Planer bed roller questions.

[iublue]

Is the only purpose of the bed rollers on my 15" planer just to reduce friction with the bed? I can see no other reason for them. Maybe there is and I hope someone tells me why they are needed.

Has anyone just cranked them down below the bed so that the wood just rides on the bed?

They just seem to add a place for thickness error unless they are adjusted JUST right.

[cvillewood]

You're right, just adjust then below the bed. They create snipe if used, but if you're rough milling hundreds of board feet they apprentice speed things up and you can take a bigger bite.

[Rick L]

I wouldn't put them below the bed. I'd put them level with the bed. Bed rolls are for running unfaced lumber. I've run plenty of unfaced lumber. Make sure you wax the. If I'm planing all day I will wax it several times. Any metal that has wood sliding on it keep it wax. Fence rails as well.

[CARYinWA]

I had problems until I moved mine completely below the bed. Wax the tables and you eill not have any issues.

[Bill Lyman]

CARYinWA said:

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I had problems until I moved mine completely below the bed. Wax the tables and you eill not have any issues.

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The rollers on my Powermatic 15 are a constant headache. If I move them below the bed, the feed jams. In an hour and a half of fiddling to get them even with the bed, I can eliminate snipe for 20 or 30 passes - then it reappears. Any suggestions will be tried and appreciated.

[JGrout]

this one subject is the least understood thing about planers.

Mine are .003" above the table and cause me no issues.

and the outfeed table rollers are 1/8" higher than the planer table

those who have issues generally do not raise the outboard tables and so the rollers in the tables do cause issues.

I prefer to set them so they are useful, I mean they have a purpose more than just running rough stock .

It works for me

[cvillewood]

I don't think it's that it's not understood, but getting them aligned AND having them stay that way has never worked for me. With a well cleaned and waxed bed the rollers aren't needed and are not worth the possible trouble. IME

[Carpenter Mark]

I have mine set .002-3 (both in and out) above the bed also, no problems. I do drop them a little under when I plane thin(3/8" & less) though. PM 100 planer

[JGrout]

if they are locked in position once they are set you will not have an issue.

And I think you missed the clue as to how they are set in conjunction with the outboard tables...

See my point

[MichaelMouse]

JGrout said:

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this one subject is the least understood thing about planers.

Mine are .003" above the table and cause me no issues.

and the outfeed table rollers are 1/8" higher than the planer table

those who have issues generally do not raise the outboard tables and so the rollers in the tables do cause issues.

I prefer to set them so they are useful, I mean they have a purpose more than just running rough stock .

It works for me

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With the rollers, waxing and rewaxing the table is unnecessary. That's why they're there. Especially useful in the days of circular saw mills, where the surface was considerably more irregular than the contemporary bandsaw types, though some even get sloppy with them. Believe the lunchbox types are mostly chromed tables, where the older are cast. Makes a difference even with wax.

The point about lift on the outfeed to prevent snipe is well taken, though my puller normally does that, because I have no external outfeed roller. I do have chipbreaker, pressure bar and outfeed roller adjustments on the planer, though. Keeps the rise to next to nothing when set properly.