Jointer knife setup.


Brendon_t

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So with the new jointer and new knives, it's setup time. After watching the jointer tune up and setup video (which has a gun in the background) I set up my dial indicator setup and went to work.

Problem. My jointer doesn't have the screws underneath to bring the blades up like the pm does, just springs. It seems like you have to have the jointer pal WITH a dial indicator to get it initially set.

I tried pushing them down with a straight edge bUT it's not very accurate says the dial indicator. .

Quite annoying.

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I just asked for the answer so go back to the original thread and post the answer there.

What jointer do you have?

Did you get the carbide blades?

I have a Grizz and it has a little bar gauge that goes across to measure the blade heights.

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I just asked for the answer so go back to the original thread and post the answer there.

What jointer do you have?

Did you get the carbide blades?

I have a Grizz and it has a little bar gauge that goes across to measure the blade heights.

Coop, I ended up buying a used 8" delta clone from CL for a song.

The seller didn't give me the initial set up gear if it came with one.

I have two sets of carbide and two hss sets. My last jointer had the little adjustable screws for height.

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I take the springs and screws out anyway.  Tighten just the end bolts enough to hold the knife in place, but still allow you to slide it down with a small strip of hard wood.   I use a strip of Boxwood (Hard Maple will do) about a 1/4" by 5/8", and push the blade down flush with the outfeed table while swinging the head back and forth a little over each end screw.   It goes really quickly once you get a feel for it.  I don't even use a dial indicator any more.  The first test piece of wood will show you how good of a job you did if you think you need to check.

 

Some instructions you see will tell you to leave the knives three thou proud.  Once you get so you can change the knives in a couple of minutes, you don't need to.  The extra height is for longer between having to put the knives in and out.  I can take a set out, hone them, and put them back in less than 15 minutes without getting in a hurry. 

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I take the springs and screws out anyway.  Tighten just the end bolts enough to hold the knife in place, but still allow you to slide it down with a small strip of hard wood.   I use a strip of Boxwood (Hard Maple will do) about a 1/4" by 5/8", and push the blade down flush with the outfeed table while swinging the head back and forth a little over each end screw.   It goes really quickly once you get a feel for it.  I don't even use a dial indicator any more.  The first test piece of wood will show you how good of a job you did if you think you need to check.

 

Some instructions you see will tell you to leave the knives three thou proud.  Once you get so you can change the knives in a couple of minutes, you don't need to.  The extra height is for longer between having to put the knives in and out.  I can take a set out, hone them, and put them back in less than 15 minutes without getting in a hurry.

Usually takes me just shy of forever!!!

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we just supposed to get the knives/blades at the same height and parallel to the rotating holder (for lack of a better word), then adjust the tables accordingly?

Yes coop, in a nutshell. The knifes each should be the same protruding height as measured from the out feed table at the cylinder TDC. They also need to be the same height along the length of the knife from closest to the furthest from the fence.

The trouble I'm having is getting each blade the same height at the same TDC workout a way to repeatedly lock the head in the same position.

I'm going to try to make a jig to lock the barrel down.

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Tom I just gave that a try with hard maple. It was closer but still had a .007 difference between blades. .

You can feel well less than .001.  Keep trying.  You should be able to rotate the head back and forth, and feel it just brush the wood. One reason for the small piece of wood is so you can feel this.  If it takes a bite out of the wood, move the strip in or out.  The harder the wood the better.  I have great results with Boxwood.  You may need to go a little wider than a quarter for Maple for it to be able to push down the sharp knife.

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You may need to go a little wider than a quarter for Maple for it to be able to push down the sharp knife.

Not sure what you mean there. I was using 5/4 hard maple, about 6" wide and 10" long.

I ordered a jointer pal on amazon yesterday. Kind of annoying but want getting anywhere without it. I've set them at least 7 times now with poor results.

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You must have missed the part about a small, thin strip in my earlier post.  It goes the narrow edge down, right about the outer screw holding the knife in.  I don't think anyone could use my method with a large piece of wood.

I did miss that. I thought you were using a larger piece for registration on the out feed table.

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==>Jointer knife setup

The easiest way to setup old-school jointer knives is to retrofit a Byrd head... :)

 

I know there are lots of folks trying to sell dial-indicators, fancy jigs, etc... You really don't need them for changing knives -- maybe setup, if the machine is way-out... There are some old-school methods described over on SMC...

 

 

==> I take the springs and screws out anyway.  Tighten just the end bolts enough to hold the knife in place, but still allow you to slide it down with a small strip of hard wood.   I use a strip of Boxwood (Hard Maple will do) about a 1/4" by 5/8", and push the blade down flush with the outfeed table while swinging the head back and forth a little over each end screw.   It goes really quickly once you get a feel for it.  I don't even use a dial indicator any more.  The first test piece of wood will show you how good of a job you did if you think you need to check.

 

I can almost visualize this, but somewhere I fall short... How do you verify protrusion -- height of outfeed table??? The method sounds interesting (and fast), is there a longer description or video?

 

 

==>Some instructions you see will tell you to leave the knives three thou proud... Once you get so you can change the knives in a couple of minutes, you don't need to.

Yea, accounts for the slop... Once you get good, you really don't need 3thou -- but most jointers perform better with 1.0-1.5thou (because there is always some slop and the cutterhead angle of attack follows an arc)... The trick here is to get protrusion within spec (usually somewhere 50 and 70thou) and get all the knives within 1.0thou of the cutterhead arc. I've found the ruler-drag method to be the most reliable -- it's old-school and works well -- Google is your friend...

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quote: " I can almost visualize this, but somewhere I fall short... How do you verify protrusion -- height of outfeed table??? The method sounds interesting (and fast), is there a longer description or video?"

 

It would take me longer to try to describe it in words than to show how.   It's on the list of videos I need to make.   My outfeed tables haven't been adjusted in years.  If knives do less than perfect, I take them out, hone them, and reinstall.  15 minutes includes dragging out the stuff to hone the knives with.  If one gets a nick, it gets swapped out.  I do send them off for regular sharpening if they hit a grit.

 

I have all sorts of dial indicators, and have checked my method.  It doesn't get any better with an indicator, and I hate to let the metal touch the knife edge.  I do use the indicators for setting planers larger than a lunchbox.

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I'm sure I can put two knives in before anyone could change one line of Bryd head cutters.  I won't swap my cut quality either.

 

We have a Nikon 5300, but I've never even had it on video function.  It's almost unbelievable how busy I've been lately, and now my Wife is gone to look after her aged Mother this weekend, so I have the whole show to run here this weekend, and I have to meet with a production company about hosting some show, and have a presentation to give to a group of old Historic ladies tomorrow night.......

 

I turned 65 a few weeks ago, and should be retired, but that would be no fun.

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