Scheppach planer thicknesser woes

[Weekend_Woodworker]

I have an old Scheppach HMC 2600 ci planner thicknesser. I was just planing some wood this morning and adjusting the guard when it cracked. The metal casting has just split all the way through and it looks like there is another crack in it. Does anyone know of a straightforward way to repair a casting or do I need to try and find a spare one somewhere? If the latter does anyone know of a good place to get spares?

Many thanks

Mark

 

[Robert]

From that last picture it appears that one side of the section with the break is flat - hollow but flat. Assuming nothing has to go inside that area of casting I'd cut a steel or thick ali plate and bolt it to that flat side wherever possible. Drill and tap for machine screws into the casting. Combine that with epoxy to rejoin the break and it should be pretty strong.

 

[droogs]

You could try and find someone who can braze it, but that is getting more difficult these days. Try the bay for spare parts. Or do a drawing in something like fusion260 and have a company machine it out of ally

 

[Trevanion]

Ouch!

That's the problem with most die-cast alloys, they're rather brittle! I don't think it would be economical to repair it, you might find someone willing to tig it back together for you but unless it's a friend willing to do it for a couple of beer tokens that might be an expensive route, and with the prevalent cracks in the casting already even if it was repaired there's a chance it would crack elsewhere in time.

Scheppach aren't terrible when it comes to spares, although I'm not sure about a machine of that vintage. Even if they did by some miracle have one, you may need to wait a long time to get it.

I'd be replicating it out of a solid block of steel (or a few blocks bolted/welded together) the hard way, with a hacksaw and a couple of files. You may even be able to fashion something workable out of a reasonably dense hardwood if metalworking is a bit daunting.

 

[MJ80]

That looks very similar to the mechinism for the guard on the SCM Minimax planers. I wonder if it could be retro fitted.

 

[Weekend_Woodworker]

Thanks for all the responses and ideas. I don’t know anyone who does brazing and with the second crack I am not sure about that route. I think I am more inclined to see if I can get a metal block to fashion something out of. Is a steel block the way to go or could I get away with an aluminium one? Thanks.

 

[9fingers]

Aluminium will be fine and easier to work than steel. Superglue the broken one back together to use as a dimensional pattern.
Bob

 

[Trevanion]

Is a steel block the way to go or could I get away with an aluminium one? Thanks.

Whatever is convenient, steel will be a little bit cheaper but not much and generally it will be stronger, aluminium will be easier to shape, especially if you have a sharp dreadnought file.

 

[Weekend_Woodworker]

Well it’s not pretty but it works. After much fiddling and having superglued the casting together as a template for the holes I have managed to make one out of some beech. I am not sure I have the tools to make one out of steel as it depends on having a nut held captive in the middle.

Thanks for all the advice.

Mark

 

[9fingers]

Possibly last you for ages!

One little extra tip, there are two stages to uploading a photo. you have done number one but the second is to place the cursor where you want it and then press "place in lIne" that will integrate the photo in the text rather than having it lying around at the bottom of your post with a dotted line round it etc.

Bob

 

[Weekend_Woodworker]

Possibly last you for ages!

One little extra tip, there are two stages to uploading a photo. you have done number one but the second is to place the cursor where you want it and then press "place in lIne" that will integrate the photo in the text rather than having it lying around at the bottom of your post with a dotted line round it etc.

Bob

Thanks Bob, I’ll aim to do that next time. It also seems to have turned the photo by 90 degrees, but I don’t know why.

 

[9fingers]

Photo rotation is a running sore between various cameras, different OS and the rather antiquated forum code. We (aka Mark) is on the case when he gets time.
The interim solution depends on your set up. Generally, if you are using an iphone to take the pictures always have the volume buttons towards the floor and always take in landscape trimming the width if necessary.

Bob

 

[Trevanion]

That'll do! Certainly better than no guard at all, which some probably would have wrongly considered doing in your position.