Electric Planer Blade Alignment/Terry

[Paul Chick (Earthlink)]

 The laminations were noticably thicker in the =
middle (the laminations were 9-inches wide and I planed each lamination =
both ways in the planer - so the middle ended up thicker than the =
edges).

Terry,
This sounds to me like the blades are, most likely, sharpened "true", AND
aligned "true", but your machine's upward/downward pressure is unequal, thus
causing the "high spot" in the middle of the stock. I'd tweek the feed
rollers/in table/out table positions, if I were you. This may take some
large amount of time, but will be worth it, if the derned thing will,
"finally, cut "true". You might also try running the stock with scrap stock
bonded to it, making the stock wider, (ie "sandwiched")(double stick tape,
comes to mind, here.). Your machine may not take kindly to narrow, (as in
width), strips.
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)

Mark your stock so that the each layer is reversed from the outfeed side of
your planer.  This will allow the machine to plane the stock flat with a
slight taper from side to side, but reversing the boards in the stack will
cancel the taper.
Also depth of cut is a factor. Make final passes as light as possible to
avoid any flex that may occur in the machine.
Some machines allow for adjusting one side of the bed or cutterhead to
correct a taper.  This may not be covered in the owner's manual, but some
close inspection may reveal where shims may be added.

Paul C