Delta Portable Planer Disassembly And Repair 

The belt was my issue. Easy fix. Thanks again for the video!

Ha! Yeah, no extra parts and no missing parts, either. When I do automotive or motorcycle work the bolts and screws pile up pretty quickly, and I've taken to using magnetic trays to hold the parts. It's just a metal dish with a magnet underneath, and they really help prevent the loss of tiny parts.

You're right, many tools share similar design and construction. Once you open up a few tools you begin to see similarities.

Glad it helped!

The rollers can get a build up, that's true. It depends on what you are planing, really. You may not need to remove the rollers to clean them, though. Often you can just raise the assembly up all the way and clean from underneath. When you are changing the blades and they are removed it's a good time to do this.

Take a hard look at any bearings. Sometimes when marginal or failed bearings are not under load they will squeal but quiet down when they are put under load.

@@enduringcharm Thank you I will.

Mine is still running, but it's definitely a concern. You'll see from my other recent video that I purchased a new planer since I can't afford downtime. However, I don't think loctite is a great idea for the keyway. It's too liquid in it's viscosity and there's a good chance it will flow into the nearby bearing before it cures. Obviously you want something reversible, though. And, the actual issue is more related to the pulley shaft hole getting wallowed out rather than the keyway. I would suggest trying automotive grade silicone instead. Coat the inside of the pulley hole and put some in the keyway before assembly, dab a little on the shaft threads then tighten the nut and leave it be for a solid 24 hours. The silicone will cure in that period and it shouldn't enter the bearing during assembly. It will keep everything in place but be removable if need be. Another thing I didn't mention in the video is the back of the pulley where it seats toward the inside of the machine. Examine that area to make sure it is dead flat and not gouged out from use. If it is, flatten it by rubbing on sandpaper on a flat surface.

The loose chains may be normal, actually. I've used mine since it's been put back together and it is running just fine.

It is a good idea to either vacuum or blow out the unit with compressed air after a project to help prevent that problem.

Well, on my model it's just a handle that turns until it makes contact and screws down tight. I've never had an issue with that. It's not much disassembly to take that apart and take a look, though.

You can manually engage the locking pawl on the shaft to hold it still, which is normally spring loaded. Or you might be able to hold the shaft from the blade area using locking pliers or another tool, I never tried that.

That spring loaded lock occurs with the blade cover off. When you install the blade cover, you also push down a pawl which frees the rollers to spin. Don't turn it on without using the cover to keep the pawl unengaged!

Honestly, you can use almost anything on the metal parts, but you'll want to be cautious around the feed rollers. For the metal parts you could use scotch brite pads or steel wool and any solvent or degreaser you have available. When you are done, though, wipe the areas down with acetone or alcohol to remove any remaining solvent on the surface. For the feed rollers, use Dawn dishwashing soap and water or something mild like that so you don't dry out the rubber.

Check the description on this video, there are links to buy the products.

I wish I could help, but I don;t know what you mean by the base of the motor?

If the rollers are not turning at all it would have to be a broken chain, or stripped gears or something else physically damaged. However, are you sure they really are not turning? Is it possible they are turning but not feeding the work piece? If the surface of the rollers is glazed, or damaged from abuse, they may turn but not actually be able to pull the wood through.

@@enduringcharm the rollers were not feeding the stock at all. I’ve disassembled the sides and the chain is intact and gears are moving freely. The rollers seem to be locked. This is why I wondered if turning the gears would actually move the rollers, or if the motor needs to be engaged. When manually turning the gears, the rollers do not turn. When everything seems to be running smoothly… I’m at a loss as to why the rollers are not feeding. They are not ‘slipping’ as in dirty… they are locked and not moving.

Well, if you have both side covers removed you can either turn the assembly by hand (power off) and watch it move, or turn the machine on and watch what happens. The only possibilities are that the belt is slipping or a pulley is damaged on the drive side, or that a gear or sprocket is damaged on the transmission side. You say the rollers aren't feeding, but have you confirmed that the drive belt is working and turning the blades too? Maybe the rollers and transmission are okay but not getting power from the drive side?

@@enduringcharm yes, the blades were moving, the rollers weren’t feeding. While the drive belt appeared good, I’ve ordered a replacement. Holding down on the mechanism to free the gears and allowing me to turn by hand, the chain drive appears to move fine and I can turn the blades by hand. However, the rollers do not move. It is possible that the revolution/gear ratio is so large that it might appear they aren’t moving. Trying to simply turn them by hand isn’t possible. I’ll continue to clean and put the new belt on and see what happens. Thank you for the vid and trying to help!

Oh, actually that could be your issue. If you are turning the main shaft by hand the rollers will move very slowly. Best to watch the gears of the transmission to see if they are turning. Remember, the motor will turn that shaft at thousands of RPMs. If in doubt, reinstall the belt and turn the motor on. You could even take out the knives first so there is no danger while you examine the machine.

That dust cover was a MacGyver solution in a pinch, but I ended up using it for years! It was comprised of several off-the-shelf galvanized duct work parts, including a one-piece 12 inch transition from round to rectangular. I used foil tape to seal it and hold it together. I found a rubber boot to transition from the galvanized duct to the dust collection hose. It was all found in one of the box stores.

Thanks