Can you help identify this planer?

[technium]

Just picked up this cast iron planer from gumtree but I want to see if I can find a manual for it and I need to replace the blades.







thanks in advance

Colin

 

[Richard S]

I had one similar to yours only painted grey not green, it was a few years ago now and I didn't own it for very long but I seem to recall,it being branded Eclipse. Eclipse where based in Coventry and seemed to be more of an engineering concern. I had a manual for mine and was interested at the time to find out if they had any other woodworking machines in their line up. From what I can gather woodwork equipment was a bit of a side line for them however the design of the planer is pretty generic and seemed more popular / common in the US, you may have better luck on an American forum.
Sorry I can't be more help.

 

[marcros]

the manual likely wont tell you much- the table adjustment is pretty much the same as the axminster ct150- manual downloadable from their site. if you have a blade, measure it and look around. Axminster ones may fit, if not, try somewhere like woodford tooling or appleby woodturning.

Looks a nice solid machine.

 

[technium]

thanks all. Yeah I cant find any labels on it. Its damn heavy though.

Theres Marcros youre right looking at the Ct150 it looks very similar so the manual might do.

The two wheels on the front adjust the height of either table. Now im probably showing my noob side but I can see why you would lower the front of the table so that the blade then takes X amount of material off the wood, but why would you lower the other side?

thanks

Colin

 

[wallace]

You would lower both tables to do rebates which yours looks like you can do with that extra casting bit at the front

 

[technium]

You would lower both tables to do rebates which yours looks like you can do with that extra casting bit at the front

ok thanks, now off to google "rebate on a planer" as no idea what that is or why I would do it. Perhaps im too old to start learning this stuff.....

 

[marcros]

you are correct though- you would only move the one table for planing. I knew that my ct150 was able to do rebates, but never did any on it, nor worked out how!

 

[Fitzroy]

Pretty sure you don't need to move the out-feed table for rebates, at least I didn't for some I did on mine. Just lower the in-feed by the depth of the rebate required then adjust the fence to the width of the rebate and run the wood over. If you want to do it in more than pass then set to 1/2 the depth and run over twice etc, just remember the planer will increase the depth of the rebate by the offset of the in-feed table, on each pass (yes I learnt this the hard way). I found the operation a bit unpleasant as you have to remove the cutter guard, although your machine seems to be missing that anyhow, and I don't have the rebate table that supports the overhanging board which would stop me making a small rebate as the board would be horribly unbalanced.

However, having out-feed table adjustment means it is much easier to adjust the machine for snipe, or if it's planing a convex/concave into the board, without messing with the blade setting.

F.

 

[technium]

Great thanks. cant wait to start having a go with it. Theres a bit which seems like its broken or bent which I will try and get photos of to see what you all think.

cheers

 

[technium]

ok hopefully this works.

ok the first two pics show a metal bar by the locking knob but to me it looks bent but I dont know what its actually for and cant see it mentioned in the manual for a similar planer so does anyone have any ideas?






The next two show a metal bar with was stuck right against the blades and was stopping the motor running (which is why is was sold as not working on gumtree) but I managed to push the bar back out the way and that means the motor and blades work but again wondered what this is. This bar is on the same side as the part above but the part above does not appear to move although this bit did seem to allow me to push it back.





thanks for looking.

 

[edcruwys]

Looks to be generic Taiwanese....same as the Axminster CT150. Pretty sure you can download their manuals

CT1502 manual here > https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... 4739,d.ZGg

 

[technium]

Thanks mate, its very similar to mine.

Now anyone got any ideas about the maybe bent pin and the metal bit that stopped the motor?

cheers

 

[worn thumbs]

The best planer I ever rebated with was a Sedgwick.It came with a Shaw guard that made the operation simple and safe.

 

[Orraloon]

A couple of points on safety as this thread is starting to worry me. I have no idea why those lumps of metal are stuck under the table like that but I would not run that machine again before someone that knows a bit about planers has had a good look at it. Right now I fear a big bang and flying metal.
On the good side that blade in the picture looks like all it needs is sharpening.
Regards
John

 

[technium]

Thanks guys.

The bent metal I have no idea about, it doesnt seem to move in any direction at all.

The metal by the blade slides forward and back with the help of some plyers and it was this that was stopping the blade from spinning, once pushed back it seems to operate fine but I would like to know what it is for. Is there a way to take the sliding bed off to see underneath?

thanks

 

[Orraloon]

Those odd metal bits look really suss and may be the result of a bad breakage during operation or perhaps someones idea of home modification. Looks like the whole thing needs stripping apart anyhow. A few checks you can do first to see what obvious faults there are before going the whole hog. Take the belt off then see if the motor runs. If so how does it sound. Smooth and quiet purr good. Grinding, squealing or smoke bad. With belt still off turn cutter block by hand on pully wheel and see if it spins smooth and easy. I would suggest new bearings for an old machine with a clouded history anyhow but there may be some life there yet. The other check you can do is see if the infeed table table moves up and down with the adjustment wheel or are those metal lumps binding things up. This should give you an idea of the things needing fixing. It looks like it would have been a good machine in it's day so lets hope there is nothing too serious under that table. Google has plenty of stuff on planers and perhaps you can find a manual for a machine like it to help. There is also heaps of things on setup and sharpening blades and stuff so get studying.
Regards
John

 

[technium]

Those odd metal bits look really suss and may be the result of a bad breakage during operation or perhaps someones idea of home modification. Looks like the whole thing needs stripping apart anyhow. A few checks you can do first to see what obvious faults there are before going the whole hog. Take the belt off then see if the motor runs. If so how does it sound. Smooth and quiet purr good. Grinding, squealing or smoke bad. With belt still off turn cutter block by hand on pully wheel and see if it spins smooth and easy. I would suggest new bearings for an old machine with a clouded history anyhow but there may be some life there yet. The other check you can do is see if the infeed table table moves up and down with the adjustment wheel or are those metal lumps binding things up. This should give you an idea of the things needing fixing. It looks like it would have been a good machine in it's day so lets hope there is nothing too serious under that table. Google has plenty of stuff on planers and perhaps you can find a manual for a machine like it to help. There is also heaps of things on setup and sharpening blades and stuff so get studying.
Regards
John

Thanks John I have already turned the machine on, when I powered it on it just hummed so thought it was knackered which is why it was so cheap, anyway I powered it straight off and realised I couldnt turn the blades and it was then that I noticed this metal bit touching the blade. I pushed it back (under the bed) and the blades spun freely so I powered on the machine and it is very quiet and purrs like a kitten (good news) so I then powered it off and checked that both beds raised and lowered fully with the handles which they did nice and smoothly and also the other black knobs on the back seem to tighter / lock the handles or beds in place so thats good. I fitted the fence and again all working smoothly so as it stands this machine is fully working but I just dont know what this bent (or at least I think its bent) metal thing is and also what the metal bit was that touched the blade which is why im wondering if I can remove the bed to see the metal underneath it or not?

Another note, my local timber merchants dont sell replacement blades but said they can get them sharpened for me from £5 so are the blades easy to remove and also refit?

thanks again

Colin

 

[Steve Maskery]

Generally it is not difficult to change planer blades, but it can be time-consuming. The more often you do it, the quicker you will get at it.

There are a couple of reasons why you might want to lower or raise the outfeed table. You can make cutouts on the underside of sled feet by "dropping on". I bet it is against H&S now, but it was a common technique at one time. It's also useful to be able to raise the outfeed side a tad if you are getting snipe when surface planing. That happens when the workpiece falls off the infeed table onto the cutter block for the last couple of inches. By raising the outfeed table, the workpiece is better supported after the cut, and it's usually easier to do this than reset the blades, especially if they are otherwise well-adjusted for parity.

 

[Orraloon]

Hi Colin.
That table should come off. On my machine there is a central pin that the advance screw goes through and also acts as lock down. Nut for it is under the main body. On mine I put a hand up the dust chute to get at it but you may have to unbolt machine from stand to get a spanner on it. When you see under the machine it should be clear how it works. A few pics of what is under that table would help a lot to clear up the mystery.
You will have to make one of these to replace the missing guard.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=make ... 7MUFh06e-M:
By the time you get this baby going you wont need a manual any more.
Regards
John

 

[technium]

Thanks John

I have the blade guard but it appears to be broken, the pin has broken out of the plastic housing so I will have to figure out if I can glue it back in place. If not then I will have a go at making one.

Im away this weekend so wont get any time with it but next weekend I should be able to see about removing the top and try to see whats going on underneath.

thanks

Colin