Electra Beckum outfeed roller

[Glynne]

I've been getting a bit of a "shudder" when the timber goes through the machine which I think is down to the outfeed roller being worn (perished) so there is a little play after the cutters rather than the timber being held flat on the thicknessing bed.
I've tracked down where I can get a spare roller from but has anyone had any experience of replacing one?
I'm loathe to just have a go without any guidance as I'm thinking the adjustment will be quite critical.
Thanks.
Glynne

 

[RobinBHM]

Is the feed roller less worn at the ends? If so you may be able to measure how much the outfeed roller needs to be set below the cutters. Thats assuming there is some adjustment.

Some planing machines have both height setting and spring pressure options.

Is the rubber worn and / or perished or has it become 'glazed' and lost its grip - I just wondered if had tried cleaning it and sanding to see if you could make it grip again.

 

[Glynne]

The roller is perished in that it is very rough and appears that bits might be coming off. This is consistent over the whole width rather than just in places.
I can probably adjust the height but given the roller is worn, it would seem more sensible to replace it.

 

[blackrodd]

I can't find a decent drawing to enable me to help.
Here's a link to the best(?) so far, Using the tool bar under the pic will bring you right up close to the feed roller
sprocket ends, can't see any wood ruff keys or any other.
Blow out the machine thoroughly outside, It would be a good idea to get some decent thread locker, Loctite or
similar, It wouldn't do for bolts to come undone so close to the cutterblock.
Ensure the same bolts and fitting go to their original locations.
As you can see, The standard thing to expect is the drive roller will have bearings set into a block each side,
the blocks will be spring loaded and stop bolted down in place.
Serrated drive rollers are handed for direction, Ensure that this is not so in the new roller wrapping.
The rest is up to you if no other member has done this before.
HTH Regards Rodders

http://www.powertoolspares.com/tool/met ... 11/spares/

 

[Hemsby]

I've been getting a bit of a "shudder" when the timber goes through the machine which I think is down to the outfeed roller being worn (perished) so there is a little play after the cutters rather than the timber being held flat on the thicknessing bed.
I've tracked down where I can get a spare roller from but has anyone had any experience of replacing one?
I'm loathe to just have a go without any guidance as I'm thinking the adjustment will be quite critical.
Thanks.
Glynne

No stress replacing the roller, piece of cake (hammer) . Just going out now but will post "how to" tomorrow.

 

[blackrodd]

I've been getting a bit of a "shudder" when the timber goes through the machine which I think is down to the outfeed roller being worn (perished) so there is a little play after the cutters rather than the timber being held flat on the thicknessing bed.
I've tracked down where I can get a spare roller from but has anyone had any experience of replacing one?
I'm loathe to just have a go without any guidance as I'm thinking the adjustment will be quite critical.
Thanks.
Glynne

No stress replacing the roller, piece of cake (hammer) . Just going out now but will post "how to" tomorrow.

Well done that man!
Rodders

 

[SammyQ]

"Yes please Hemsby; I'm just footering and fettling at a 260C I bought from Adam of this parish and your dissection of the beastie will help with checking, cleaning and commissioning.

Adam?? It's in cracking condition mate; I'm just taking resin off the blades and block, sawdust out from behind the two covers, etc etc prior to processing 6m squared of oak. I'm dead impressed with it so far, but haven't used it 'in anger' yet. Too Baltic in my unheated shed :!:

Sam

 

[Hemsby]

Hi,

Decided I might as well give my machine the once over, same time showing hopefully how easy it is to remove the roller. Anything unclear let me know. Total time removing, cleaning & assembly just under an hour.

Remove the plastic covers either side of the machine.

Punch out the roll pin from the plastic roller sprocket. Move the chain jockey wheel assembly to one side to ease the chain tension and remove the sprocket.
View attachment 2

View attachment 3
Completely remove the adjusting screw, spring and plate from either end of the roller.
View attachment 4

Remove the plate from the opposite side of the machine and pass the roller complete with plastic bearing blocks through the opening, try to keep the assembly together so any washer locations can be noted.
View attachment 5
View attachment 6
View attachment 7
Assembly is just the reversal of removal.

Once the assembly has been replaced its position is preset by the location of the bearing blocks in the casting lugs. The only adjustment is the spring tension (this does not move the roller any further towards the table) it simply maintains the rubber roller in downward contact with the passing timber.

I have never been able to get any info on the correct tensioning of either the in or outfeed rollers so I use the technical method (hammer) of applying hand upward pressure on the roller while adjusting the bolt at each end until the bearing block just contacts the casting block then apply a couple of full turns on the bolts, remember to use the same no of turns at each end.

When I replaced the rubber roller on my machine about 1 year ago I checked the relationship from the table between heights of the blades at their lowest point, the infeed serrated & outfeed roller. The infeed roller was level with the blades and the rubber roller was below the blades by approx .5mm

The only time I get snipe on the thicknesses is if I allow the timber on the infeed or outfeed to “sag“ while passing through. Although I think the machine is brilliant for my use the very short thicknesses table can be problematic, using roller stands either end makes the huge difference when machining either long lengths of timber or short lengths of heavy timber, trial and error #-o will determine when and how many roller stands to use.
regards,
Keith

 

[SammyQ]

That's magic. Thanks!

Sam

 

[Glynne]

Thanks Keith that's absolutely brilliant.
My roller is on order so I should be all set.
Cheers again, Glynne

 

[Hemsby]

Glad to be of some help

 

[Hemsby]

Sorry forgot.

When fitting the adjustment bolt spring assembly while you are upside down inside the machine it is difficult to start the bolt in the bearing block due to the lack of spare bolt length ](*,)

Just compress the spring about 1/2 inch with a couple of small cable ties, it is then easy to get the bolt in the block thread, then just cut the ties. =D>

 

[Glynne]

Well my replacement roller arrived yesterday so Ive just fitted it - and was the old one worn!

Thanks to the clear instructions from Hemsby (and the tip with the cable tie for compressing the springs) the whole operation was really easy.
The only query I have is the tensioning of the roller.
I started as Hemsby suggested by applying upward hand pressure on the roller but the bolts seemed to be getting incredibly tight way before the bearing block touched the casting block so I've "guestimated" what I think is about right.
On the first couple of passes with a fairly small board, I seemed to get a little snipe on the rear end of the board but this seems to have stopped after the machine was switched off so perhaps it was just a case of the bearing settling down.
As a final question, if I start to get snipe on the rear end of the board as it's fed through, is this because: -
1. The outfeed roller is too high - so the cutters can tip the board upwards as it passes through and takes more wood off?
2. The outfeed roller is too low - so it pivots the board up into the cutters after it has cleared the infeed roller?
I can't work out which it is and so I thought I would ask before I try any adjustments.
Thanks again to Hemsby for taking the time out to post the pictures and description.

 

[Hemsby]

Hi,

Glad the actual removal & fitting went ok.

Probably a daft question and hope you don’t mind me asking but have you placed the washer under the bolt head, then the spring then the aluminium square plate which should be in contact with the bottom of the casting location point, also can you see any of the bolt thread between the spring :?:

You said you used a “small” piece of board, approximately what length width & thickness and did you use any roller stands?

I have a theory of what may be happening but without knowing the timber dimensions my thoughts may not be correct.

Not related to your current problem but do you intend to plane a lot of sawn timber :?:

Cant get into the workshop tonight to check my machine, had a new rubber/resin drive & paths laid today

Regards.

 

[blackrodd]

Maybe Hemsby remembered to measure the down stand of the spring loaded bolts shown in pic 4.
Which should give you a basic idea of the original tension.
I'm glad you have been able to fit the new feed roller successfully, don't understand the question when the snipe stopped because it was switched off!
Regards Rodders

 

[Glynne]

Thanks for the replies.
In answer to the questions (and as I'm not beyond doing something daft no I don't mind), everything went back as it came off - so bolt head, washer, spring and plate fitted under the bottom of the casing housing.
You can only see the thread in the space above the casting housing so completely separate to the spring.

I've just re-read your directions and when you say adjust so as the bearing block just touches the casing block, do you mean the bottom of the bearing touching the bottom of the casing or top to top? I was going for top to top which I'm know thinking is a mistake and is why I can't tighten the bolt right up.

The piece of wood was about 300mm long x 20mm thick, which I know isn't very long but I've always managed with pieces this size before without any snipe.

I don't do a huge amount of thicknessing but I do have quite a few boards that I need to dimension so a P/T is an essential bit of kit for me. If my timber is way out of flat / thickness, I do use a scrub plane to get it closer to size as it is far easier to sharpen a plane blade that it is change the knives in a P/T.

Rodders - sorry my post wasn't that clear (coming from Merseyside, English is my second language). What I meant was I initially got snipe but when I turned the machine off and then on again and put the wood through again, it seemed to thickness OK.

 

[blackrodd]

With you now Glynne, re snipe.
Some thicknesser beds have rollers to assist the feed of really wide boards, 18" and up, these rollers will make snipe when set too high and will also"Mirror" any deep bandsaw kerf marks and similar defects in the finish.
As you're does not have bed rollers, I would suggest you ensure that the first end is supported, and not allowing the "tail end" to lift and form the dreaded snipe, or catch and "flip" the very end.
Regards Rodders

 

[Hemsby]

Hi Glynne,

I have been reviewing the roller spring setting and after playing around this morning with the adjustment of both the infeed & outfeed roller have decided that the available bolt adjustment has virtually no effect on the compression of the springs so decided the simplest setting is to adjust the bolt until the thread is fully engaged in the bearing blocks (careful not to over tighten the bolts). On my machine it gives a dimension of approximately 35/36mm as shown.



The infeed & outfeed roller springs offer very little downward pressure to keep the timber flat on the table so the need to keep the timber parallel to the table during the whole process is important to eliminate/reduce snipe on both leading & trailing edges of the timber.

Allowing the timber to “sag” on infeed side will allow the timber to rise from the table when it passes the infeed roller, as it is driven towards the cutter thus a bounce cut (snipe) could be made for at least 50mm until the timber reaches the outfeed roller which will then try to push the timber back down to the table. The timber should then be planed successfully until the timber leaves the infeed roller resulting in a bounce cut (snipe) on the last 50mm or so.





Again after much trial planed timber this morning I have concluded whether roller stands are used or not if a choice has to be made it would be preferable to have the timber raised slightly rather than sagging at either end of the machine, probably allowing the rollers to assist more.

Obviously this is only my opinion based on my use of the machine in the past, but more so after experimenting this morning.

Sorry abt the skecth quality but hope it helps to clarify things.
Regards,
Keith

 

[Glynne]

Thank you Keith,
It was really kind of you to take the time and effort to experiment as you have done.
I managed to nip out myself (escaping granddaughter minding) and planed a longer piece of spalted sycamore which is obviously quite soft in places so would show up any snipe. It came out absolutely fine so either I am incredibly lucky with my tensioning or, as you suggest, the tensioning probably isn't that critical.
The actual layout of my workshop is such that I probably angle the workpiece down onto the thicknesser bed (to avoid a shelf) and I do tend to pick the piece out of the other end rather than use a roller stand so I think by default I'm doing it the best way. I will however check the dimensions of the compressed springs just for my peace of mind as my engineering ability isn't that brilliant.
The diagrams are really good as well as I think I was starting to over think the various scenarios so it was great to get another opinion.
I've been really please with the P/T which I've had for getting on for 15 years and hopefully it will do me another 15!
Thank you for your efforts again.
All the best.
Glynne

 

[blackrodd]

The lower the rollers then the easier it is for the rear roller, rotating in the right direction, to "flip" the board end up into snipe as it drops off the end of the board it has just fed through.
I would suggest you find a member, or two with the same machine and get a measurement of the setting of those springs and set accordingly.
Regards Rodders