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View Full Version : Delta DC-13 Planer Problem


Jim Foster
06-20-2009, 4:33 PM
Hi, I've had an old DC-13 planer for about ten years that I bought use, so I supect it's almost 20 years old. I stopped using it for about three years and recently moved into a new home shop and tuned it up and started to use it. For the life of me I can't get it to feed wood through it, and it has always had this problem since I got it. Since I probably used it less than four hours in all that time, I always figured I 'd tune it us when I had a fair sized project.

Using the factory suggested settings for the infeed roller (serrated) and the outfeed roller (urethane coated) stock will feed for a few minutes then the rollers will just turn, no matter how much spring force I use. The belts are OK, I replaced them and adjusted them, so they are not the culprit. I have all the machinist thickness gauges and have set it three or four times, thinking it's me and I must be in error, but I think I have the machine set fairly accurately.

I only have several hundred dollars into the machine, it was not heavily used before I got it, but...

Question on the outfeed roller; Does the urethane lose it's grip. I've cleaned it a few times but I can't get it to finish feeding a peice even after the piece is completely fed through the cutter head. I've also cleaned the infeed roller pretty good, but the edges or serrations are not very sharp and no amount of spring pressure will force it to feed, it will just spin on the wood. Initially I backed off the spring pressure to as little as possible and tried to adjust a little at a time to see if there is a correct point, but no luck. I tried lowering the infeed and outfeed a little also with no luck. The only thing I did not try was raising them a little from the factory suggestions.

Also baldes are sharp nd based on stock that's been through seem well set.

Any advice?
warren kafitz
06-20-2009, 7:18 PM
Wax the infeed , the bed and the outfeed tables with paste wax.
Warren
Jeff Miller
06-20-2009, 8:20 PM
Wax the infeed , the bed and the outfeed tables with paste wax.
Warren



What he said............its gotta be slick :D



JEFF:)
Kevin Barnett
06-20-2009, 8:24 PM
Weird. I owned a DC-13 for about 10 years. Never had the problem you're talking about unless...

How rough is your stock? If it's really rough, the infeed roller will just shear off the wood it normally uses for traction. Also, this can be complicated by the underside of the board being rough and "grabbing" the front of the planer bed.

Other than that, I'm at a loss.
Bruce Wrenn
06-20-2009, 10:02 PM
Are you face jointing stock before feeding it to planer? Also what type of wood are you having this problem with? Rollers can't over come the resistance of the wood. Either beds need cleaning, and waxing, or wood is compressing under feed rollers and won't feed. Does the DC-13 have bed rollers, which could be set too high?
Jim Foster
06-20-2009, 11:02 PM
Are you face jointing stock before feeding it to planer? Also what type of wood are you having this problem with? Rollers can't over come the resistance of the wood. Either beds need cleaning, and waxing, or wood is compressing under feed rollers and won't feed. Does the DC-13 have bed rollers, which could be set too high?

The problem occurs whether the stock is face jointed or not. no bed rollers, but the bed surface was waxed.
Jeff Miller
06-20-2009, 11:02 PM
I think he means it's a DC-33 13" planer and if it is it has no bed rollers.




JEFF:)
Jim Foster
06-20-2009, 11:04 PM
Your right, thanks


I think he means it's a DC-33 13" planer and if it is it has no bed rollers.



JEFF:)
Chip Lindley
06-20-2009, 11:39 PM
Since your in- and outfeed rollers keep turning, the drive train is strong and intact. Check the *chip breaker, on the outfeed side of the cutter head for height adjustment. IF set too low, it will drag on stock and cause it to bog down.

That is my best guess, unless you are planing tapered stock too thick for your planer's height setting. Crank the cutter head depth UP just a smooch when stock jams, and see it begins moving again. You are taking too deep a cut in this case.

(Edit) My Rockwell RC33 predates your machine by at least 10 years! It was newly-used when I bought it in 1985!! IT has bed rolls, a steel searated infeed roller, and a finely searated steel outfeed roller. I have planed oak 2x12s and the old planer was begging for MORE!!

The only thing that bogs down my machine is tapered stock that becomes Too Thick to feed. The only thing I would wish better about it (short of a Byrd head) is jack screws in the cutter head for adjusting knives! Otherwise, its STILL a KEEPER!
Don Selke
06-21-2009, 2:15 PM
This may be a stupid question, But are your blades sharp? I plane a lot of western Alder and found that when my feed speed starts to slow down or quit, it is time to clean the rollers and change blades. I have the same planer in my shop. I have been very happy with it but am thinking about replacing in some time this year. I Like the DeWalt except for the complaints of dull blades and broken feed gears. I think I will pick up a new Delta.
Jim Foster
06-21-2009, 2:27 PM
Yes, several weeks ago when I was trying to tune it up, I sent the blades out for sharpening. Since I have very little invested in this except the frustration of trying to set it up and figure out if it's me or the planer, I'm also going to replace mine if I can't it figured out in the next two weeks.


This may be a stupid question, But are your blades sharp? I plane a lot of western Alder and found that when my feed speed starts to slow down or quit, it is time to clean the rollers and change blades. I have the same planer in my shop. I have been very happy with it but am thinking about replacing in some time this year. I Like the DeWalt except for the complaints of dull blades and broken feed gears. I think I will pick up a new Delta.