13
OPERATION
SNIPE
Snipes, or depressions made at either end of a workpiece by cutter inserts, can occur when the board is not
properly supported. Although snipe may be barely noticeable, it is important to keep the workpiece parallel and
flat with the planer table to minimize snipe.
POWER SWITCH
The planer is turned on by flipping the switch into the up position and it is turned off by flipping the switch in
the down position. This planer is also equipped with a special lockout toggle switch that prevents unauthorized
use.
To prevent unauthorized use of the planer, simply pull out the yellow key located on the face of the switch. See
illustration on page 7, item B.
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TURN ON THE PLANER: Insert the switch key into the switch, lift the switch to ON.
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TURN OFF THE PLANER: Insert switch key into the switch, push the switch back to OFF.
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TO LOCK THE PLANER: Place the switch in the OFF position. Remove the switch key from the switch and
keep it in a safe place until the planer is to be used again.
FIG. 9
FEED
ROLLER
PLANER BED
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Butting workpieces end-to-end as they are fed
through the planer will minimize the problem for
shorter pieces, because it provides a more stable
feed through the whole cut.
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For stock longer than 48 in.(122cm), greater care
must be taken to reduce the problem. The longer
workpiece length means more weight is unsup-
ported by the planer table and extensions, causing
the shifting weight to work against keeping the
stock flat, especially at the entry or exiting of the
stock from the planer.
•
To remove snipe from a finished workpiece, cut off
the end of the stock where snipe is noticeable.
WARPED WOOD
Little or no warpage is the ideal condition for planing a workpiece. Simply turn the workpiece over and plane it
to the desired thickness. Otherwise, plane the top flat first, turn the workpiece over and plane the bottom.
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For a board that is cupped or bowed across its width, the best method is to rip the board lengthwise down
the middle and plane the pieces separately. This method eliminates much of the waste in planing cupped or
bowed workpieces.
•
The only way to remove the bow from a workpiece that is cupped or bowed down its length is to use a
jointer.
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Avoid using severely warped wood as it can jam the planer. If it must be used, rip it in half before planing to
help minimize the possibility of jamming. If jamming does occur, turn the switch off and unplug the planer
immediately. Raise the cutterhead assembly high enough to remove the workpiece easily. Carefully check
to make sure no damage to the tool has occurred before making the next planing pass.
•
Always feed the workpiece in the direction of the grain. This allows the cutter blades to sever the wood
fibers instead of tearing them. Feeding against the grain can also cause the cutters to chip the workpiece.
DUST COLLECTION
It is extremely important that a dust collection system is used with this planer to eliminate harmful airborne
dust, prevent the build-up of chips that may jam the roller system in the cutterhead, and to keep the working
area clean of debris. The planer is supplied with 4” and 2-1/2” dust ports for attaching your choice of hose to
your vacuum system. Make sure all connections are secure and your dust collector is turned on before any
milling of lumber is done.
