Wood Grain; Knife Height Adjustment; Avoiding Snipe - Craftsman 351.233831 Operator's Manual

WOOD GRAIN
For an improved surface finish with minimal tearout,
always plane or mold the workpiece with the grain. The
workpiece should be fed into the planer/molder so that
the knives or bits are traveling with the grain as the cut-
ters finish the cut. The grain should be angled up
toward the rear of the workpiece as it is fed into the
pLaner/molder.
PLANING
WARNING: Always turn the planer/molder off and dis-
connect it from the power source whenever knife cover
is removed. Never operate planer/molder without the
knife cover properly secured.
The planer/molder is supplied with planing blades mount-
ed in the cutterheedand the infeed and outfeed rollers
adjusted to the correct height. The planer/molder is capa-
ble of working at two different feed rates. Feed rate refers
to rate at which lumber travels through planer/molder.
Planing can be done at 13 FPM for an improved surface
finish or 26 FPM for faster planing (see Feed Rate
Adjustment).
• Adjust the table height to produce the depth of cut
desired.
• Stand to side which the handwheel was attached.
• Lift edge to infeed side of the table by grasping
edges of board at approximately middle of length.
• Boards longer than 24" should have additional sup-
port from free standing material stands.
• Position the workpiece with the face to be planed on
top.
• Gently slide the workpiece into the infeed side of the
planer/molder until the infeed roller begins to
advance the workpiece.
• Let go of the workpiece and allow automatic feed to
advance the workpiece.
• Do not push/pull on workpiece.
• Move to the rear and receive planed lumber by
grasping it in same manner as it was fed.
CAUTION: Do not stand directly in line with front or
rear of planer/molder.
• Do not grasp any portion of board which has not
gone past out-feed roller.
• Repeat this operation on all boards which need to be
same thickness.
AVOIDING SNIPE
Surface that the planer/molder will produce will be
smoother if shallower depth of cut is used. Snipe refers
to a depression at either end of board caused by an
uneven force on cutterhead when work is entering or
leaving planer. Snipe will occur when boards are not
supported properly or when only one feed roller is in
contact with work at beginning or end of cuL To avoid
snipe:
• Gently push the board up while feeding the work
until the outfeed roller starts advancing It.
• Move to the rear and receive planed board by gently
pushing it up when the infeed rollerlooses contact
with the board.
• When planing more than one board of the same
thickness, butt boards together to avoid snipe.
KNIFE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Refer to Figures 6 and 15, pages 7 and 16.
WARNING: Disconnect planer/molderfrom the power
source and turn the planer/molderOFF before attempt-
ing to adjust or replacethe cuttingbits or knives,or per-
forming any adjustment or maintenance to the
planer/molder.
A knife height gauge is provided for use when replacing
or adjusting the planing knives (Key No. 40).
• Unplug the planer/molderand turn it OFF.
• Remove the knife cover (Key No. 4)
• Loosen all the set screws (Key No. 42) on all of the
gibs (Key Nos.41 and 43) in all 3 cutterhead slots.
• Using the brass punch, tap all the gibs down into the
cutterhead slot.
• Make sure the gibs are loose and can be moved.
• Remove the old knives, all gibs and spacers (Key
No. 44).
• Make sure the cutterhead slots and gibs are clean.
• Install the new planer knives and replace gibs and
spacers.
• Tighten the gib set screws only enough to hold the
gibs and knives in position.
• Make sure there is no gap between the gibs, and the
spacers are in place.
• Place the knife height gauge on one end of the knife
and adjust the jack screw untilthe knife just contacts
the tab in the middle of the gauge (see Figure 6).
• Adjust both ends of all three knives in a similar man-
ner until all of the knives are at the same height.
• Tighten the gibs slowly, movingfrom one cutterhead
slot to the next, until all three knives and all gibs are
tight and secure.
NOTE: The knives may creep up as the:gibs are tight-
ened. Lightlytap on kniveswith a piece of hardwood to
position knives against jack screws if needed.
Knife Height Gauge
Tab_ Knife
Figure 6 - Knife Height Gsuge
7