TP13000 Noise

[Troy]

I've recently bought the TP13000 at HD (recond. by the way) and started on various furniture projects; and after just a day or two (about 2 hours planing time) it has began to make a tremendous amount of chain/bearing noise under no load. It sounds strong and solid under load, but as soon as the wood exits it sounds like its so "loose" its going to come apart. Does this sound like a noisy machine or do I have a loose chain?

It seems to have gradually gotten worse over time. After searching here it might be a noisy machine, not enough grease, or a loose chain. I'm going to go back to the garage and check out the gear area for grease and I'll let you know what I find.

How can I get a look at the chain to see it's condition?

[Troy]

Well, pulled that lower cover as suggested in another post on TP13000 planer noise, and found I can see the gear area as well as the chains.

Chains have about a 1/4" or so deflection. The grease in the gear area looked clean and in good condition (reddish brown color). And the chains looked lubed with a bit lighter greenish grease with a few wood chips, but not bad.

After stuffing the existing gear grease back up on the gears and closing everything up, it sounded better for a couple of seconds, like the grease helped. I don't think its the chains because of their speed relative to the motor and cutter head. It really does sound like a loose bearing at Mach 1, and gives the impression of "Stand back, it's goin' blow!" Again, all under no load; with a board going through it sounds fine.

So, the questions are - Do I have a "noisy" machine and do I need to just stuff it with grease??? - OR - Do I need to return this thing or have it serviced???

Being a HD recond. unit, it probably was returned, cleaned only, and resold. They may have only stuffed it with grease and not really fixed it.

I noticed the parts are cheap, sprokets and all. Can I pull it apart and put it back together myself?

I need to get back on my woodworking projects and down time on this tool is putting a damper in things, so any advice you'd have would be much appreciated.

[JSchnarre]

Troy,

There was excessive gear noise on some of the first units that came out and it was exactly as you descibed, only under no-load. There have been very few gear failures and I don't believe they are related to the gear noise. Just keep lubing the gears.

Jake

[Ridgid_rocks]

Troy,
Mine does the exact same thing. I bought mine when they first came out so I guess mine is one of the noisy ones.It does sound like it is going to come apart until wood is fed through. Mine won't feed itself either.I've had this problem over and over again.I've posted messages on here time and time again but the problem keeps comming back after 2 or 3 boards.If I knew they would take it back I would return it and get another one.What do you think??
Donny

[JSchnarre]

As far as having trouble with the machine feeding the board. First clean the rollers with something a bit stronger than alcohol, like laquer thinner (make sure its unplugged!!!). Clean the main table and make sure there is absolutely no pitch or dirt build-up, then put about 5 coats of wax on that main table. I've seen machines that would not pull through at all, able to pull 45 lbs after the table was cleaned and waxed.

Jake

[Ridgid_rocks]

Jake,
I've done that and it only lasts through 1 or 2 boards and it starts again.I'm planeing down rough oak and maple about 8 or 9" wide.It seems like it's putting alot of strain on the motor but I'm only taking off 1/16 or less at a time.I just got through trying to plane 2 boards and I had to push and pull the whole time.Do other planers do this? Donny

[Dave Arbuckle]

That's about how much I take on a heavy pass on my planer, R_R. It's a 250 pound stationary...

Dave

[Troy]

Mine is feeding alright. Of course I've only done some little batches of oak, been on a clear pine / vertical grain pine streak recently. Because it's soft, I've been roughing it close and taking less than 1/16" with each pass. Also, because I'm in there messing with the grease over the table, I'm cleaning and waxing the thing pretty frequently.

AND, the noise has gone away since I packed that grease up in those gears. Soooo, I keep after that grease and hope to keep on planing quietly (as quite as that thing gets ).

By the way, with a good vacuum, the dust chute works great. No plugs and a whole lot more planing and less cleanup time.