I need some help setting up a jointer!

[D Gobby]

I'm hoping some of you can help me in setting up a jointer that I recently purchased, I have replaced the bearing's and checked the tables for flatness,twist,parallelism etc and all is good so far. My question's concern setting up the cutter head.

This is a 4 blade cutter head, upon inspecting the gibs, it appears that they were set up for the use of jack screws for blade height adjustment. The jack screws are missing on all four of the gibs, I can fabricate new jack screws for each of the gibs. The blades that came with the machine are a mismatched set, (three of the blades are the same and one is different) they are also to narrow in depth to allow any adjustment with a jack screw.

My thoughts are to fabricate jack screws and purchase 4 blades of the same manufacture with enough depth to allow adjustment with the jack screws.

Does this sound like I'm on the right track? How high should the blades protrude past the cutter head when set up properly or does it matter. My thoughts are to set up the blades so that the bevel of the blade is even with the cutter head.

The Machine is a 6" Pryor with 62" tables and I think it will be a great little machine once I get it dialed in.

Any thought's or suggestion's would be greatly appreciated.

Darrel

[landlocked sailor]

Darrel, I use a magna-set jig that suspends the blades so that they are exactly even with the outfeed table. This way you do not need the jack screws to hold the blades up, just tighten up the gibs. Differing blade widths, within reason, ought not to matter either. I think one could make a servicable version of the magna-set with rare earth magnets from Lee Valley. Rick

[Ed Harrow]

John White, of FWW, has written a great book on 'Shop Machines'. In it there are examples of easily made jigs and the like to assist in setting up machines. He has several for jointers.

[Dave Fleming]

Google, Old Woodworking Machines, that should show a web site for folks interested in 'old arhn'.

Might get some hints on your machine there.

OH, ANOTHER THING......DON'T USE MISMATCHED BLADES!

Can really mess up the cutterhead with vibrations that could fling a blade out of the machine.

It is not so critical as with setting up a shaper head with separate knives but, I sure as hell would spring for a set of blades from a reputable maker ie: Wisconsin Knife Works-Amana-Chas Schmidt.

I favour TCT tipped myself but HSS or Stellite are fine if you cannot spring for the TCT tipped ones.

Do not get solid TCT blades too easy to chip or shatter one of you hit grit or a knot on a piece of wood.

[cjp63]

Set the outfeed table and leave it alone. Adjust the blades to it. The point of the blade should be even or flush with the outfeed table. As mentioned earlier by LL Sailor, a couple of strong magnets over hanging the outfeed table should work to keep the blades in place. The chip breakers should be about 1/32 to 1/16 from the bottom of the bevel, if my memory serves me right. Invest in 4 new blades and you should have plenty of blade to work with. Make sure it's UNPLUGGED.

[Dave Fleming]

Maximum Height of Knife Above Cutter head is .100" for HSS Knives
Maximum Height of Knife Above Cutter head is between .031" and .039" for TCT knives.

****** All Settings May Have To Be Adjusted ( +/-) Depending Upon Machine And Wood Specie Being Machined.

****** Note: it is best to check the relationship between the cutterhead itself and the table/platen first just to make sure they are parallel to each other before proceeding to set the knives themselves.

[D Gobby]

Thank you all for your responses! I have ordered 2 new sets of Amana HSS blades that are 1/4" wider than what is currently on the machine to allow for the use of jack screws. I have made new jack screws to replace the missing ones.

I've checked with a dial indicator, and the cutter head is parallel with the out-feed table. When the new blades arrive, I will set each blade using the jack screws and a dial indicator to be parallel with the out feed table.

Thank you!! for all your help.

Dave, I checked with the website that you mentioned before purchasing the machine. Other than the pictures of two machine's posted there,not much additional info.

Darrel