Tip #34
Planer
Pg. 1-3, Pg. 4-6, Pg. 7-9, Pg. 10-12, Pg. 13-15 (PDF)
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Thickness Planer Speeds & Feed Rates

Figure 21-4. To increase the power feed rate, turn the feed control clockwise. To decrease the feed, turn the feed control counterclockwise.

Before you begin any thickness planer operation, set the Mark V to run at the correct cutterhead speed and the feed motor to feed stock at the proper rate (Figure 21-4). For the most part, the right speed and feed rate depend on:

• the hardness of the wood
• the width of the board
• the depth of cut
• the sharpness of the knives.

The harder the wood, the wider the board, the deeper the cut, the duller the knives, the slower you want to set the cutterhead speed and feed rate. As you plane softer woods, narrower boards, or take shallower cuts with sharp knives, you can use faster speeds and feed rates. To determine the correct speed and feed rate for an operation, first look up the hardness of the wood you're planing in Table 21-1. Measure the width of the widest board and decide the amount of stock you want to remove in each pass. Then look up the recommended feed rates in Table 21-2.

To a lesser extent, speed and feed rates also depend on the grain pattern of the stock. As the grain becomes more figured or "wild," or the more knots there are in the grain, the slower the speed and feed rates should be. If the planer "bogs down" during a cut, even though the cutterhead speed and the feed rate are set properly, immediately lower the feed rate to let the planer catch up. On the next pass, try a slower feed rate. If that doesn't work, try a shallower depth of cut, then a slower cutterhead speed-in that order. Do not continue to run the planer at a speed or feed rate that causes the machine to labor or stop during a cut. Caution: If you operate the planer at too high of a speed, the motor that powers the cutterhead will overheat, blow fuses, and may burn out.

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