Basic Benchtop Thicknesser Maintenance

The start of any new season is a great time to give your trusty workhorses a bit of a clean and tidy! Whether you call these "inserts" or "blades," your machines demand them to be sharp. Plus, we have them at a great price.


 

Let's have a look at essential benchtop thicknesser maintenance:

 

  1. Remove the dust collection connection and disconnect from the power.


  2. Ensure the cutter head is at its lowest setting, giving you good access.



  3. Remove the dust hood and use a vacuum (and maybe an old dry paintbrush) to clean loose dust and shavings from all areas around and inside the machine.


  4. Using a small stiff bristle brush (a brass wire brush works well) dipped in CMT2050 or methylated spirits, remove as much of the built-up pitch and resin as possible from the exposed cutterhead and around the blades. A cloth placed under the cutterhead can help catch any excess liquid.


  5. Keep rotating the cutterhead to clean thoroughly around all blades and carefully inspect for sharpness and damage.


  6. Wind the cutterhead up so you can easily access it underneath.

  7. Use the vacuum again if you find any new pockets of sawdust.

  8. Wipe both infeed and outfeed rollers well to remove resin, pitch, and dirt using a soft cloth dipped into the methylated spirit. Inspect thoroughly for any damage.

  9. Wipe infeed/outfeed tables underneath the machining head; remove all rust if required. Use a protectant product like Silverglide or G15 to preserve the tables.

  10. If you find any dull or damaged blades, now is the time to change them (or rotate them if you have multi-sided blades or inserts).


  11. Put everything back together, and you are ready to roll!

 

Now is also a great time to check things like table alignment and order or replace other worn or damaged parts you may have found during your cleaning.

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