Planer - minor or major surgery?

[Mark Gibney]

I bought a 24" Casadei planer (1980's Italian machine, now part of SCM I believe) and took it to my shop. I wired it up, and the cutter head ran. I tried the bed raising / lowering switch and it raised the bed fine, but on the way down it stopped dead.

The machine has sat here for months now - first I had to find someone who knew how to work on these machines, and then we had to get the electrical chart from Italy. Long story short, the bed motor works when it is disconnected from the chain, but once I connect the chain back up it does nothing. When I subsequently disconnect the chain and try the switch the motor stays dead - it's not getting power.

It could be months before this tech gets back to me - I'm a small job compared to what he normally does and he seems to have no time - and while he knows plenty about electrical circuity I'm not sure he really wants to get to grips with what is jammed mechanically and causing the motor circuit to cut out.

Here's my thought - I can get a machinist friend to rig up a hand crank to raise and lower the bed, and get rid of the troublesome electrical stuff. I'm a fan of keeping things simple when I can.
Planer 1.jpgPlaner 2.jpgI've cleaned and lubed everything I can get my hands on, and with the machinist I'm sure I can get the jamming problem sorted out.

I'd like to hear the opinions of anyone out there on this. The first photo shows the four threaded rods, fairly standard, and the second shows the electrical spaghetti that makes my head spin.

So, should I repair the machine and keep it as it is, or go with a hand crank? Thanks.

[Frank Pratt]

Do you know a good electrician with machine & motor control experience? If not, phone around. He/she should be able to sort it out in a couple of hours, especially if you have the wiring diagrams. I love doing this kind of stuff. Gives me an adrenaline high when I solve the mystery.

[Steve Jenkins]

I have a 20" Felder that had a similar problem. There was a small 5amp fuse that kept blowing when I would raise the table so you might look closely at the electrical stuff and see if you have something similar.I thought the threaded rods were nice and clean but I found that when I took an awl and dug into the threads where they come up out of the base there was compacted sawdust in them. After cleaning them out really good it has been working fine.

[Mark Gibney]

Okay Frank and Steve, I know a very good electrician, I'll call him today.

[David Kumm]

Have you tested the up and down buttons for continuity and / or swapped the control switch? The electricals should be standard stuff you can source off ebay pretty cheap in comparison to partspronto. Euro electricals don't last as long as the old NEMA stuff and most of my old Euro stuff needs some replacement of mag starters, buttons, etc when I buy. You also have to be careful that the transformer is being fed by the non RPC mfg leg if not running on utility three phase. If the motor is good and you are sure it is not getting power, it is in the electrical. Be sure of that as a motor can spin under no load but not work under load. I assume you put a tester on the input side of the motor and got no voltage when pushing the buttons. Euro electrical stuff is difficult for me to understand but if you test enough and work with the diagram, you can usually figure out how stuff is connected. Pete at partspronto has been my best source if he also has a diagram to look at with you. I'd fix it right. Usually doesn't cost much for parts and the Casadei was a stout build. Dave

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks Dave, I'll be showing what you wrote to the electrician.

[Rod Sheridan]

Mark, first clean and lubricate the threaded rod and the ways that guide the planer table if any.

Secondly, check the limit switch for the down direction, it may be out of adjustment or stuck in the open position...........Regards, Rod.

[Larry Gipson]

Can you move the table by pulling the chain? If you can move the motor shaft easily with no chain, but the chain won't budge by hand, then it sounds like one or more of the threaded rods or the table guides are stuck, needing cleaning and lubrication. From your scenario, you could get the motor to turn without the chain, so it seems the motor is ok. You may have blown a fuse or the motor if it was left on for awhile, trying to move the stuck mechanical assembly (locked rotor amps). Instead of 1 problem there may now be 2.

Is there a lock on the table? If so and it's on, the motor wouldn't be able to turn the chain in any circumstance. I'd first seek to make sure there isn't a huge mechanical resistance for the motor, then troubleshoot the unloaded motor not turning. Don't turn one of the gears on the bottom with the chain off. If you get off alignment, you'll spend hours trying to get the table aligned again. Don't ask me how I know this

[Erik Loza]

My guess is (as others have mentioned) a fuse or limit switch. It is amazing to me the cheesy quality of the wiring and electrics of some of the older Italian stuff. That's typically what it is. All old "Fiat-level stuff' back then. Assuming there is no mechanical interference. Nice find, by the way.

Erik

[Martin Wasner]

My guess is (as others have mentioned) a fuse or limit switch. It is amazing to me the cheesy quality of the wiring and electrics of some of the older Italian stuff. That's typically what it is. All old "Fiat-level stuff' back then. Assuming there is no mechanical interference. Nice find, by the way.

Erik

Could be worse. Could be British wiring...

[Thomas L. Miller]

Martin,
You mean Lucas, Prince of Darkness? Yes I once owned a 1976 MGB.
Tom

[Martin Wasner]

Martin,
You mean Lucas, Prince of Darkness? Yes I once owned a 1976 MGB.
Tom

Yes! Lucas! I couldn't think of the ding dong name. Thank you sir.

[Tom M King]

I met my wife on the side of the road in a broken down MGB.

[Mark Gibney]

We got the table mechanism working late last night. A machinist buddy welded a nut onto the cog in the photo, and hand cranked the table loose. It was bound in place by rust and gunk.

The electrics wereScreen shot 2016-02-04 at 9.24.32 AM.jpg still not working, but he prodded and poked, basically slapped the side of the TV, and eventually it powered up. Cleaned up everything, lubed it good, and it's a beautiful thing. Put my first stick thru the machine since I got it last June, cuts so smooth, and it's really quiet, which surprised me.

Thanks for all the advice above guys. Fingers crossed the electrics stay good.

[Martin Wasner]

Sweet! Gotta love it when stuff just needs a little TLC and no parts.