Delta planer issue - need help.

[Rob Horton]

I recently bought one of those Delta model 580 planers at Lowe's when they clearanced them out (I know, stealth gloat there).

The deal is that I've used it a few times, and now all of a sudden, lumber doesn't feed through right anymore.

Anybody else have this issue? Just FYI - I haven't used the planer very many times. Just one one project, a small box which I posted pics of here before, and I've ran some test pieces through it when I was learning how to use it.

Thanks,

[Lamar Horton]

What exactly is it doing, (or not doing)? What type of lumber have you ran through it. My son ran some purple heart through mine and the rollers started to slip so I had to push the boards through. After a few passes it seemed to clear up. I figured the rollers were dirty.

[Rob Horton]

What exactly is it doing, (or not doing)? What type of lumber have you ran through it. My son ran some purple heart through mine and the rollers started to slip so I had to push the boards through. After a few passes it seemed to clear up. I figured the rollers were dirty.

Well it seems to feed in until it hits, or should hit, the second roller. Then I have to help it out QUITE a lot actually. On the project I mentioned before, I ran cedar through it. Other than that, I've only ran through pine.

I was wondering if the rollers were dirty too. If so, how should I clean them I wonder?

[lou sansone]

a couple of things to check are :


the feed table surface should be waxed so the lumber can slide on it. With most planers ( except some pretty expensive large ones ) there are no powered bed rollers. This means that the upper feed rollers must do all the feeding. If the lower table surface is not real slick then the wood will "stick" to the feed table. another possibility is if this planer has bed rollers, they may have somehow come out of adjustment and not allowing the wood to roll on them. This will also cause a lot of friction. The last thing to check is if you do not have the greatest dust collection then you may have your feed rollers all caked up with dust and chips and that is the problem. One more thing to look at is the "chip breaker" if this has come out of adjustment then it could be pressing down to hard on the incomming wood and causing it to hang up.

good luck

[Joseph N. Myers]

What other people have reported to be the problem with that unit is the power feed rollers not engaging. Turn power on and switch the speed knob left/right a couple of times (between 60 and 90 cpi). Note that the power must be on for it to work. That probably will take care of it.

Regards, and good luck, Joe

[Rob Horton]

Thanks everyone for the help! I'll check these things out and see what happens.