I’ve owned the 6″ Delta joiner (X5 Model) for several years with little or no problems. Unfortunately I ultimately had to get the blades sharpened and upon reinstallation have yet get the machine running as it did. I’ve read and followed the manual inside and out, but can’t seem to get it running properly.
Using a straight edge, I brought the blades to height so they just touch the bottom of the metal ruler at both sides of the cutter head. This was repeated on all three blades. One immediate problem I ran into was the height of the outfeed table prohibited the fence from running all the way forward. The base of the fence assembly would get caught on the outfeed table because of it’s height.
Despite this, I did a test cut on a 5″ piece of poplar. I got a very uneven plane that rocked on the flat surface. When I lowered the outfeed, I got a better flat surface on the board, but of course, got snipe at the end.
Does anyone have a check list to make sure I’ve covered everything? How would I know if the blades weren’t properly sharpened? The last thing I want to do is lug this thing to a service center to have it properly calibrated.
I’m at a loss, any feedback would be much appreciated.
Shawn
Replies
How did you determine how much the blades project out of the cutterhead? Did you make any changes to the outfeed height before you replaced the blades? Did you use the factory setting gauge?
In general, I never move my outfeed table. It stays the same, so I don't have to use a gauge to set the knife height, relative to the cutterhead. If your fence isn't moving across the table, it sounds like the outfeed isn't at the correct height.
Just to cover the basics, the bevel goes up on the knives. If they are sharpened at 30°, you should see about 1/16" from the bevel to the gib, showing. Many of us use the stick or ruler method for setting knives but it's important that the outfeed table hasn't been moved. The knives should be a micro whisker higher than the outfeed.
I use the blade from a combination square. I place the blade so the 8" mark lines up with the edge of the table. As I rotate the cutterhead, the knives will grab the blade and drag it along. I set their height so the square blade moves exactly 1/8". It works very well but it may take a few attempts moving the knives. It's not uncommon for the knives to be sharpened slightly concave. If the knives are not straight, setting up correctly is not possible. You need a different sharpener or you can stone the blades yourself.
Once the knives are set, you can make a test cut. Start with a straight board. As the cut progresses, the board should make contact with the outfeed table and infeed table. Any gaps and you know the outfeed isn't set correctly. I took some pics when I replaced my knives. Typically, machine sharpening leaves a rough edge. You can see some grinder marks left as I stoned the knives straight. I also stone the back flat. This makes getting a sharp edge a bit easier.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled