Tuning up the jointer

[schu777]

Last week I was browsing through all the postings as it has been a while since I've visited. I came across his #118 - Jointer Setup and liked it. I decided to order the 50" straightedge from Lee Valley and it arrived yesterday. I had a bit of time yesterday to try to see if my tables were okay or not. The problem I'm having is getting the clamp to hold the board down without flexing out. I've got the G0490 and the bottoms of the tables don't really make it easy to clamp down. I did at one point get a measurement and found that one side I was .018 - then I went to the other side and it seemed to be .012 or so. I went back to double check the other side and could not get the straightedge to sit right.

I'm sure I need to get it tuned up some, but it's not as bad as I thought it was...guess some of it is my technique for long boards. Anyone have a video for doing long boards?

Thanks, Michael

[schu777]

I found that the tables need a slight adjustment. I used the method described in the Grizzly manual for adjusting the tables instead of how Marc did it in his video for the infeed table. The boards are cutting better, but I found that my knifes are not even to the outfeed table and need to be taken out to sharpen. I'm hoping that I can get some replacements for it so while the ones are getting sharpen I can have the jointer still in service.

Michael

[schu777]

I purchased some new knives and got them installed to be even with the height of the outfeed table. Now the jointer performs just like it should. So a couple of things to make sure your jointer is tuned up (note this applied to my Grizzy jointer, but should work for others):

1) Purchase a straightedge and some feelers to see if the tables are co-planner.

2) Purchase new knives or have the existing ones sharpened.

3) Purchase the OneWay Multi-Gauge

4) Adjust the outfeed table to be in plane with the "BODY" of the cutter head - according to the Grizzly manual. Use the StraightEdge to see if it is...

5) Adjust the infeed to be co-planner with the outfeed table using the straighedge.

6) Re-adjust the knives or install the new ones. Using the Multi-Gauge to get it within .001 of the outfeed table.

7) Clean and wax the tables.

If you do all these steps and still can't get a flat board - find videos of how to feed a board through a jointer.

Michael