Great Planes GPMR4030 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.

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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

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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.”

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