PSA: 15" planer table lowering chatter-Byrd head install

[shoottmx]

Helped a friend install a Byrd helical head in his 15" Reliant (generic motor underneath the table) planer. Install went without a hitch, raised the table and ran a 1" board thru that came out with the planed face smooth as silk. Decided to run a thicker figured piece that he had so lowered the table and we get this chattering noise. What the hell?? We hadn't done anything (we thought) that would cause the noise and obvious chatter that we could see, feel and hear only when the table was lowered, never when raised. Always between 1" and 3". No issue above or below those table heights. Lubed the screws, crank and posts with no help.

After a half hour of head scratching we finally realized there was interference between the gearbox and table. We loosened the 4 bolts holding the box in place, inserted a .010" shim between the gearbox and table then retightened the bolts. Noise and chatter disappeared.

Hope this saves someone the hassle that Ken & I went thru.

g

[Howard Pollack]

Hi- Do you mean that the Byrd head chattered or that the table itself chattered when it was being lowered?  Thanks?
                 -Howard

[shoottmx]

The table chattered when being lowered. It made no difference whether or not the motor was running.

The Byrd head works perfectly.

g

[shoottmx]

A further clarification:

The Byrd head works as designed and had nothing to do with the issue, the issue came about as a result of the install.

The gearbox has to be removed from the machine, disassembled and the old head removed, the new head installed then the assembly reinstalled in the planer. The only thing that locates the gearbox are the bolts that mount it to the planer's head casting. There is enough clearance in the bolt holes, at least in my friend's machine, to allow the gearbox to rub against the table as it is moved. Shifting the gearbox slightly away from the table resolved the issue.

Hope this helps.

g

[Howard Pollack]

A further clarification:

The Byrd head works as designed and had nothing to do with the issue, the issue came about as a result of the install.

The gearbox has to be removed from the machine, disassembled and the old head removed, the new head installed then the assembly reinstalled in the planer. The only thing that locates the gearbox are the bolts that mount it to the planer's head casting. There is enough clearance in the bolt holes, at least in my friend's machine, to allow the gearbox to rub against the table as it is moved. Shifting the gearbox slightly away from the table resolved the issue.

Hope this helps.

g

Thank you, the clarification is helpful.  -Howard

[ajkoontz]

Better than what happened to me a couple of months ago. I installed the new head and finally got everything back together about 10pm. Turned on planer, put board through, board wouldn't feed. Kept on making table adjustments, checked belts/ pulleys, scratched my head for probably another hour. Never could get board to feed. Went to bed tired and frustrated. Woke up around 2am when it hit me that the planer gearbox was in neutral. Got up to check it and sure enough, that was the problem. Worked fine ever since.

[shoottmx]

Woke up around 2am when it hit me that the planer gearbox was in neutral. Got up to check it and sure enough, that was the problem. Worked fine ever since.

I love it. Getting up at 2 am to check it out. Way cool.
g