Porter 715 36" facer

[Darcy Warner]

Working on getting this machine dialed in and set up for a customer that needs to flatten a bunch of wide slabs

Ran a wire to it today and proceeded to blow the control transformer. 3 foot arc flash, exciting stuff. Replaced it and started testing out the feed and power beam.
Feed was dog tracking so I had to take part of the drive apart and shift sprockets around.

Got the chains lubed and it runs true and quiet now.

Needs an Estop and a couple limit switches.

https://youtu.be/p9pPwqvC2c0

[Darcy Warner]

All new wiring done.

Need to order inserts and probably change out cutter head bearings.

https://youtu.be/4PhPHyBs42I

[Martin Wasner]

I think you told me the bearings for that thing we're going to something ridiculous like $7k?

[Darcy Warner]

I think you told me the bearings for that thing we're going to something ridiculous like $7k?

The whitney 970 top head bearings are 2800 bucks.

These are nothing that special.

[Martin Wasner]

Ah, I knew something you were working on was bonkers expensive with a long lead time for bearings, I couldn't remember what.

[Darcy Warner]

Ah, I knew something you were working on was bonkers expensive with a long lead time for bearings, I couldn't remember what.

The carbides for this Newman head are 6500 bucks.

[Darcy Warner]

Cutter head and motor bearings swapped. Head cleaned and all threads cleaned and ready for carbides. 405361

405362

[Darcy Warner]

Carbides. 405574

[Matt Day]

Now THAT is a cutterhead. That probabaly weighs more than the entire planer of a lot of people here.
How much does that thing weigh in at? 100 lbs?

[Darcy Warner]

Now THAT is a cutterhead. That probabaly weighs more than the entire planer of a lot of people here.
How much does that thing weigh in at? 100 lbs?

There are 45 pounds of carbides and screws. I would guess the weight of the head at 175 pounds, almost more than I liked moving around by hand. I used the fork lift to pull it out of the machine.

[Eric L. Severseike]

Wow! Thanks for sharing!

[Brian Holcombe]

That’s incredible, it has a really high helix.

[Mel Fulks]

Nice. One place I worked had one ,can't remember the brand. They seldom used it since it had a lot of places to oil.

[Darcy Warner]

I still have to set up and do the initial grind on it.

I think it's about 22k for that 36" head and grinder set up from Newman.

[Darcy Warner]

This machine is for the same customer. just mounted the 25hp motor on it today.

https://youtu.be/YyOfDCONjGg

[David Kumm]

Buss has been considered to be one of the best planers made. What is your take? Dave

[Darcy Warner]

Buss has been considered to be one of the best planers made. What is your take? Dave

For an overall do it all planer the 4L is hard to beat, especially if you need something a bit lighter and smaller than the Buss 44s. They are loaded with easy set up features as well. I wouldn't turn away a whitney 290 though.

[Darcy Warner]

After some delays, grinder bar for a 30" machine, finding one for a 36", Newman sending wrong carbides, and a few other things, its back from the dead.

https://youtu.be/xBeuPTCtPxg


https://youtu.be/LuCyZGOVktk

[David Kumm]

Darcy, were the grinders originally set and pinned specifically to each machine or could you put on a replacement without having to tweak it a lot? Dave

[Darcy Warner]

Darcy, were the grinders originally set and pinned specifically to each machine or could you put on a replacement without having to tweak it a lot? Dave

All 4 of my whitney grinders fit all 4 of the bars I have.
You can adjust bars parallel to heads on the planers and grinding stands. On this set up there is no adjustment. it was about a 1/1000 off, not critical in this application.
The tables have 4 points of leveling each. Pretty easy to dial it in to the head.

[Darcy Warner]

Follow up, one video grinding the carbides, one of a board running through it.

https://youtu.be/xBeuPTCtPxg

https://youtu.be/LuCyZGOVktk