Problem with planer feed on my Record c26 universal

[Megaweasel]

Hi everyone

hoping someone can help me with a problem with the thickneser feed on my Record Power C26 universal. I’ve had it for many years without a lot of trouble but recently the feeder for the thickneser stopped working. The feed is a serrated roller, the spindle of which had a stack of little rubber washers which, when engaged, makes a friction contact with the edge of a 170mm diameter driving wheel. When I looked at it, all the little washers had split and disappeared leaving no friction surface to engage.
seemed a slightly odd solution to me (I’m no engineer) as I’d have had the friction surface on the wheel itself (Like a bandsaw wheel tire) but it worked for a good many years so I guess it was ok.

anyway, I got a load of rubber washers and replaced them which is a real pain as it means stripping the machine which requires removing the spindle motor and the saw and removing the top. Put it all back together and it lasted about an hour before they were all gone again. I tried again with neoprene washers - same thing. Then I tried some neoprene tubing a bit like hosepipe and that too was destroyed within a day.

the khives (tersa) are sharp and the bed clean. Really running out of ideas now and it’s frustrating as it takes about three hours to strip it and put back together and another couple to align everything.
so.. anyone got one of these or something similar who might have any suggestions? Record have no parts and we’re not interested when I contacted them. SCM (who made it) don’t seem to have parts for the minimax version. I’m thinking of trying a small bandsaw tire or a urethane-tired wheel in place of the driving wheel next.
any ideas would be greatfully received

chris

 

[baldkev]

Hello.... I did read on a thread about a different p.t that for machines without soares support, going to a print manufacturing company is a good move, they do the rollers for printers. Someone did post a link I think but it was ages ago... maybe search feed roller in the search bar

 

[Megaweasel]

Cheers,

I'll take a look. I did have a look round at urethane-tired roller wheels and its a bit hit-and-miss. Having taken it to bits (again...) the wheel is an aluminium one with the drive surface and also a smaller pulley for the v belt - so getting exactly that with a tire is going to be tricky. probably getting a bandsaw tire might be a better way to go. I've manage d to get it going again with a new piece of neoprene tubing and this time, stripped it all down and re-fitted everything and so far, it seems to be holding.
The C26 is quite a good machine - until you need to service it or re-align something at which point you can really see its failings...

 

[baldkev]

the wheel is an aluminium one with the drive surface and also a smaller pulley for the v belt - so getting exactly that with a tire is going to be tricky

From memory the thread was suggesting the print roller company should be able to re_tire your roller

 

[Inspector]

Just for grins I searched "urethane roller reconditioning UK" The UK because I would only get Canada and US companies otherwise. There were a dozen on the first page. One of them can put new urethane in a suitable hardness and size it exactly assuming you know the diameter. When you get it back and installed it will likely outlast the original. Sure beats futzing around trying to buckshee something yourself.

Pete

 

[clogs]

I think I'd bite the bullet and mod the drive.....
there are plenty of ribbed and tooth belts n pullies out there...
might cost a little, money wise and certainly time....
but the end result would be worth it...

 

[Megaweasel]

@clogs - I did wonder about that but I think it’s important that it is able to slip if if gets caught on something.
@ inspector - awesome thanks. I spent ages looking for providers of tires and wheels - that seems a much better idea. I’ll report back if successful - might be useful in the future

 

[Megaweasel]

Quick update for any other owners of the Record C26 or the MiniMax versions - I took the advice and got the secondary wheel fixed with a nice polyurethane tyre. It wasn't plain sailing as the wheel now being some 12 mill diameter larger would hit the flange on the lower wheel so I had to turn it down - however, it it now working and feels like a much better long-term solution.

Total B**ch to re-assemble and re-align everything so I really hope it stays working now..

Chris