I recently posted for assistance in finding an input roller sprocket that had been discontinued on my Ridgid planer. The part was located and purchased. Installed and everything worked as before. Chain seemed a bit loose, but otherwise all was good. [I have no idea how tight the chain was new, should be now or was prior to the original break]
I started planing some rough cut 2x4 pine. I didn't realize that one end of the board was quite a bit thicker than the other and as it was pulled through it got stuck. I'm now assuming the strain on the input roller may be what broke the sprocket the second time around. The board was thick enough that it actually got caught on the frame of the planer. I started raising the cutting head as fast as I could, but it was too late and I have another break. This could be what happened the first time, but I honestly don't recall a board getting hung up.
So my question is:
Is this much more likely to be operator error than an issue with the chain and sprocket? The replacement sprocket was only about $30 bucks after shipping/taxes. Don't mind trying to find another set if above is basically operator error. But if it is more likely to be an issue with the machine I"ll just bite the bullet and look for something to replace it.
I'll say that I have ran a LOT of hardwood lumber through this planer in the last year and for it to break on pine was surprising to me, until I realized my own possible error.
Thoughts?
I started planing some rough cut 2x4 pine. I didn't realize that one end of the board was quite a bit thicker than the other and as it was pulled through it got stuck. I'm now assuming the strain on the input roller may be what broke the sprocket the second time around. The board was thick enough that it actually got caught on the frame of the planer. I started raising the cutting head as fast as I could, but it was too late and I have another break. This could be what happened the first time, but I honestly don't recall a board getting hung up.
So my question is:
Is this much more likely to be operator error than an issue with the chain and sprocket? The replacement sprocket was only about $30 bucks after shipping/taxes. Don't mind trying to find another set if above is basically operator error. But if it is more likely to be an issue with the machine I"ll just bite the bullet and look for something to replace it.
I'll say that I have ran a LOT of hardwood lumber through this planer in the last year and for it to break on pine was surprising to me, until I realized my own possible error.
Thoughts?
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