How will you tell that the blades of your hand plane need urgent replacement? A planer with short or blunt blades will not get the job done efficiently and on time. You will plane and plane over and over again without getting the desired results.
Before one replaces blades of a wood planer first, you need to buy the right size of blades that will perfectly fit into your planer. It is essential because the efficiency of the planer is maintained. Most blades have unique codes to effectively identify them during purchase to ensure to get the correct size.
A hand plane is a piece of equipment used for shaping a piece of wood and smoothing it out. It can also be used to smooth a part of rough wood edges. Hand planes can be either utilized manually or use electric power. Regular checking and replacing of blades of any given planer is an essential practice of maintaining your wood planer.
How to replace blades of a handheld planer
Discussed below are the steps to follow when replacing the blades of a handheld planer.
Step 1: loosen the bolts
Loosening of bolts can either be very easy or very difficult, depending on how tight the screw is held in place. Rust and other forms of damage can make it very challenging to detach the bolts that hold the blades in place. A flat head screwdriver can be used to loosen the bolt.
Bolts that hold blades in place may, at times, have accumulated rust over time. Clean the area with rust thoroughly using a blush. Once the rust is cleaned off, loosen the bolts. If this process proves to be challenging for you, refer to the manual guide and refer to the blade replacement procedure.
Step 2: Remove the first blade
Once the bolts are loose, the next step is removing the blades of the hand planer. Very carefully, using a screwdriver slide the blades out of their position.
Blades are usually very sharp, and it is, therefore, essential to wear leather gloves for protection purposes. While removing place the hand planer on a surface to reduce the risk of the blade falling and cutting your feet.
Step 3: Remove the second blade
Turn the hand planer’s drum to face the opposite direction. Lose the bolds that hold the blade in place. Use a flat head screwdriver to remove the bolts.
If rust has accumulated over time, clean the surrounding area using a brush, then use the screwdriver to lose the bold. Very keenly use a screwdriver to slide the blade out of its slot
Step 4: Installing the new blade
Once the blades that need replacing are out, it is time now to install the new blades. It is very important to make sure you have the recommended size of blades for your hand planer.
Blades have a notch on them that line up with the slot on the drum of the hand plane. Line up the notch and very slowly slide the first blade into place. Very loosely tighten the two nuts that hold the blade in place but do not tighten them completely yet.
Step 5: line up the blade
Hold the blade into place, and using your screwdriver line up, the blade is in a central position so that it will not rub against the sides of the planer. Once you are confident that the blade is in its right position, tighten the bolts entirely for effective performance.
Step 6: Install the second blade
Carefully slide the blade to its rightful position using a screwdriver. Blades have notches on them that help in lining them up the slot on the drum.
Bring into line the notch and carefully slide the blade into place. Make sure that the blade is centrally placed to avoid rubbing against the side of the hand planer. With the blade in its right position tighten the bolt completely using a flat head screwdriver
Replacing blades of an electrical hand planer
The following are steps that will guide you in changing the blades of your electrical hand planer.
Step 1: disconnect the planer from the power source
As a safety precaution, it is important to unplug your planer from the socket to reduce the risk of electrocution. Before starting the process of replacing the blades of the planer, it is essential to put on protective clothing like gloves and boots.
Step 2: loosen the screws
Secure the hand plane safely by turning the planer upside down. If possible, place the plane on a wooden vise, then constrict the vise properly to hold it. It is important not to place the planer in a metal vise to avoid cracking down the housing.
Use a flat head screwdriver to loosen the screws that hold the blades in place. There are times rust will have accumulated around the screw, making it challenging to remove the screws. When this happens to use up a brush to clean up the rust and, if necessary, apply a little to help loosen up the screws.
Step 3: Remove the blades
Keenly observe the direction of the cutting edges. The cutting edges should face the opposite direction to reduce the risk of cutting. Using a screwdriver pull out the blade needs replacing. If the blade is not loose, you can tap the blade with a wooden stick to loosen it up.
After the first blade is successfully out, repeat the procedure of loosening the screws and remove the second blade using a flat head screwdriver.
Step 4: Slide in the blades
Blades usually have a notch that lines up with the slot on the drum of the planer. Keenly line up the notch and very slowly line up the first blade into place.
Loosely tighten the screws that hold the blades in place. Using a screwdriver, ensure that the blade is centrally placed to avoid rubbing against the sides of the planer. Then tighten the screws to hold the blade in place. Repeat the same process to install the second blade.
To Wrap UP…
In changing the blades of a planer, whether it is handheld or electric, it is crucial to put on protective clothing. Make sure to buy the right size of blades for your planer so that they fit into your planer perfectly.
