planer

[craigc90]

 I bought a 12 inch  planer that runs off big flat belt at a farm auction last spring for $30.00. old women who was selling out said her husband bought it 20 years ago and stuck it in the barn and never used it. It was rusty but I know this had to be cheap.the blades are sharp as the day it was made the table is covered with rust but I think after a couple of boards run through it. It will clean itself off. It has a metal tag on it Montgomery Ward and the model serial number. I was wondering if anyone knows where I could get some owners manual type info. I plan on trying to run it with my Farm tractor
but dont know how many HP it will take .And what rpm it needs to run at. I am sure I can play around and figure it out. I just found this board the other day and have been checking in every day. There is alot of wisdom here I can tell. I am glad I found this place. I have also been reading all the portable band mill threads. My brother recently bought an American Band Saw Mill. He is going to bring over my place for me to cut some logs into boards for a machinery shed. He resaws
Salvaged timbers and barn lumber for flooring and has a clapboard sideing jig. This is the first green lumber the mill has seen and I was looking for a good place to find the proper way to slab the logs into square cants to cut the best boards from. with the least amount of waste. any info for a very intersted  newbie would be greatly appriciated.

[Corley5]

I run a four sided planer with a Farmall 300 (32HP) or a Farmall H (25HP).  They both have plenty of power for it.  We tried it with a B Farmall and it didn't have power enough.  If your tractor has a tach try running it at the 540 rpm PTO mark.  I run the H at slightly less than full throttle.  Speed also depends on the diam. of the tractor's pulley and the one on the planer.  A little fuel oil and some steel wool should clean the table up then wipe it with a clean rag and some gas.  That's quite a find for thirty bucks  

[Frank_Pender]

After you clean whatever rust, etc from the table with a wire brush or buffer you would be wise to put a coat of tree wax on the table.  You only need to hand rub it onto the table.  This will help the lumber move much more smoothly.  If you want to double or triple your money, send it my way and I will pay the freight.

[Kevin]

Ok Frank, what`s tree wax?
Is that something you rub on your trees to keep kids from climbing them?

[Tom]

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/2970/wax.htm

But,  if you can't get where this guy is you can use Johnsons paste floor wax.....a true wax.  Just don't use oil or anything with Silicone in it.  Stuff like that raises havoc with finishing efforts.