2-1/2 IN THICKNESS PLANER bit.ly/wenvideo 4005911 IMPORTANT: Your new tool has been engineered and manufactured to WEN’s highest standards for dependability, ease of operation, and operator safety. When properly cared for, this product will supply you years of rugged, trouble-free performance. Pay close attention to the rules for safe operation, warnings, and cautions. If you use your tool properly and for its intended purpose, you will enjoy years of safe, reliable service.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Technical Data General Safety Rules Specific Safety Rules For Planer Electrical Information Know Your Planer Assembly and Adjustments Operation Maintenance Troubleshooting Exploded View and Parts List Warranty 2 3 4 5 7 7 10 14 16 18 22 TECHNICAL DATA 6550, 6550T 120V, 60 Hz, 15A 8500 RPM 17,000 cuts per minute 26 FPM 3/32˝ (for workpieces under 6˝ wide) 1/32 (for workpieces over 6˝ wide) 12-1/2 x 9-3/8˝ Table Size: 12-1/2 x 6-3/4˝ Extension Table Size: 21 x 12-1/2˝ Base Size: 12-1/2˝ Wo
GENERAL SAFETY RULES Safety is a combination of common sense, staying alert and knowing how your item works. SAVE THESE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS. WARNING: To avoid mistakes and serious injury, do not plug in your tool until the following steps have been read and understood. 1. READ and become familiar with this entire instruction manual. LEARN the tool’s applications, limitations, and possible hazards. 2. AVOID DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. Do not use power tools in wet or damp areas or expose them to rain.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES 14. NEVER STAND ON A TOOL. Serious injury could result if the tool tips or is accidentally hit. DO NOT store anything above or near the tool. 15. DO NOT OVERREACH. Keep proper footing and balance at all times. Wear oil-resistant rubber-soled footwear. Keep the floor clear of oil, scrap, and other debris. 16. MAINTAIN TOOLS PROPERLY. ALWAYS keep tools clean and in good working order. Follow instructions for lubricating and changing accessories. 17. CHECK FOR DAMAGED PARTS.
SPECIFIC RULES FOR THE PLANER 7. Keep hands clear of all moving parts. 8. Do not force cut. Slowing or stalling will overheat motor. Allow automatic feed to function properly. 9. Use quality lumber. Blades last longer and cuts are smoother with good quality wood. 10. Do not plane material shorter than 15”, narrower than 3/4”, wider than 12-1/2” or thinner than 1/2”. 11. Never make planing cut deeper than 3/32". 12. For workpieces longer than 24", use material support stands. 13.
ELECTRICAL INFORMATION WARNING: This tool is for indoor use only. Do not expose to rain or use in damp locations. GUIDELINES FOR USING EXTENSION CORDS Make sure your extension cord is in good condition. When using an extension cord, be sure to use one heavy enough to carry the current your product will draw. An undersized cord will cause a drop in line voltage resulting in loss of power and overheating. The table below shows the correct size to be used according to cord length and nameplate ampere rating.
KNOW YOUR PLANER Board Return Roller Depth Adjusting Handle Switch Carrying Handle Circuit Breaker Carbon Brushes Extension Table Heavy Duty Granite Table Base ASSEMBLY AND ADJUSTMENTS UNPACKING (Fig. 1) The planer comes assembled as one unit. Additional parts which need to be fastened to planer should be located and accounted for before assembling.
ASSEMBLY AND ADJUSTMENTS ATTACHING THE CRANK HANDLE (Fig. 2) It’s time to put this thing together! First, place the washer (Fig. 2 3) over the socket head bolt (Fig. 2 - 2) and feed the bolt into the handle (Fig. 2 - 4). Tighten the bolt to secure the handle in position on top of the planer. Place the handle cap (Fig. 2 - 1) onto the handle as shown in Fig. 2. 1 2 3 4 NOTE: With each full rotation on the depth-adjustment handle, the planer’s height adjusts 1/16”.
ASSEMBLY AND ADJUSTMENTS ATTACH DUST CHUTE (Fig. 7) Thickness planers are best used with the aid of a dust collector. To install the dust chute, simply mount it to the rollercase using the two thumb screws (Fig. 7-1). The dust chute can be mounted in either direction to direct the flow of chips to either side of planer. After mounting, connect wet/dry vacuum hose to dust chute. Be sure to turn the vacuum on before operating the planer. 1 Fig.
OPERATION WARNING: Do not connect planer to the power source until all assembly steps have been completed. ON/OFF SWITCH (Fig. 10) The ON/OFF switch is located on the front of the planer motor. To turn the planer ON, move the switch to the up position. To turn the planer OFF, move the switch to the down position. SWITCH LOCK (Fig. 11) Remove the red tab to engage child-safety lock and prevent unwanted start-ups.
OPERATION DEPTH OF CUT (Fig. 12) The front of the rollercase features a small 1/16” depth-limiting lip in the center of the cutterhead body in order to establish the maximum cutting depth as 1/32” instead of 3/32” for boards wider than 5-3/4”. Handle While the planer could handle a 3/32” cut on 12-1/2” wide boards, it will not only shorten the lifespan of the motor and cutting blades, but also will give an imperfect finish. The smaller the cutting depth, the better the finished product will be.
OPERATION PREPARE WORK Thickness planers work best when at least one side of the lumber is flat. Use a surface planer or a jointer to create a flat surface. Twisted or severely warped boards can jam the planer and should not be used. Rip lumber in half to reduce magnitude of warp. Work should be fed into the planer in same direction as the grain of the wood. Sometimes grain will change directions in middle of board.
re cti on of G When planing side and face grain, always plane in the direction of the grain. Do not go against the grain, otherwise the board also has a chance of splintering and exploding. Di THE DO’S AND DONT’S OF GRAIN DIRECTION It is important that the cutterhead always cuts in the same direction as the grain. There are six sides to every board: two face grains, two side/edge grains, and two end grains. Never plane with the end grain facing upwards. Only plane side and face grains.
MAINTENANCE CHANGING BLADES (Fig. 13 - 16) FOR VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS VISIT: http://bit.ly/planerblades WARNING: Always turn the planer OFF and disconnect it from the power source before starting any maintenance work. Screws 1. Remove the dust chute by unscrewing the thumb screws that are located in their opposing corners (Fig. 13). Fig. 13 2. Loosen and remove the two hex screws from the blade guard on the rear side of the cutterhead. Remove the blade guard (Fig. 14) 3.
MAINTENANCE WARNING: Turn planer off and disconnect from power source before performing any maintenance. BRUSH INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT (Fig. 17) Brush life depends on the load of the motor. Regularly inspect brushes after 100 hours of use. Brushes are located on either side of the planer motor, on both the front and rear side of the planer. Loosen brush cap and carefully remove brush from motor. Replace brushes if the spring is damaged. Replace brushes if the carbon is worn.
TROUBLESHOOTING ADJUSTING INFEED/OUTFEED EXTENSION TABLE We recommend setting your infeed and outfeed tables so that the ends of the table extensions are approximately 1 to 2 mm above the top of the granite table. 1. Locate the table elevation adjustment screw and nut on both sides of the planer, next to the hinge (Fig. 18). 2. Raise the extension table to expose the screws (Fig. 19). 3.
TROUBLESHOOTING IF THE MATERIAL DOES NOT FEED PROPERLY, CHECK FOR: • dull blades: rotate or replace as necessary (refer to Changing Blades section). • excess clogging in the dust hood (refer to Attach Dust Chute in the Assembly and Adjustments section). • a broken V-Belt (refer to Replacing V-Belt in the Maintenance section). IF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPS REPEATEDLY: • dull blades could be present. Dull blades can cause motor overloading. Rotate or replace as necessary (refer to Changing Blades section).
EXPLODED VIEW AND PARTS LIST 1 1A 5 2 3 4 7 6 8 38 37 9 10 11 39 14 15 12 8 16 18 13 10 19 17 24 23 22 23 25 20 21 26 36 27 35 31 28 29 34 30 32 10 18 33
EXPLODED VIEW AND PARTS LIST No. 1 1A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Part No. 6550-101 6550-101A 6550-102 6550-103 6550-104 6550-105 6550-106 6550-107 6550-108 6550-109 6550-110 6550-111 6550-112 6550-113 6550-114 6550-115 6550-116 6550-117 18 6550-118 19 6550-119 Description Qty.
EXPLODED VIEW AND PARTS LIST 20
EXPLODED VIEW AND PARTS LIST No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Part No.
LIMITED TWO YEAR WARRANTY WEN Products is committed to building tools that are dependable for years. Our warranties are consistent with this commitment and our dedication to quality. LIMITED WARRANTY OF WEN CONSUMER POWER TOOLS PRODUCTS FOR HOME USE GREAT LAKES TECHNOLOGIES, LLC (“Seller”) warrants to the original purchaser only, that all WEN consumer power tools will be free from defects in material or workmanship for a period of two (2) years from date of purchase.
