Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

William Duffield

Breaking sprockets on that machine is all too easy. Mine broke multiple sprockets multiple times. I could almost replace them (and the stretched chains) blindfolded . When it stopped feeding the third time, I gave it away, along with the pertinent ereplacementparts info. I have no clue why it failed on any of the occasions.

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Barry Irby

I just thought it was interesting the cap screw fell out coincidentally to the sprocket breaking. I am thankful the screw did not go through the machine the hard way.

Incidentally, I watched a Youtube video where the guy spent the entire video refabricating the drive system to take up the slack in the drive chains only to discover it was the bushings all along. And he did not take the video down or go back and talk over it.

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

Barry, I have nothing to add to your post/question, but regarding this planer, have you ever replaced the rollers?

Mine are starting to slip a lot and the wood stalls. I'll try cleaning them with Simple Green or something first, but just curious if you have or not.

Thanks.

Youtubers...

John in NM

I was always a bit amazed that some videos stayed up indefinitely, even when there was significant fun being made on a forum (this was an ax video). Then I realized that this guy is making money - what does he care if he looks a bit foolish and lots of people are laughing at him and telling all their friends. More hits on that video equals more money, so it was in his interest to leave it up.

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Steve jenkins

Most stalls are fixed by waxing the bed although the rollers do get hard over time and need replacing

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Barry Irby

Joe, I agree with Steve.

Clean the beds and apply a coat or two of paste wax. Don't use any thing with silicone in it. Silicone will cause problems with clear finishes (fish eye). Paste wax is als very good for any other sliding surfaces. Table Saw, jointer Etc.

Clean the rollers and try wetting them with alcohol. Like the clean,conditioning pads that sometimes come with windshield wipers. I have even roughed mine a bit with something like 80 grit sandpaper.

Also, if the slipping is something like the board pauses for a slit second and then goes on, leaving a very slight bit of snipe where the pause occurs, sometimes several times a board, your bearings may be worn. The bearings on these shafts are not roller or ball bearings but some sort of blocks with a hole for the shaft. Basically Cubes with a hole in them. E-replacement parts sell them as a bushing part No, 285945-00 for $3.04 each and you need four. The hardest part about replacing mine was getting the phillips screws that hold in the brackets out. I have a 12V Bosch impact driver and it was perfect for the job.

If you decide to do this you might want to watch the video I was making fun of, search Youtube for Repairing 733 Dewalt planer. Scan the first one understanding that he has misdiagnosed the problem. In the second part he fesses up and installs the bushings. He took the planer completely apart because of the the screws I mentioned. Replacing the bushings made a huge difference in my machine.

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Don Evans

Maybe the sprocket broke first and that caused the screw to come loose and fall?

Vibration perhaps?

Don

Re: Planer breakdown, Interesting.....

Barry Irby

I sort of doubt that. The planer seized up and I shut it sown with in 5 or ten seconds. I think the bolt fell out locking the board in position and the jolt caused the sprocket to fail.

The metal in the sprocket was like a crystal structure. the break looked like sandpaper.