# A comment on the old Craftsman (Belsaw) thickness planers



## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Yesterday a friend and I finished up cutting up some hardwood logs (pear wood) and running the boards through my old (early 1970s) Craftsman 12" planer which is simply a Belsaw planer with a Craftsman nameplate. I have had this planer since I bought it new. In those days there were no thickness planers made for home workshop use other than a little 6" one and the 12" Belsaw. Belsaw advertised every month in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines for many years so I was familiar with the brand name. Also, Belsaw planers have the appearance of a crudely made machine, but it was all that was available unless I wanted to pay out big bucks for a huge cast iron industrial monster that I couldn't afford. Reluctantly, I bought a Belsaw and found to my surprise and delight that it worked beautifully! Now after 40 years of use I thought I should comment that it still works beautifully. I do take care of my machines and clean and lubricate them often.

So I thought I should say to all of you that are looking for a used 12" planer, don't dismiss the Belsaw because of its looks. Its a good machine that holds up and does a nice job. I would love to hear comments here from other Belsaw owners.

Planeman


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I have a Belsaw and really like it.


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## kansas (Apr 7, 2008)

I just bought a belsaw. Mine is 5hp 12" model. Looks to be in good decent shape and was made by powermatic. It needs planer knives but came with a few molding cutters. Previous owner had a catalog from www.belsaw.com so I went ahead and ordered the knives. I've only tinkered with it a short time and would really appreciate any tips on adjustment, operation, etc.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Not much to say about adjustment.

Planer and jointer knives should all have the same depth of blade measurement (cutting edge to back of blade) even after they are sharpened. This allows you to easily replace the blades as long as you don't alter the blade height adjustment. So leave the blade height adjustment alone unless you have an unusual problem. Also, when changing blades be sure to put a few layers of masking tape along the cutting edge to keep from slicing yourself while doing the blade change. Other than that, blade changing is easy.

Be sure the infeed and outfeed extensions are carefully bolted on to make for a smooth transition of the wood through the machine. For what its worth, I haven ever had any problems with "snipe" due to the long extensions on my machine. I do support long boards on infeed and outfeed by hand though.

I can't think of any other adjustments that are needed. Just keep the machine clean and well lubricated and all should be well.

Planeman


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I just picked on up yesterday. http://lumberjocks.com/topics/39731
The plate says its a 306-9127
I can not find any information on it. It looks a lot like the 9123. http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=8872

I want to make sure i can get parts before I start putting her back together.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

That's the same Sears/Belsaw planer I have. Looks to be in good shape except for a little surface rust that will quickly clean up with a wire brush in a drill. Nice haul!!!

Planeman


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Parts are going to be pretty much the same as the Belsaw
machines. One thing you can say of them is that once
they figured out how to build the machine right they
didn't hurry to try to improve it. They are simple
mechanically and you can see everything easily.

The machine makes some noise when running due 
to the feedworks. Still quieter than a benchtop 
planer but has kind of an old-fashioned rattle and
clack vibe about it.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Here is what the Belsaw planer has become . . .

http://www.woodmastertools.com/712

I'll bet a number of parts are still available.

Planeman


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Planeman, any chance I can get some close up pictures of the motor mounts. I'll need to make some new ones as mine are missing.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

I'll see if I can find my camera.

The motor mounts couldn't be any simpler. Just two 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" pieces of angle iron bolted atop the horizontal braces of the legs of the stand. The motor just bolts on to the angle irons.

Planeman


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## richardwootton (Jan 17, 2013)

Sorry to revive such an old thread, but there's a 12" Belsaw on CL right now for $375 and I don't know if that's a good deal. Used planers so rarely become available in my area, and very rarely for an affordable price. What do y'all think?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

it depends on condition. If its in top notch working condition, its probably worth that. I wouldn't sell mine for $375.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

I agree with Don W. Just make sure its all there and not damaged. You can probably knock him down to $325 or so, but I would take it at $375 if its all there and in good condition.

Surface rust can easily be removed with a wire brush in a hand power drill. When you get it cleaned up, Spray it all over with WD-40 and let it sit overnight, then wipe it down. WD-40 leaves a coating that seeps into the pores in the metal and displaces any moisture. It then leaves a thin coating that inhibits rust. The coating will not come off on you work once its dry. And be sure to put some light oil in the little oil dimples of the Oilite bearings. You will find these easily.

Planeman


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

With a 5hp motor and the rollers in good condition, it
would be a fair price. I paid $250 for mine and I have
seen them on Craigslist for less, but I'm in Los Angeles
and there's a big supply of used machines here. 
It's a really good planer.


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## smoker54 (Mar 24, 2014)

Hi guys! I just finished repairing and updating my Craftsmen (BelSaw) 12" planer/shaper with nice new knives and in-feed and out-feed rollers and two new Power Twist V-Belts. They are on the 5 hp motor with dual pulley's. Now all I need to do is get some help setting it up to work! That's were I hope you guys can help me out. I think I got it for a fair price but I'm new to this trade and may have payed a bit to much. Anyway, if any of you fine folks out there can help me out, that would be awesome! Thanks again in advance….


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

You guys are makin' me crazy(er). I don't know why I can't find treasures such as those here in Mississippi.
Here, we always used an axe for trim/finish work. 
Bill


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

http://southbend.craigslist.org/tls/4544800434.html

http://southbend.craigslist.org/tls/4513817903.html

They come up often around here.


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## joejoewoodman (Sep 30, 2015)

Just pick one up at a auction 10-3-15 for $75 older sears and roebuck 306.4748 . I believe It to be about a 1950 905 12inch 3 horse power can anyone check the sears numbers to verify I can not seem to find it thank you


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

http://lumberjocks.com/donwilwol/blog/31144


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

As a bit of an ignoramus when I wheeled and dealer last night for a Boise crane shaper with cutters I passed on the bellsaw planer. Should have read this thread. Maybe I can still get it.


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## Aardquark (Dec 5, 2015)

I have a 910 that I picked up this summer off of craigslist. After replacing the drive belt and rollers, plus new blades, it worked very nicely. I ran about 500 feet of 1×4 through it without a problem. But now I have another batch of the same stuff and the drive rollers just stand still. It's the drive belt slipping. The only thing that has changed is the weather (I use this planer outside). Even a brand new belt is quite loose, and now in the cold weather it is just too slippery. Anyone else have similar problems and/or know of a fix? I'm thinking this unit needs a belt tensioner on a spring.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I wonder if Byrd makes a helical cutterhead for that machine? If so, it would cut down on noise significantly, and would obviate fussing around that goes with knife setting. It wouldn't cost anything to ask them.


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## BlueFlamme (Feb 23, 2008)

> I wonder if Byrd makes a helical cutterhead for that machine? If so, it would cut down on noise significantly, and would obviate fussing around that goes with knife setting. It wouldn t cost anything to ask them.
> 
> - runswithscissors


I wondered the same thing today (before reading this thread) Holbren even has it on sale for only $1224!


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## Jingle (Jan 14, 2016)

Anyone had any luck resurfacing the feed rollers..
The slip and cause stock to stop feeding


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## sawdustdad (Dec 23, 2015)

I have a vintage Woodmaster planer/molder. 12 inch, 5hp. It has rubber feed rollers. After nearly 30 years they still work fine. If they are slipping, I'd clean them with paint thinner. On my unit, you can adjust the feed roller pressure. Might check that, too.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Stationery shops used to sell a product for reconditioning the rubber on typewriter platens, which, like planer rollers, tend to get hard and glazed. Might be worth checking with Staples or Office Max to see if this stuff still exists.


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

As an edit to my up thread post:

I did the email wheeling and dealing for the shaper and when I got there I offered another gun to the gent for the Belsaw planer (and a butt load of tooling, extra knives and bearings). So I did walk away with it for a bolt action Mossberg .410. It has a 5hp motor. I cant wait to rebuild it. No, i dont know if it needs it but any machine that enters my shop gets rebuilt. Besides, what will I do with the extra bearings if I dont rebuild it?

Thanks for giving me the extra push to think ahead and bring an extra gun to trade.


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## apm (Feb 18, 2015)

Like sawdustdad said, paint thinner makes the rollers work like new. I've got a Belsaw planer I bought new in the 80's, still has the original rollers and they work fine. I just clean them once in a while with paint thinner.

Greg


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## TnMudPattys (Sep 10, 2016)

Hello. I just joined lumberjocks because I have inherited a Foley Belsaw planer 910 from my dad. It has a 5hp motor. I was using it and the boards stopped feeding, so I checked the rollers. Both were toast, so I ordered new ones from Belsaw. I need help with how to replace them. I understand how they are supposed to come out, but both are stuck in the sprocket that has a set screw in it. Yes, I removed the set screw, but cannot seem to get the sprocket to move off the rod that is part of the rollers. Is there a trick to this or something I'm overlooking?


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

spray lubricant.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Don't know what they look like, but maybe a bearing puller?


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Yep, the ultimate last resort for pulling off things from shafts is an automotive bearing puller. Not expensive and will occasionally find other uses around the shop. Get one! And I agree with the use of lacquer thinner or acetone (pretty much the same stuff) for cleaning those rubber rollers. As to tightening the belt, see of loosening the motor and sliding it back a little bit will do the job. Anything to lengthen the distance between the motor and the machine itself.


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## geiss (Jan 12, 2017)

This seems to be the thread about all things belsaw. I picked up a belsaw 9103 off craigslist that I think is in good shape. It doesn't have the whole ripsaw extension and table. So I just have a simple outfeed table.

Here is my problem. No matter how much I seem to adjust the tension on my rollers I can't get a board to feed through that actually hits the cutterhead. The cutterhead is like a solid 1/2" higher than the rollers so I'm just puzzled on how it's ever supposed to hit? I'm wondering if I'm missing pieces or something?

Any one got any ideas?


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## geiss (Jan 12, 2017)

Woops duplicate


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## Aardquark (Dec 5, 2015)

The distance between the top of feed table (bottom of board) and the cutters is controlled by a crank on left hand side of the infeed table, not the roller tension. Maybe the crank handle is missing on yours. It sticks out vertically.


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## geiss (Jan 12, 2017)

It's not the distance between the table and the cutterhead. It's the distance between the rollers and the cutterhead. My wood pulls through but the cutterhead never touches it and if I raise the feed table more than the wood just doesn't pull through. I can't get the rollers to take it because the rollers are too low at that point. That make sense?


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## Aardquark (Dec 5, 2015)

I think I understand you. Note that I'm working from memory here, because my planer is right now about 80 miles away… I recall that sometimes when the gap between the rollers and the table was quite small, that I had to give the board a little shove to jam it into the rollers, enough so the rollers grab the board and pull it in. To make this process a little easier, perhaps you need to ease up on the tension of the rollers. Of course once you do that, you might have issues with the rollers not gripping the board enough to pull it in. If this is the case, you might have worn rollers, or aging has hardened the rubber so it is very slippery. There are other discussions in this thread about that, I think. My rollers were in poor condition when I purchased the unit, so I replaced them. That worked for a while, but then another problem surfaced. (The belt now slips). When I get around to it, I'm going to try making a new belt from urethane.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

I hope I understand you correctly.

The rollers are spring loaded and it takes a good bit of pressure from the height hand crank to have them raise enough for the cutter head to engage the wood. This suggests to me

1. You haven't tightened the height hand crank down enough. Continue to tighten until you hear the sound of the cutter head beginning to cut wood.

2. The spring mechanism for the rollers to slide up and down is blocked or frozen. Check and fix it if so.

Planeman


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