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Thread: Planer ripple on one Side of board

  1. #1

    Planer ripple on one Side of board

    I’m getting planer ripple on the left side of my boards. I’ve attached a few pictures to show (they’re supposed to be vertical). I have an old Bridgewood 15” planer that is 30 years old. Runs great, just trying to fix this problem. Before you ask, the knives are set correctly, and the spacing is too far apart to be a high knife. I’m thinking it could possibly be a bad bearing in the infeed/outfeed roller on that side? Or possibly a bad bearing in the cutter head? The infeed and outfeed rollers both have subtle play in the bushing blocks on this side of the machine. Is that normal? Maybe the compression springs need replaced? I’d like to order a few parts and see if I can fix this but not sure exactly where to start.

    Thanks for the help!


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  2. #2
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    Seems like the periodicity must hold the clue. Very regular, but too frequent to be a lump or flat spot in a roller. . .and only on one side. Doesn't seem like a weak spring would be so regular or have a reason to have that frequency.

    What a about the end of the board, is it consistent from end to end (might give a clue if infeed or outfeed roller)?

  3. #3
    Thanks Dave, as I recall the boards do have the ripple from end to end. That particular board has since been cleaned up and used. I will try it again tonight to verify. It seems to be more pronounced on softer woods like cherry and poplar than it is on oak.

  4. #4
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    Its board flutter. If it's a std 4 post style check the chip breaker and the leaf springs that hold the chipbreaker down.

    If it's a pm100 clone with segmented infeed, check the pressure bar.

  5. #5
    Jared, this is one area I haven’t considered yet. Mine is a typical 4 post planer with no pressure bar. I’ve attached more pictures. My chip breaker spring pressure is weak on that side. I can push up on it from below and it actually stays there. I’m talking a few hundreds of an inch. I remember at one time I took that left black spring off and bent it more to get more pressure down on the chip breaker. Do you think a new chip breaker and springs would be a good start? I also noticed checking it just now that it has a bow across its bottom face, from all the boards run through it over the years. So when adjusted corrected side to side there is more play in the middle.

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  6. #6
    I can't believe they make planers without pressure bars now days, it's so 1880.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Steinberger View Post
    Jared, this is one area I haven’t considered yet. Mine is a typical 4 post planer with no pressure bar. I’ve attached more pictures. My chip breaker spring pressure is weak on that side. I can push up on it from below and it actually stays there. I’m talking a few hundreds of an inch. I remember at one time I took that left black spring off and bent it more to get more pressure down on the chip breaker. Do you think a new chip breaker and springs would be a good start? I also noticed checking it just now that it has a bow across its bottom face, from all the boards run through it over the years. So when adjusted corrected side to side there is more play in the middle.

    24F32E78-58AF-4E2B-B786-093C72FC69D3.jpgF72DA4AB-75B1-49B9-9CA7-2FCC4ACECD43.jpg85C039BD-1D1F-4BF8-9F06-6D48F38998E9.jpg
    Add some helper springs using some spring steel, or double up on the springs using another set on top. You can add a lot of spring pressure there.

    Also check to make sure the pivot bushings are in place, there shouldn't be any slop in the chip breaker pivot.

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