How should you clean the rubber rollers on a planer. I was using kerosene on
a rag because I found it dissolved the pitch and cleaned them very well but
I know petroleum ruins rubber so what else should I use.

Alcohol on a rag. Tom

Alcohol on a rag. Tom

oops

I find that mine work better when they have stuff stuck on them, up to
a point. Anybody have any ideas on how to make rubber rollers work
better, besides constantly cleaning them? Sam

Denatured alcohol will clean the rollers and remove pitch/oils and other
residue.

Another trick but I don't advocate doing this unless you know what you're
doing. This was posted on one of the BB's a few months after DeWalt came
out with the 733 and some people were having problems feeding stock thru.
But if the rollers are really dirty and probably should be replaced anyway,
you may want to try this just want to extend their life for awhile.

If your planer can be powered up without the blades installed (see manual)
and not create a dangerous out of balance condition, then you may want to
try running a full sheet of 180 grit (or better) thru it attached to a
carrier board with spray on adhesive. Lower the carriage until it just
makes contact with the sandpaper on the carrier - then raise it until the
rollers are not touching the sandpaper.

Position the carrier under the rollers so the sandpaper sheet spans both
rollers. Hold on to the carrier firmly, apply power and s-l-o-w-l-y lower
the carriage just until you feel the rollers *just* starting to pull on the
carrier. Use both hands on the carrier now and slowly move the carrier back
and forth an inch or two and side to side (evenly) to scuff both rollers
slightly. You should be able to pull the carrier towards you without much
effort but it does require a firm grip on the carrier board. A 2' length of
11" wide 3/4"thick MDF works nicely - nice and flat and long enough to work
with comfortably.

Avoid putting alcohol directly on the sandpaper with the idea that you'll
clean and scuff at the same time. The blade carrier is spinning like crazy
and it will spray the alcohol all over......

Now if you do this with a light touch you will leave a nice freshly scuffed
surface on the rollers that is even all the way across. If you lower the
carriage to far and it pulls the carrier out of your hand - let it go rather
than trying to stop it. You may cause the roller to get a worn spot. A
light touch is needed, you just want to scuff and clean the rollers - not
wear them down.

Note that some planers have a safety mechanism that will not allow the paner
to work when a blade is removed. I wouldn't advise trying to defeat the
safety device - it's telling you that you cannot power that up without
creating a dangerous situation.

After you're done, clean the rollers with denatured alcohol and re-install
the blades as per the manual.

One last note. Check what the manf states as to use for cleaning the
rollers with. DeWalt advises denatured alcohol (on the 733 anyway) and I
don't know what others may recommend.

Bob S.

try a printing supply house and get some rubber roller cleaner and
conditioner.

On Sat, 01 Oct 2005 13:24:17 GMT, "habbi"
wrote:

How should you clean the rubber rollers on a planer. I was using kerosene on
a rag because I found it dissolved the pitch and cleaned them very well but
I know petroleum ruins rubber so what else should I use.

On Sat, 01 Oct 2005 13:24:17 GMT, "habbi"
wrote:

How should you clean the rubber rollers on a planer. I was using kerosene on
a rag because I found it dissolved the pitch and cleaned them very well but
I know petroleum ruins rubber so what else should I use.


Wood alcohol (methanol) will clean rubber without harm to the rubber.
If you decide to use this, do so with lots of ventilation (avoid
breathing fumes) and wear rubber gloves (avoid skin contact). However,
my first choice is the recommendation of the manufacturer.

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 01 Oct 2005 13:24:17 GMT, "habbi"
wrote:

How should you clean the rubber rollers on a planer. I was using kerosene
on
a rag because I found it dissolved the pitch and cleaned them very well
but
I know petroleum ruins rubber so what else should I use.


However,
my first choice is the recommendation of the manufacturer.

As it should be. Don't rub them with Sterno. Alcohol is a poor solvent for
pitch and oils, and there are a lot of oil-resistant "rubber" formulations
out there. Alcohol also contains water which can promote corrosion in
hidden places.

That should be *Rubbing Alcohol* or even mineral spirts to clean the rollers
as per the DeWalt site FAQ's.

http://tinyurl.com/aj2fw

Bob S.

BobS wrote:

That should be *Rubbing Alcohol* or even mineral spirts to clean the rollers
as per the DeWalt site FAQ's.

http://tinyurl.com/aj2fw

Bob S.


I'm surprised that DeWalt would advise that because if the rollers are
rubber, how are they different from tape deck rollers, which have been
known to dry out if alcohol is applied to them repeatedly. Delta's
approved roller cleaning method is soapy water applied with a Scothbrite
pad. Try a google search for cleaning tape decks to see what I mean.
could it be the dewalt rollers aren't rubber?

Dave

I'm surprised that DeWalt would advise that because if the rollers are
rubber, how are they different from tape deck rollers, which have been
known to dry out if alcohol is applied to them repeatedly. Delta's
approved roller cleaning method is soapy water applied with a Scothbrite
pad. Try a google search for cleaning tape decks to see what I mean.
could it be the dewalt rollers aren't rubber?

My friends in the recording studio business used lighter fluid to clean the
rubber rollers on their tape recorders (back when they used tape recorders).
The reason they didn't use rubbing alcohol is because it typically has some
water in it.

Lee



--
To e-mail, replace "bucketofspam" with "dleegordon"

_________________________________
Lee Gordon
http://www.leegordonproductions.com

Lee Gordon wrote:

I'm surprised that DeWalt would advise that because if the rollers are
rubber, how are they different from tape deck rollers, which have been
known to dry out if alcohol is applied to them repeatedly. Delta's
approved roller cleaning method is soapy water applied with a Scothbrite
pad. Try a google search for cleaning tape decks to see what I mean.
could it be the dewalt rollers aren't rubber?

My friends in the recording studio business used lighter fluid to clean the
rubber rollers on their tape recorders (back when they used tape recorders).
The reason they didn't use rubbing alcohol is because it typically has some
water in it.

Lee



30%, usually.

Professionals claim that the rubber will dry out if cleaned with
alcohol. Not being a chemist, I just take their word(s) for it.

Dave

Haven't a clue as to their composition except they're black and look and
feel like a hard rubber compound and the alcohol does not appear to bother
the rollers. I've had mine almost 4 years now and have cleaned them a number
of times. Original rollers - still in good condition and I've pushed a fair
amount of stock thru that planer.

Bob S.


"David" wrote in message
...
BobS wrote:

That should be *Rubbing Alcohol* or even mineral spirts to clean the
rollers as per the DeWalt site FAQ's.

http://tinyurl.com/aj2fw

Bob S.
I'm surprised that DeWalt would advise that because if the rollers are
rubber, how are they different from tape deck rollers, which have been
known to dry out if alcohol is applied to them repeatedly. Delta's
approved roller cleaning method is soapy water applied with a Scothbrite
pad. Try a google search for cleaning tape decks to see what I mean.
could it be the dewalt rollers aren't rubber?

Dave

BobS wrote:

Haven't a clue as to their composition except they're black and look and
feel like a hard rubber compound and the alcohol does not appear to bother
the rollers. I've had mine almost 4 years now and have cleaned them a number
of times. Original rollers - still in good condition and I've pushed a fair
amount of stock thru that planer.

Bob S.


"David" wrote in message
...

BobS wrote:


That should be *Rubbing Alcohol* or even mineral spirts to clean the
rollers as per the DeWalt site FAQ's.

http://tinyurl.com/aj2fw

Bob S.

I'm surprised that DeWalt would advise that because if the rollers are
rubber, how are they different from tape deck rollers, which have been
known to dry out if alcohol is applied to them repeatedly. Delta's
approved roller cleaning method is soapy water applied with a Scothbrite
pad. Try a google search for cleaning tape decks to see what I mean.
could it be the dewalt rollers aren't rubber?

Dave



that's why I'm wondering out loud about DeWalt's advice. MAYBE they
aren't rubber, but some compound impervious to alcohol.

Dave

Drug store carries both 70% and 91% Isopropyl Alcohol and a printers
supply house has 99% IPA. The 70% may be more common.

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 10:50:15 -0700, David wrote:

Lee Gordon wrote:

I'm surprised that DeWalt would advise that because if the rollers are
rubber, how are they different from tape deck rollers, which have been
known to dry out if alcohol is applied to them repeatedly. Delta's
approved roller cleaning method is soapy water applied with a Scothbrite
pad. Try a google search for cleaning tape decks to see what I mean.
could it be the dewalt rollers aren't rubber?

My friends in the recording studio business used lighter fluid to clean the
rubber rollers on their tape recorders (back when they used tape recorders).
The reason they didn't use rubbing alcohol is because it typically has some
water in it.

Lee



30%, usually.

Professionals claim that the rubber will dry out if cleaned with
alcohol. Not being a chemist, I just take their word(s) for it.

Dave