always stop in a different position.
3. Make sure that your dust extraction is working and no chips remain on the bed. If you have underpowered dust extraction (as I do) or no extraction at all, swipe the chips regurarly after every few passes.
4. When I am about to reach the desired thickness and I am half turn away (+1 mm) from the required thickness, I turn the handle 90 degrees (-0,5 mm) and put the dirty side up. Then I turn it 90 degrees again (-0,5 mm) and put the other side up. By this I have cleaned both sides from the black stripes.

HTH.

 

[jeffoak]

I have the same issue with the very same 2012NB model. I have cleaned the tables but to no avail.

Here are some tips that help me minimize the issue:

1. Have sharp blades.
2. Clean rollers with neutral spirits (or with whatever that will not destroy them). Believe me, they look clean, but they are not. You do this by cleaning them from the underside with the power cord unplugged, then switch on the machine and stop immediately. Wait until the blade stops turning and unplug the machine again. Then clean the rollers again. Hopefully, after 3 or 4 times, you will be able to clean the whole perimeter of the rollers, as they always stop in a different position.
3. Make sure that your dust extraction is working and no chips remain on the bed. If you have underpowered dust extraction (as I do) or no extraction at all, swipe the chips regurarly after every few passes.
4. When I am about to reach the desired thickness and I am half turn away (+1 mm) from the required thickness, I turn the handle 90 degrees (-0,5 mm) and put the dirty side up. Then I turn it 90 degrees again (-0,5 mm) and put the other side up. By this I have cleaned both sides from the black stripes.

HTH.

Great tips will try them, the underpowered extractor is something that will help I am sure.

 

[jeffoak]

Are your boards coming from AC in Ely? Coincidentally, I get the same issue on my 5 month old Hammer A3-31. (I'll put something else throug it and report back!)

No not from Ely, I don't think it is the wood itself as the black marks are too uniform.

 

[Farm Labourer]

Sorry Jeff - I was not for one second suggesting the supplier was the issue. We both buy imported European oak, mines from AC Timber in Ely, I wondered if yours was.

I ran an acacia board through mine and still had the black stripes, I'll try cleaning as per above!

 

[Bingy man]

I too have the makita nb2012 and have not had this issue , I’ve sent a lot of reclaimed timber as well as new planed timber ( oak and sapele) -could it be your own infeed or out feed tables that need tweaking. I’ve not used silicone on the tables as this can transfer to the timber. I only take off 1/2 mm per pass -hope this may help .