I've been using a 13-inch Dewalt planer that's a few years old, and it has always been somewhat sluggish. I recently replaced the blades, hoping that would improve performance, but I still encounter issues. When I plane lumber (never more than 1/32"), it struggles significantly—even with pine, cedar, and oak. I often have to run the boards through multiple times without changing the height, and I can hear it making loud noises that concern me. Does anyone have suggestions or insights into what might be causing these problems? Thanks!
3 Answers
You might want to double-check that the knives are installed correctly. It's easy to miss that they're upside down; that can really affect performance. Also, sounds like your bearings might be going bad given the noise you described—make sure your dust collection is on point too, to help avoid any clogging.
It sounds like the feed rollers might be getting gummed up, especially since you’ve been working with resiny woods like pine and cedar. It's a good idea to unplug the planer and clean those rollers thoroughly. You can use alcohol to break down the resin and while you're at it, consider waxing the bed for smoother operation.
Totally agree! I found cleaning the rollers made a big difference for mine—the dust just builds up over time.
Have you checked if it's taking in the chips properly? If it's leaving chips behind as the board exits, that could indicate a clog. I've had similar issues with damp wood; popping off the top and giving it a good clean helped. Just make sure to clear any blockages out; it can get messy in there!
Yeah, damp wood is a real issue. You definitely want to keep everything clean to prevent that.
Good point! I’ve made that mistake before too. Always double-checking that helps.