Multico Planer Feed issues

[Keith 66]

I have a very old Multico 12" thicknesser, I think it is an L3 model. I bought it back in 1984 secondhand from a scrap yard & it had been in a fire so was quite cosmetically challenged.
Re motored it served for 18 years in my workshop & then in the boatshed down the yacht club.
Lately i have been getting feed issues where the wood refuses to feed through & you end up hanging of the timber on the outfeed to give it a hand.
Table is clean & waxed but the main infeed roller appears to be quite worn, It is a toothed roller & the edges are not that sharp. Tension springs appear to be a bit weak as well.
Anyone else rebuilt one of these? How sharp should the feed teeth be? How did you sharpen them?

 

[baldkev]

I dont have experience with this, having never done it, but i would first replace the springs and see how it goes. If it takes ages to get at the springs, while the roller is out, you could have a crack at filing the ridges.... I'd think a triangular file would do, or a dremel? Or take it to an engineers to have it done properly.

Have you searched ebay etc to see if there are any available?

 

[Deadeye]

I have rebuilt mine.adjusting the twin nuts on the tension springs is a horrible fiddle but is where I would be start.the roller should be 1mm below the blade according to the manual

 

[Keith 66]

Thats useful to know I suspect the springs are wrong anyway, the coils are very close together & i suspect get coil bound when the work goes in.
I have some heavy springs that will do the job so think it wise to take the roller out & replace the springs, While the rollers out i might as well check it on the lathe to make sure its parallel.

 

[Deadeye]

My serrated roller is badly worn - previous owner started a restoration but used an angle grinder
However it still does the job, so I suspect it's the springs and depth setting not the sharpness of the serrations

 

[Keith 66]

I reckon you are right, I just had a look at it & the feed roller is at least 6mm below the cutter blades, sprayed everything with release oil & will have a go at taking the roller out tomorrow, the roller itself appears to be noticeably worn in the centre.

 

[Keith 66]

I got the feed roller out ok, Took it home cleaned it & stuck it in my lathe, turned out to be worn by nearly 1mm in the centre, I have skimmed it down & this has sharpened the teeth nicely, rear slope of the teeth was then cleaned down with a triangular file. New springs have been made from a cut down airgun spring! I shall remount it this weekend & give it a try.

 

[Keith 66]

All back together this morning, a slight hiccup over the weekend as the drive chain was one link short with the feed rollers set where they should be, Fortunately i had a spare new chain of the right size & pitch that was too long. New drive belt to the cutter head as well. Fired her up & its feeding & cutting like a demon!
Thanks for the settings tip Deadeye.