1890’s Era Metal Planer: Setting up and Testing Cutters on an Old School Flat Belt Powered Machine

1890’s Era Metal Planer: Setting up and Testing Cutters on an Old School Flat Belt Powered Machine
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[@MatthewReid0228]

The best part about planer content is watching Keith struggle to hide his smile the whole time.

[@cbxsix]

Man, I just love all the sounds that thing makes while running! Straight cut cogs, ratchets, flat belts... What a symphony! :)

[@voodoochild1954]

On a side note Keith, I bought a vise just like that from a biker 50 years ago. He had welded a 3/4” drive socket on the end and used a 3/4” ratchet to adjust the vise. I bought it for $15 and have used it ever since as my bench vise. It’s so heavy I’ve never bolted down to the bench. I’ve always wondered what machine it originally came off. And now after 50 years you finally provided the answer! Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@kdel9776]

This is why we watch your channel. More of these oldies.

[@jaydoherty8402]

This restoration was how I found Keith’s channel. Awesome machine.

[@alangordon1677]

I served my engineering apprenticeship with a company called Brown & Green here in the UK which produced commercial laundry presses and equipment. The huge cast iron bases of the presses were produced in the foundry next to the machine shop and many dozens were stacked outside the buildings for several years to weather. The machine shop had 4/5 (nearly 60 years ago now) large planers in a row which machined these large bases and were all driven by an overhead line shaft. My enduring memory would be the slapping noise from all the belts as the bed went backwards and forwards. In those days several of the workers run their own little side lines. One planer operator was the man to go to if you wanted cigarettes and snacks, and one of the fitters often disappeared to collect a fare for his taxi business. Great days.

[@johnmcmunn3827]

Ditto ... I served my time with ICI Nobel division Ardeer .... the myriad of machine tools was mind boggling... cheers

[@transmitterguy478]

Keith, when the bed returns have the mechanism hit an air valve that activates an air cylinder that pushes out the clapper box. Also, the air can blow through a nozzle onto the work blowing the chips away at the same time. As long as the bed is returning the air will activate and solve the problem.

[@iteerrex8166]

After watching the whole restoration, it was nice to finally watch that antique make some chips again.

[@Disinterested1]

I remember you hand scraping that old girl! glad she will finally be seeing some use :) doing what she was built for!

[@mikearmstrong9899]

A man, a shop, passion, retirement. Stay healthy, Keith.

[@paulkinzer7661]

I LOVE seeing old tech that worked being brought back to life to do their jobs again. I fix old film cameras for that very reason. And I've even begun making them. So cool to refurbish and modify 'useful toys'.

[@dannyvanstraelen3273]

That is a lovely machine Keith, and you can see that it has been restored with a lot of love. Perhaps these old ones can compeed with the new machines, but it is like the youngsters have the power and the speed, but grandpa has the wisdom… Thanks for chairing this experience with us, and a special thanks for keeping these old-timers running, to many of them have gone to the scrap heap sad enough.

[@thepotterer3726]

"but it is like the youngsters have the power and the speed, but grandpa has the wisdom…" Lovely comment.

[@melgross]

Back then, New Haven was a well known manufacturer. Several of my old machinery books have etchings of New Haven equipment. They were an innovative company back then.

[@johncloar1692]

Thanks Keith for the video. It good to see the old lady working again. See you Wednesday.

[@jonathanrichards593]

It's a toy, but it's a toy that brings us joy, as you are good enough to film yourself playing with it! Seems like that tool geometry is critical, but sometimes the chips were rolling off like chocolate :)

[@kendavis8046]

Good way to start my Monday! Coffee and Keith! Thanks.

[@CatNolara]

Back when Abom79 was working more with his shaper he tried some different tools and found a particular tool that produced an amazing finish. One of the main things with it was that he honed in the cutting edge while in the holder, making use of the clapper box to get a back rake. There are also special tool holders with a geometry that prevents the tool from digging in too much, making it more stable. Anyway, it's already looking pretty great. Could propably use it to refurbish smaller lathe beds etc. Saw videos of people in india casting lathe beds in molds buried in the ground and then machining the ways on a planer like this one with really crude looking tools, but the result looked pretty good.

[@glencrandall7051]

Nice to see an old machine still in service.🙂🙂

[@christopherdavies5125]

Lovely to watch. My Machinery Handbook (1937) recommends 4 - 5 degree rake on cutting edge - half the 8 - 10 on turning tools.

[@candicebeebe6688]

When I was a Kid I had job sweeping up at a Machine Shop. There was a Giant Lathe in the shop. That thing scared me to Death. Somebody put up a sign saying - This Machine does not like STUPID PEOPLE. The planer gives me the same vibe

[@johnmolnar2957]

Nice to see the old iron at work!

[@PhilG999]

I can relate to the "Probably should have scrapped it" comment! Not because I think it should have been scrapped, but because I've done the same thing! Many years ago I "rescued" a car that was going to the crusher the next day if my friend didn't get it out of his parent's driveway. I paid him $100.00 for it. 1971 Camaro, half missing (no engine or transmission, etc.). Over 25 years I collected parts and "Restomodded" it and wound up with a NICE street rod! To me it wasn't about the "finished" project, but the journey along the way! I've been following this project from the beginning BTW!

[@chriscromer2308]

I love watching that old machine running 🎉

[@WillyBemis]

So glad to see the planer! I learned a lot from your restoration videos.

[@charleswelch249]

I never get tired of watching machines from the preewar era being used. I think once you figure out how to cut the tool, you're gonna get a great finish.

[@aner_bda]

Great to see such an old machine have life breathed back into it. It may not be top of the line, but it gets the job done for what you need it to do. Love to see it!

[@JamesP_TheShedShop]

I've been waiting on the continued saga on this machine. Just the way it swaps direction is great. Right on 👍🏻

[@stevem268]

that is a thing of beauty, watching the belts changing automatically is mesmerizing!

[@mmm365]

I watched the whole restauration.. good to see it making cuts

[@generessler6282]

Hah! As to horizontal surfaces, it's not just in shops! This is a continuous (44 years and counting) discussion with my wife! Love the old machines. Fwiw, Abom79 has many episodes on his big shaper that has a similar clapper box. He talks about how the angle of the clapper pivot is super important so that the tool holder swings itself out of the way on the back stroke. If you get it backward, the tool digs in and ruins things. He also points out that when you look at the setup, the correct angle tends to look counter-intuitive - like it should be thee other way. I _think_ yours is right. He dinked around with cutter grinds for a long time to get nice finishes. He uses - as you did - a specially ground shear tool and light cuts for the final passes. He hones the tool _after_ it's in the machine by putting a precision stone on the table.

[@garythomas4914]

nice to see that in use, can't wait to see the intended job.

[@masteruniverse3506]

Amazing accuracy from something over 100 years old.

[@thefirstcalled]

I may have mentioned it in past commentary, your talent in restoration and renovation and preservation is spectacular. Poetry in motion! Thank you!

[@jsr2216]

Great to see the planar in action after watching the restoration videos.

[@silasmarner7586]

Planer?

[@wdhewson]

A fine history lesson !!!

[@ronald2811]

Beautiful machine!

[@baileybrunson42]

Thank you Keith.. I really enjoy watching the old machines in action.. to me there is a bit of a disconnect when a computer is controlling everything (not that I'm against modern technology).. with this machine and the others like her there is a real craftsman, like yourself guiding the work and that's just a great thing to watch.

[@TheDanielsherer]

I'm impressed that you were able to get this machine restored to (better than?) new condition instead of scrapping it. I know you explained that it's sort of a "toy" for you, but I wouldn't be surprised if you found some other way to modify it and further extend its useful life. Perhaps a rotary tool head or grinding attachment? Keep up the good work!

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

Our largest planer mills did up to 16 feet long. We planed Vee and Flat ways on Jig Grinder bases. They were dismantled and removed in the early 2000's.

[@ljackson8220]

Great machine. Thanks for taking the time to show the details of how it works.

[@timf6916]

Cool old machine.

[@genesun71]

I've ran a couple of those in the past. A few tips if I may? Use a very heavy open gear lube on the rack and bull gear. ( Acts as a cushion to stop vibration and improve finish) A very slight negative to neutral rake angle on the cutting tool. (Stops the tool from trying to lift the part) We also used a vacuum hose mounted on the clapper to clear chips and iron dust. A dry film lubricant on the part really helps to stop debris from clinging to the tool and fouling the surface on the backstroke.

[@walterplummer3808]

Good morning Keith! it is good to see it running. Thanks

[@kudosjeg]

Love this, gotta do something about all of that noise, lol

[@dtoad48]

I've been waiting for this for years!!

[@steveNCB7754]

Here's a mad idea - make an adaptor to allow you to fit your toolpost grinder instead of the clapper box. Now you've got yourself a belt-driven surface grinder!

[@alstonofalltrades3142]

I gotta say I've been waiting so long to see this running. At times I've had to bite my bottom lip to stop me sounding like an impatient ingrate. "WHENS HE FINALLY BLOODY GOING TO USE THIS PLANER ON A PROPER BIG JOB"! 🤣 I donated a $12 last December and will do again but before that me and plenty of others are getting a hell of an education of a guy who gets alot done with what I can only assume is a que/backlog of future jobs a country mile long, for free.... TY!

[@garybrenner6236]

How about the bloody Stoker Engine!

[@jimfiles3307]

Excellent video Keith. It looks like you need to coat the bed and vise with oil. Rust?? I would recommend wiping it down with kerosene and not simple green purple. Water is a bad thing. It’s good to see the old machines working.

[@richardtaylor7199]

Great job.👍

[@ianfiddes9871]

All toys are useful just some more than others 🙂

[@ericmorriscompany9648]

CNC planers are used heavily in China where I live. They are used for fabricating sheet metal. They are able to cut long straight v Grooves so that the sheet metal can be folded into moldings and similar. The groove allows a crisp small radius bend. Super common here.

[@silasmarner7586]

Planers?

[@GoCreatehms]

Fantastic machine, great to watch in action.

[@KevinToppenberg]

Steve Watkins, who has appeared on Windy Hill Foundry channel, has done a lot of videos on planing straight edges. I seem to recall him putting a bevel on that trailing edge to prevent to cut tearing out that back side. Thanks for the video.

[@mattomon1045]

great Machine !

[@BronzeAgePuritan]

I love the sound it makes. I'd like to see the straightedge blued up on the surface plate to see how flat it's coming off the machine.

[@jst.hilaire354]

Interesting. The adjacent edges of the flat are usually planed also on camel backs I have used. After watching you experiment with the 'planing' cutter I think I understand why. That chill area is removed before planing the working area of the camelback. The slow rhytmn of a planer is relaxing. Thanks for sharing your shop time.

[@ZEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00]

There’s always a place in a job shop for these machines.

[@horatiohornblower868]

Mesmerisingly beautiful machine, but indeed too slow to keep up with modern ones. But just to watch it raised my admiration for the mechanical engineers who invented it. A clapper lift would indeed come in handy.

[@truckguy6666]

The thing looks great and in museum quality condition! If it ever ends up leaving the shop, it should go somewhere on display

[@vitesseguy]

Great machine and a fun video. Thanks!

[@stevenslater2669]

Steve Watkins has a hydraulic planer on a scale like yours. I think he said it takes 60 gallons of hydraulic oil to fill the system. He uses his planer to machine big straightedges, like 5 or 6 feet long. And the surface finish comes out really beautiful.

[@ellieprice363]

I was about to mention Steve’s big planer. He grinds a small chamfer on the leading and trailing edges of the part he’s planing to keep them from fracturing. It’s been a while since he’s used it.

[@4speed3pedals]

To think that the Civil War was mid 1800's and then the tales of cowboys and Indians, Custer's Last Stand, and a handful of years later someone is operating a machine like yours and producing items improving America. We need manufacturing brought back into this country and we need it now. Vote early and take ten people with you.

[@4englishlies875]

I am 57 years old and all I can say is that you have some of the coolest toys. Will you adopt me? Plzs ....lol😊

[@robertginther9248]

Diamond hone your tool with a 1000 grit stone. Add about 2* more rake. Add a small fan to blow the chips free as it scrapes. Increase your speed about 10-15%. Try it & see what it does & let me know if it's what you want or tell me to crawl back in my hole with my own planer. Good Luck!

[@lloyd4768]

I can't wait to see how you get the clapper box to work!

[@mechjack]

Some sort of linear actuator under clapper box?

[@geneard639]

@Keith Rucker, my apartment complex? All 3 buildings have the remains of Line Shafts and King Shaft Alleys still buried in the walls, floors and ceilings. 3rd floor of my building? Line Shaft Alleyway makes a BIG hump in the Hallway floor, and the floor machinery rooms still have the remains of the King Shaft Brackets in the same well structure as the unused cargo elevator shaft.

[@scottkarjala]

I use pledge on my table saw and machinery tables, saves from the dust sticking.

[@kadirbeneathmomoteh854]

Oh hey long time no see, big metal planer. I remember the restoration series of this, it was a fun one. Nice to see you get to play around with it some more now.

[@DavidSellars-b8l]

STOKER ENGINE!!!!!!!!

[@bryansmant870]

Same thought!

[@adamgentry332]

Stoker engine is a long time coming

[@garybrenner6236]

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Stoker Engine!

[@jamesreed6121]

Hello Keith, Love this video. I have a SB &" Shaper. finding the right tool for the best surface is a challenge, at least on my shaper. I would suggest some diamond lapping disks to sharpen the edge. It worked on my cutters (mostly HSS). I'm looking forward the project that will be cut down to size with this planer. KOKO!

[@linasvelavicius330]

Excellent presentation!! Looking forward to the planer project.

[@Container-shop-guy]

Get a small magnet and strip of leather and stick it on the back of the tool holder. As the machine travels back over the work it will catch the leather and protect the work piece. Can't remember where I heard of this technique but it was the poor mans tool lifter.

[@chrischapel9165]

Ohhh the Stoker fire box will be tackled

[@garybrenner6236]

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Stoker Engine!

[@AnvilDragon]

It's possible to go all mechanical, but I would suggest a small ail cylinder and a lift chain to the clapper. A linkage to an air valve off the belt shift rod would raise and lower the cutter in sync with the motion.

[@youtube_learner]

Keith, I'm a big fan of your videos, and very appreciative of the effort you're putting in to maintain such a steady release schedule. If I could offer one minor suggestion - I'm finding that the audio volume switches up and down quite a bit in your recent videos, and I'm having to adjust the listening volume multiple times per video. Maybe this has to do with you using different microphones for different shots? In any case, I believe that Volume Normalization is a common feature in many video editors, which can be used to ensure more consistent volume, especially when combining different clips. Not a complaint - just a suggestion. Thanks again for your content!

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. Like the sounds it puts out, a machine at work.👍

[@kevinriese6384]

coolest thing since sliced bread.

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Keith, Have watched many videos of Steve Watkins using his hydraulic planer and he grinds a small bevel on both ends of the workpiece to prevent chipping at the start and end of the stroke.

[@CothranMike]

Sometimes he uses a file, this also helps in seeing the depth of the chill zone. Cast iron chill is where the mold edges are cooled faster than the body proper so they create white cast iron, very hard and the origin of the term chilled cast iron used in some noir novels as in a hard hearted woman, or she could cut your soul with her chilled iron glare. It is best to get below that 'crust' fast so as not to wear your tooling.

[@ellieprice363]

@@CothranMike😕😕 😮When you see a chilled stare like that from a woman back away as fast as you can and don’t say a word!

[@CothranMike]

@@ellieprice363 I hope I move fast enough!

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

Even though your belts are not exposed to the outside elements, those McMaster-Carr belts will tend to glaze and may slip. Some on hand belt dressing would mitigate frustration if they did. Some of the spray can type available for v-belts work but my preference is the old Cling-Surface brand. Don't think its available anymore but if you have or can find some NOS somewhere it'll solve the slip problem.

[@Rustinox]

The cutting tool dragging on the surface during the back stroke isn't really a problem. Because the machine is feeding at the end of the cutting stroke, the tool will drag on the not yet surface. So it won't leave any marks.

[@melshea2519]

Happy Monday Georgia! 😊

[@martingoudreau8249]

A sheering tool is appropriate for shaper & planner. You get a wider cut, so you can have a wider feed. Abom79 made some wide cut with sheer tool.

[@thom3124]

Your camera went out of focus a few times during your video. Interesting to see that bold machine working. Thanks

[@anthonycollin8303]

I have never seen a metal planer before, very interesting thank you.

[@peterhobson3262]

I'd heard of them but never seen one either.

[@zorbakaput8537]

Keith did a whole series on rebuilding this one.

[@peteengard9966]

That's an awesome machine. Josh Topper mounted a Bridgeport head on his that does a great job for him. I feel that adjusting the angle of the clapper box would help to remove the chatter with a little bit of radius on the leading edge of the bit would improve the finish. Thank you Keith. Nice to see the old girl make chips.

[@oldgoatherder]

Keith, could you mount a brush on the backside of the tool. Maybe even a wire brush that would flip the tool up as it passes the end of the part. Kill 2 birds with one stone.

[@jonedmonds1681]

Or a stiff piece of leather clamped to the back of the tool would work.

[@smitm108]

Really enjoy your videos, in general, but especially your restoration projects that include a quick history of the machine’s origin, use & (in some cases) their “demise” as they are replaced by other equipment …

[@Doodler-JL]

It would be interesting if you could find a way to take a piece of belt from your belt sander and attach it to a post you would mount to the planer. It would be interesting to see if it would give you a nice finish.

[@mariusj8542]

Interesting to think that these old machines made such a flat surfaces.

[@Ervan-l9v]

CARBIDE WOULD BE BETTER FOR CAST IRON DUE TO THE AVRASIVE NATRUE OF CASE IRON. GOOD TO SEE THE OLD MACHINE WORKING. STILL USEFUL TO MAKE A FLAT SURFACE ON A LARGE SURFACE.

[@jamiegoodhart794]

The rack and pinion on that planer has done many a travel back and forth and I'm sure the rack and gear teeth have been worn some. When you ground the bed and table lowering the rack down onto the gear it could be the meshing of the gears is a bit off due to wear.

[@kdel9776]

Let it clapp

[@HipocratesAG]

What a machine!!!

[@InverJaze]

I have seen a grinding head conversion on one of these machines. Just a thought.

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!! 🙂

[@CraigLYoung]

Maybe you should stop off in NY at David's shop and talk with him. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@Hoaxer51]

David has it figured out, and seems more than willing to share his knowledge. Plus you’d get to have a tour of his shop!

[@markhardman6413]

Fantastic presentation but please please please sort out the voice audio out as having to constantly adjust volume to hear your commentary on this

[@MakersEase]

Awesome machine - we had one about half that size in much worse shape. We finally decided we would never get to it and it was scrapped. The only thing I would add - I think you are just moving too slow. I think you need to increase the surface speed.

[@krockpotbroccoli65]

You need a steam engine to run that old beast. Im sure AE Kearns would be glad to help get one running for you.

[@DAKOTANSHELBY]

Josh Topper of Topper Machine in WI adapted a Bridgeport head to his antique planer for using end or face mills when surface planing. Check out his youtube channel on that equipment.