George Vondriska

Quick Tip: How to Change Planer Blades

George Vondriska
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Duration:   3  mins

Knife changes aren’t too bad on benchtop planers, except for the eleventy billion bolts you have to take out of each knife. Times two or three to get ALL the knives changed. Wanna learn how to change planer blades faster, and easier?

Eliminate hand work

Most benchtop planers come with some kind of wrench that the manufacturer has provided to get the bolts in and out. This works, but there are so many bolts holding each knife in place. The good news is that you can get any kind of driver you need for your cordless drill, and make this whole thing go a lot faster.

Tool choice

When it comes time to figure out how to change planer blades on your machine, start by looking at the fasteners holding the knives in place. They might be hex head, torx, Allen head, etc. Get the right driver tip for your cordless drill. I don’t mind using an impact driver to take the bolts out, but I don’t drive them back in with an impact driver. Unless it has a clutch. It would be REALLY bad to snap one of those bolts off, and that’s too likely with an impact driver. Use a driver with a clutch, and get the clutch to right setting to drive, but not over drive, the bolts. Easy peezy.

Be safe with that machine

Once you’ve got the knives changed, let’s make sure you’re using the planer safely. Have a look at WWGOA’s planer safety tips to double check the way you’re running your machine.

More woodworking tips

This is just one way to spend more shop time woodworking, and less time being inefficient in your shop. We’ve got a lot more helpful woodworking tips that will help you get the most out of your shop time.

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3 Responses to “Quick Tip: How to Change Planer Blades”

  1. eagle98765432

    it would be nice to be able to hear what is being said I have the volume on the video and my computer turned all the way up but no sound

  2. Keith Rayeski

    when putting the screws back in, is there a universal torque setting on the screwdriver or, do you have to experiment depending on your machine? Great video....thanks for the tip...

  3. Nick

    Good tip. I will do it mostly that way when I change the knives. I have the same planer. I am retired after 45 years as an auto mechanic. I have trained many apprentices in the fine art of mechanical work. I always told them 1) never start screws with power tools, always start them by hand. 2) always start all screws before torqueing any of them down. I will use a magnetic hand screwdriver with the proper torx bit. Good tip! Thanks.

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