# Leveling Ridgid Thickness Planer



## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

Hey all -

I have a ridgid 13" thickness planer. Last weekend I was planing some boards and discovered that the planer is not "level" so to speak.

By this I mean that I would plane on the right side of the planer, on the second pass, I would plane on the left side. Doing this without any thickness adjustment, it would take off additional material.

I hope I have explained this clearly as I am looking for so advice for resolution. I am sure it's out there.

Thanks in advance

Johnny


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Sounds like the blades are worn down more on the one side. Usually best when plaining boards is to feed it in different locations of the planer.


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## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

Dominick said:


> Sounds like the blades are worn down more on the one side. Usually best when plaining boards is to feed it in different locations of the planer.


Dominick, thanks for the response. Thing is I have used the blades maybe twice after replacing them new.


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## RobinDobbie (Jan 31, 2013)

Which model is it? I just bought an older TP13002. I think R4331 is the current model.


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## bzguy (Jul 11, 2011)

Ridgid planers come with a knife depth-setting gauge, attached to machine.
If blades are worn so bad theyare not "straight" anymore, re-sharpen or replace and use gauge to set them back in cutter head which should be parallel with planer bed.
Mine also came with spare blade hidden under hinged bed extension.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

From what you are saying I would suspect alignment. You may not have sufficiently tightened one (or more) blades the last time you had them out.

George


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## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

Which model is it? I just bought an older TP13002. I think R4331 is the current model.

RD - TP13000

Ridgid planers come with a knife depth-setting gauge, attached to machine.
If blades are worn so bad theyare not "straight" anymore, re-sharpen or replace and use gauge to set them back in cutter head which should be parallel with planer bed.
Mine also came with spare blade hidden under hinged bed extension. 

BZGUY - I think that the cutter head may be the issue as the blades are fairly new.

From what you are saying I would suspect alignment. You may not have sufficiently tightened one (or more) blades the last time you had them out.

GeorgeC - I will check that as well.

bzguyRidgid planers come with a knife depth-setting gauge, attached to machine.
If blades are worn so bad theyare not "straight" anymore, re-sharpen or replace and use gauge to set them back in cutter head which should be parallel with planer bed.
Mine also came with spare blade hidden under hinged bed extension.

All - forgive me. Just realized that I asked this question before and never followed through on the advice provided by Steve Nuel.
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f12/rigid-thickness-planer-not-even-need-advice-42493/

This shows I haven't been doing enough wood working.


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## abetrman (Mar 18, 2011)

*Issue Resolved*

Appears the threaded rods were out of sync. Enough to give close to an 1/8 of an inch difference across the width of the bed. This was suggested by Steve Neul and I finally got to checking in on it. Took care of it tonight.

Thanks to all the suggestions.


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## isomies (Nov 8, 2015)

so how did you fix the problem?? I have the same problem.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Heikki said:


> so how did you fix the problem?? I have the same problem.


http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/planer-cutting-uneven-no-problem-123458/


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