GREAT PLANES Power Plane User manual

P.O. Box 788 Urbana, IL 61803 [phone]
www.greatplanes.com
Congratulations on your purchase of the Great Planes®POWER PLANE™,
the quickest and easiest way to remove wood and excess material from all
your model airplane projects.
The Power Plane you have purchased is equipped with a spiral-blade
rotary cutter. The depth of cut is easily adjustable from .01" – .03" [.25mm
- .76mm]. You will find the instructions for adjusting and cutter replacement
in this pamphlet.
Please read all the instructions and safety precautions before
using your Power Plane for the first time, and be sure to practice
on balsa scraps to familiarize yourself with its operation before
using it on your model airplane.
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
© Copyright 2001 GPMZ0256 for GPMR4030 V1.1

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. The exposed cutter can inflict severe
injury, so keep this tool out of the reach of children, and never allow the cutter to
contact any body part except when changing the cutter. The cutter is extremely
sharp and does not need to “spin” to inflict injury.
DO NOT DISASSEMBLE. No part of the Power Plane should be disassembled,
except for when servicing the cutter.
Always unplug the unit before servicing the cutter or adjusting the cutting depth,
and whenever the unit is not in use. A shock hazard may exist if the unit is wet.
Never use near water, in the rain, or while standing on a wet surface. Never carry
the Power Plane by the cord or yank it from the receptacle.
FOR HOBBY USE ONLY. The Power Plane is made for normal, intermittent
personal hobby use. It is not designed for continuous use, such as in a
manufacturing operation. Do not push hard. When operating the Power Plane,
apply just enough force to keep the unit cutting at a steady rate. This rate will vary
depending on the type of material being cut.
USE SAFETY GLASSES AND OTHER SAFETY EQUIPMENT. Use safety
goggles or safety glasses with side shields, complying with applicable safety
standards and, when needed, a face shield. This applies to all persons in the
work area. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry. They can be caught in moving
parts. Wear protective hair covering to contain long hair.
SECURE THE WORK. Use clamps to hold your work. It’s safer than using your
hands and it frees both hands to operate the tool.
AVOID UNINTENTIONAL STARTING. When positioning the unit, do not hold
your fingers over the “POWER” switches.
CAUTION: If the Power Plane is dropped, the cutter may pick up debris or
become deformed. Remove the cutter from the unit and insure the cutter is free
of debris and dents. If the cutter is dented or deformed, replace it. Even a small
dent may cause the unit to bind or cause the cutter to overheat. NEVER FILE OR
RESHARPEN A DENTED OR DEFORMED CUTTING DRUM.
DANGER: KEEP FINGERS AWAY FROM CUTTING AREA. Keep fingers away
from the cutter. Never hold the part being cut in the area the Power Plane will
be used.
USE ONLY GENUINE GPM REPLACEMENT CUTTERS. Never substitute any
cutter for the GPM cutting drum. Never use defective or incorrect cutter retainer
screws. Follow cutter replacement procedures.
IF THE CUTTER BINDS OR MOTOR STALLS, RELEASE SWITCHES
IMMEDIATELY.
2

110/120 volts 60 Hz AC
Your Power Plane is designed to operate on standard
household current. Lower voltage may cause loss of
power and can result in overheating or reduced cutting
effectiveness. Higher voltage may cause the unit to
overheat and pose a fire hazard.
The Power Plane removes material by means of an
electrically powered spiral-blade rotary cutter. The cutter
OPERATION
SPECIFICATIONS
3

spins at high speed while effectively shaving the surface
to the depth determined by the user. Both “power” buttons
need to be depressed simultaneously for the Power Plane
to operate. If this is your first time using the Power Plane,
practice planing on scraps of 3/8" or 1/4" balsa sheet or
balsa blocks until you are comfortable with the Power
Plane’s operation. The tool may seem a bit awkward at
first, but soon will become a workbench favorite. If you are
having any difficulty using the Power Plane, read the
“Troubleshooting” section and look for problems in
technique or other areas that may be causing the problem.
Note: The Power Plane is designed to plane balsa wood.
Using it on “soft hardwood” such as basswood may be
successful if care is used. Do not attempt to use it on very
hard wood such as birch, maple or oak.
Components of the Power Plane could be damaged by
continuous use under strenuous cutting conditions. It
should be allowed to cool for a few minutes after 10
minutes of continuous use on hard balsa, and longer if it’s
being used on “soft hardwoods.”
4

Turning the depth adjustment knob clockwise will increase
the cutting depth. The maximum depth of the Power Plane
is .030" [.76mm].
Turning the depth adjustment knob counterclockwise will
decrease the cutting depth.
Note: It is recommended to decrease the cutting depth
when using the Power Plane on harder materials. This will
increase the life of the cutting drum and help keep the
Power Plane from overheating.
Unplug the power cord from the power source before
cleaning or changing the cutter.
MAINTENANCE
ADJUSTMENT OF CUTTING DEPTH
5

IMPORTANT: The cutter drum shaft must be kept properly
lubricated. Grease the shaft after every 40 minutes of
running.
The motor and electronics are not user serviceable.
Opening the unit for any reason may result in operational
problems if not properly reassembled. If you do open the
housing around the motor, do not under any
circumstances plug in the power cord, as this would be a
dangerous shock and fire hazard.
The internal fan creates a positive pressure inside the
housing to aid in motor cooling and to prevent excessive
sawdust from entering the unit. After approximately 2
hours of use, it is advised to blow compressed air into the
unit (through the louvers) to dislodge sawdust from the
electric motor. You may want to remove the cutter drum
and blow out the cutter slot as well.
Wipe the outside of the unit clean with a soft, dry cloth. Do
not use water or any solvents or cleaning sprays.
It will be necessary to access the cutter periodically, to
replace it, or clean out the cutter slot. Use the following
sequence:
HOW TO CHANGE OR REMOVE THE CUTTER
6

1. Remove the black cutter retaining screw, washer and
cutter cover using a 3mm hex wrench. The cutter retainer
screw is located on the lower right side of the planer near
the front.
2. Gently and carefully lift the cutting drum straight off the
cutter shaft and out of the planer body. The bronze gear
on the cutter drum is part of the assembly and not
removable. There are washers between the cutter and
case. Do not lose these washers! They must be reinstalled
with the new cutter drum. 7

3. Wrap the old cutter drum in multiple layers of tape and
dispose of it.
4. IMPORTANT: Generously lubricate the cutter shaft using
a thick, lithium base grease prior to installation. Follow
steps 1 and 2 in reverse to install a new cutter. Please be
very careful with a new cutter. The spiral-cut blades are
very sharp.
Problem: The unit fails to operate when plugged into
an outlet and the power buttons are pressed.
Action: Ensure that you are pressing both power buttons
simultaneously. Plug some other appliance into the same
outlet to see if there is power. If there is power, but the unit
fails to operate, unplug immediately and call Hobby
Services at [phone] to arrange for a replacement.
Do not attempt to service the electrical portion of the unit
yourself.
Problem: Cutting is slow and difficult.
Reason #1: The cutter may be getting dull. The cutter is
made of mild steel and the spiral blades should remain
sharp for many cuts, but it will eventually become dull,
especially if used on harder materials.
Action: Purchase and install new cutter (GPMR4040).
Reason #2: The material you are attempting to cut is too
hard. The Power Plane was designed and tested for use
on balsa, basswood, poplar, foam and other soft and
medium soft materials. It is not to be used on birch, maple,
oak or other hardwoods.
TROUBLESHOOTING
8

Action: Evaluate the hardness of the material. If too hard,
discontinue use.
Reason #3: The cutter shaft may need to be lubricated.
Action: Grease the cutter shaft.
Problem: The unit gives off the odor of wood smoke.
Reason: There may be an excessive amount of sawdust
inside the housing or trapped in the cutter slot, and this
may be smoldering.
Action: This is a potential fire hazard! Unplug the unit and
take it outdoors immediately. Stay outside with the unit
until there is no more odor. Remove the cutter and use
compressed air to blow out all sawdust.
Problem: The motor runs, but the cutter does not cut
when pressed into balsa.
Reason #1: Insure the cutting depth is properly adjusted.
Action: Turn the adjustment knob clockwise to increase
the cutting depth.
Reason #2: This may be an internal problem that is not
user serviceable.
Action: Call Hobby Services to arrange for repairs. (217)
398-8970. 1-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY – *U.S.A and
Canada Only.
Great Planes warrants this product to be free from defects
in materials and workmanship for a period of one (1) year
from the date of purchase. During that period, Great
Planes will, at its option, repair or replace without service
charge any product deemed defective due to those
WARRANTY
9

causes. You will be required to provide proof of purchase
(invoice or receipt). This warranty does not cover damage
caused by abuse, misuse, alteration or accident. If there is
damage stemming from these causes within the stated
warranty period, Great Planes will, at its option, repair or
replace it for a service charge not greater than 50% of its
then current retail list price. Be sure to include your daytime
telephone number in case we need to contact you about
your repair. This warranty gives you specific rights. You
may also have other rights, which vary from state to state.
*For warranty and service information if purchased outside
the USA or Canada, see the additional warranty information
insert (if applicable) or ask your retailer for more
information.
Individual replacement cutters are available at your
favorite hobby retailer.
Power Plane Replacement Cutter (GPMR4040)
If you have any questions regarding the Great Planes
POWER PLANE, please call us at [phone] or e- mail
us at [email protected] and we’ll be glad
to help.
CONTACTING GREAT PLANES
PURCHASING REPLACEMENT BLADES
10