How to Easily Determine if Your Wood Planer or Jointer Bearings Are Damaged

To test if the bearings on your wood planer or jointer are damaged, follow these steps:

First, remove the belt from the motor.
Rotate the motor by hand to see if it feels smooth or if there's any resistance.
Next, turn on the motor and listen closely. If you don't hear any unusual sounds, the motor is likely in good condition.

Inspect the Cutterhead:
Before reattaching the belt, manually rotate the cutterhead. Be alert for any roughness, resistance, or drag, as these could indicate that the bearings were damaged during the installation of the cutterhead.
If noticeable washboard marks appear on the board, it could indicate that the cutterhead is imbalanced.

Examine the Feed Rollers:
Finally, ensure that the feed rollers rotate smoothly without any difficulty.

These checks should help you identify any potential issues with the bearings.