Delta Planer Cutterhead NOT Turning!

[Keith Starosta]

I've got my Delta 13" planer stripped down about as far as I trust myself without getting some feedback. Last weekend, I was planing down some poplar when the "tone" of the motor changed, a few small pieces of what appeared to be rubber shot down onto the table, and the cutterhead, along with the rollers, stopped turning. Thinking that it was a drive belt or something along those lines, I began removing the covers, including the chain drive assembly cover. Unless I'm missing something, I do not see what could be causing this problem. I took a look at the parts schematic, but that didn't much help either. So, I turn to my friends at The Creek. PLEASE....any advice on what to check for would be greatly appreciated. I'm praying that this isn't a massive show-stopper. I've attached the PDF which breaks down all of the internals.

Thanks for the help!

- Keith

[Joe Spear]

I've been having drive belt problems with my DeWalt 735. It has eaten several belts. When I disassembled it for the third time, I discovered that the drive pulley on the cutter head had some back-and-forth play in it. I believe that led to the belt skewing sideways on the pulley, with the resultant friction melting the urethane. When I take the machine apart further, I will mount a new belt, put a lock nut on the shaft, and see what happens. Check to see if there was a belt that blew apart. If so, check the tightness of the pulleys.

[Jeff Duncan]

Silly question, but have you looked in there first?

My first step, before taking anything apart, would be to unplug, drop the table as low as you can, and get in there and see what's made out of the material your seeing fall to the table. If it's falling to the table you should be able to scope it out that way without any stripping down. Then again I could be completely wrong

good luck,
JeffD

[Bill White]

Can't tell from the schematic. Is the drive belt cogged? Is it stripped?
I had this happen when I stupidly fed a wavey board thru my DW 733.
Bill