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What is acceptable proccess to rework planer table?

atex57

Stainless
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Location
SW Wisconsin
The title says most of it. I am trying to refinish a planer that someone else started but could not finish. I am roughing it with a large radius HS tool with .1" step over. Should I be using carbide for the wear? Or just go slow and easy? The hope is make it good enough to remachine a couple of knee mill tables and maybe an older Monarch lathe bed. I have a Starrett .0005 level and a 42" parallel straight edge and a 48" camel back to check things. Should this be in the antique section?

Thanks, Ed.
 
Are you just trying to reclaim the surface? Got any pictures? Shiny paint won't make up for a rusted frame and blown motor, even if it's *hot rod*.

Unlike usual, I'm not being a dick. Pictures will help A LOT.
 
I'm thinking you have a small table. 3/4" wide flat carbide tool, the biggest feed stepover you can manage, 1/2" would be good. Put a 0.003" shim under one edge of the tool so the edge is inclined slightly.

Regards Tyrone.
 
Ed,
I was lucky a few years ago and seen the planer tooling from Kearny and Trecker. It looks like they roughed with a carbide button tool that was 1" in diameter, no idea of the step over.
The finishing tools are a very unique shape. The cutting angle is at a 45° to the stroke. I think member Swatkins has posted about his finish tool over on his planer thread. The K&T bits have a very slight radius. They use a big step over, perhaps 1/4"

How are the ways of the machine?
 
How deep is the cut? Did you check the bed twist with your level? I have planned plainer tables and advised Steve Watkins on doing his. I use to have a lot of luck with HSS tools that were 1" wide and were bent so the cutter was about 2" behind the top of the tool. Steve has a bent one with a carbide silver soldered on.


How deep is the cut on there now? Did the former owner give you his tooling? Was the cutter left in the swivel head or holder? As the others said how about a few photo's. I would use a large radius wide tool to rough the table and then do what Tyrone said in his first post. Taking off .002 to .005 depth and 1/2 wide move overs. The wider and flatter the cutter and the more you move over worked best for me. Oh and honed sharp too.
Steve uses a Glendo lapper to hone his cutters.
Pic: L to R Shane Carr in Vancouver of his Rockford, Steve Watkins using the Beast. sorry about the sideways pic's
 

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How deep is the cut? Did you check the bed twist with your level? I have planned plainer tables and advised Steve Watkins on doing his. I use to have a lot of luck with HSS tools that were 1" wide and were bent so the cutter was about 2" behind the top of the tool. Steve has a bent one with a carbide silver soldered on.


How deep is the cut on there now? Did the former owner give you his tooling? Was the cutter left in the swivel head or holder? As the others said how about a few photo's. I would use a large radius wide tool to rough the table and then do what Tyrone said in his first post. Taking off .002 to .005 depth and 1/2 wide move overs. The wider and flatter the cutter and the more you move over worked best for me. Oh and honed sharp too.
Steve uses a Glendo lapper to hone his cutters.
Pic: L to R Shane Carr in Vancouver of his Rockford, Steve Watkins using the Beast. sorry about the sideways pic's

Just a bit to add to mine and Rich's post. The finish on Steve's planer table is the finish I would be looking for. Having a fine series of peaks and troughs on the table top allows you to move larger components around the table without massive effort. My depth of cut would be about 0.005" to 0.010". Slowish speed. You need a solid set up to avoid " chatter ".

Regards Tyrone.
 
I join the club of people asking more information, like the size of the bed and most importantly, the conditions of the ways.
If the ways have uneven wear, the top of the table won't be cut flat. Similar problem to a worn out surface grinder, with the complication that a planer's table is more or less as flexible as an overcooked spaghetti.

Before doing any cutting I would suggest placing the longer straightedge on 123 blocks on various positions on the bed and indicating it in the middle with a test indicator with the base resting on the table.
Move the table back and forth and see how much the indicator moves. This will give you an idea how your piece will move/will be deflected while cutting. It will also predict the height of the mountains you're cutting on the surface of the table when resurfacing the table.

Paolo
 
OK! Thanks for all the suggestions! The cutting was done with a 1/2" tool with an almost flat nose in a gooseneck holder at about 15 FPM and a .1" stepover.

The machine is a Gorton with 10Ft of travel and a 32" wide table.

After the finish cut I ran the table all the way out, lightly stoned the top and checked with the 42" straight edge.

Across the table it swung heavy on the ends, putting a .001 shim in the middle it swung in the middle so probably about 1/2 thou low in the middle.

Along the length it swung about 5" in from the ends for the the right hand 7 ft and showed about .0015 low way to the left and I thought not so good. Travelled the table back onto the bed so the end was supported and it swung well all along the bed. Now I am happy.

The back story on this machine was it belonged to a good friend who used it to plane mill tables and lathe beds so I knew the iron was good underneath. The bad part is it is going to be used a few times this winter and then it will have to find a new home, after 14 years and a very few paying jobs I can use the room for more useful machines.

Thanks again, Ed.
 








 
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