I bought a stock Hitachi planer, and was wondering if you guys know a way of modifying the depth control to loosen it up?
…You mean by “stock” that it’s NOT a Clark modified one,Correct? …another words it has the control knob that spins around like 20 times to get it to go from zero to max cut,tell me if I’m wrong?Herb
yeah I bought it from a hardware company, so it doesn’t have the clark upgrades.
…As far as I know,NO,at least not without making,buying or scavanging a front shoe and attachments.Herb
thanks, I guess I’ll just have to live with the 20 turns.
Bosch planers are easy to convert,more power,reversable dust chute,sealed bearings etc.They look kind of “boxy” but work great.The rotation from zero to full cut is 180 degrees right out of the box.Just loosen up a little bolt in the knob …pop the knob off…slip on a homemade lever and you got it.You can adjust the tension by tightening the little bolt in the knob.I used one for about a year with good results. R.B.
Don’t live with the 20 turns. Take it back and get the clark modified, or get a Bosch. I love my Bosch model B1750 (6 years old). Its quite powerfuland light, twin cutting blades, and only 150 degrees from closed to wide open. It’ll take a full 1/8 cut too. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
But Im too cheap to buy quality tools!
I was woundering why it is necessary to have a loose depth control knob? Do you adjust the deapth while in use?
When skinning a blank I generally keep the depth of cut at one setting.The object of a looser control is to give you the option of changing the depth of cut as you move down the board.To add rocker I may start at zero depth and increase the cut depth as I go…essentially planing a curve.Same goes for rail bands etc.I like a little resistance on the depth lever…not too loose,but that is a personal choice.At times I use the Skil for the heavy stuff and the Hitachi for light work and railbands.I am left handed so the Hitachi blows dust back towards me(I have the adjustable dust flange from Clark but it still blows back).I guess thats one of the reasons I like the Bosch…you can change the direction of the dust chute like a Skil. R. Brucker
Anyone try the DeWalt? I’ve got one and modified it to make a 1/8" cut, with about a 270 degree turn. The knob is tight but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. My Hitachi is dying (bearing’s). There’s things I like about both of them but they do feel very different. I keep hearing about a new Hitachi coming out. Anyone tried it?
Thanks for the ideas, but the things covered with foam, so I don’t know if I could clean it enough to convince them to take it back. Do you guys know if you can buy/order the replacement Clark parts, anywhere?
Sluggo, a poor man can’t afford cheap tools
Soren, Clark Foam sends their planners out to get re-machined and they get parts custom made to insert into the machined area. So you cannot get parts to convert your current planer. Also, your bearings will go quickly on a stock Hitachi planer, you can get replacement bearings from Clark Foam. Sluggo
thats depressing
I know this topics is getting kind of repetitive, but the link below has the breakdown of the hitachi. Couldn’t the depth knob (#10) be adjusted by putting in a different spring? Just a thought, let me know what you guys think. http://www.hitachi.com/supportingdocs/consumerproducts/powertools/woodworkingtools/planers/P20SB_BD.pdf
Seems to me that it would take more than that…I have never taken one apart but its probably a cam or some sort of thread change type deal.Herb or Jim Phillips may be able to clarify it.By the way that schematic was pretty cool.Got anthything on changing the A/C dashboard switch on a 95 Mazda Truck??The switch does look like a little round pin egg. R.B.
Soren: Part #16 and #12 are the parts that are remachined. I’m not certain if Clark has them replaced or rethreaded. In order to reduce the number of turns it takes to adjust the depth they would reduce the the threads (more coarse) on the shaft of the shoe base and match that same thread pitch on the insert in the plastic knob. It’s possible to do this if you had a modified Hitachi to look at so you could match the thread pitch (otherwise you would just be guessing). I had a burned out Chicago (Hitachi knockoff) that I did this to. I did OK on the shaft re-thread but I never got the female threads in the knob to match just right. The other mods on the Hitachi are cosmetic, the V-groove is filled with bondo and sanded smooth and the hard leading edges on the base are rounded and smoothed. The horizontal pin that runs through the knob can be a piece of heavy gauge wire rod heated red hot and pushed through a pre-drilled hole in the plasic knob. If you screw up the threads on the front shoe/shaft you just trashed your planer, based on what a new shoe costs vs what you have invested in it. Might be worth considering selling the one you have and buy the Clark Hitachi or have a look at the Bosch 1594K. This is a nice tool with some unique features. Good Luck—Tom S. http://www.woodplaners.net/hand_planers/bosch_1594k_planer.htm http://www.woodplaners.net/hand_planers/bosch_1594k_planer.htm
…SOME WOULD CALL IT A WORM GEAR OR SOME WOULD CALL IT A JACK SCREW.Herb