Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Sep 21, 2009 01:52am | #1

   How can the outfeed table be above the cutting knives?  Were that to be the case, you would pass a board over the knives where its leading edge would then stop--clunk--against the outfeed table.  The outfeed table must always be flush or SLIGHTLY below the cutter knives, never above them.  Something doesn't make sense, if I am reading you correctly.  Or, are you saying the table, without knives are set above, and then the knives added to bring the cutting arc up to the level of the outfeed table. 

   You want the arc of the knives to be flush with the arc of the cutting knives for a straight joint.  For a slightly sprung joints--a small enough gap in the center that you can close it with hand pressure, not needing a clamp,  you would would the outfeed table SLIGHTLY below the arc of the knives, often set using a wood gauge which if you rest it on the outfeed table and, with the machine unpluged, you turn the cutter and it moves the guage 2 millimeters horizontally.    

    

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   Edited 9/20/2009 6:53 pm ET by SteveSchoene

   
   

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   Edited 9/20/2009 6:57 pm ET by SteveSchoene

1. 
   SantaFeTom | Sep 21, 2009 03:15am | #2

   I understand your confusion. What I described was the distance from the top of the outfeed table to the the "cutter head", not to the top of the cutting knives. This is the steel cylinder that holds the knives. The knives protrude from the cutter head. The top of the knives is set at the height of the outfeed table after setting the outfeed table parallel to the cutter head and then setting the height of the outfeed table relative to the cutter head. As the manual explained, there are two ways to set the knives: 1) Use the knife setting jig to set the height of the knives relative to the cutter head and then set the outfeed table to the height of the knives, or 2) set the outfeed table relative to the cutter head and then set the blades relative to the outfeed table. Choosing 1, there is no guarantee the tables are parallel to the knives. Choosing 2, the tables are adjusted parallel to the cutter head, the height of the outfeed table is established and once the blades are set, the blades will be parallel to the outfeed table and at the proper height. Did I clear it up or just make it worse?

   ...tom

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Sep 21, 2009 04:35am | #4

   Cleared it up. 

   But, can you set knives such a short distance above the cutter head?  Sounds to me like there needs to be a way to raise the fence to accommodate the outfeed table height, rather than keeping the outfeed table lower than 1/16" above the cutter heights, since it seems to me that 1/16" is a fairly common dimension for blades to project above the head.   

   I'm glad that I only have to adjust the outfeed table.  The disposable blades are automatically aligned with the cutter head, and can only be shifted a little right or left, not up or down.  No knife setting jig. 

   Edited 9/20/2009 9:41 pm ET by SteveSchoene

1. 
   SantaFeTom | Sep 21, 2009 05:09pm | #5

   It seems to work fine. The blades come out of the cutter head at an angle so the length of the blade that extends is greater than 0.038".

   When I started the tune-up procedure, I put the knife jig in place first. The knives were close to that, although I would have liked a tighter tolerance. I then adjusted the parallelism of the tables and set the height of the outfeed table to the documented 1/16". When I then checked the height of the knives from the height of the outfeed table, I discovered that I had to raise all of them. This struck me as odd since I knew the knives were close to the setting from the jig before I started the tune-up. It wasn't until I thought I was done that I discovered the fence was blocked. I haven't gone back and checked the final tune-up against the jig setting because to do so would require me to lower both tables and then reset the outfeed again. I know it will be closer than when I followed the 1/16" called for in the manual.

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Sep 21, 2009 03:56am | #3

   Tom,

   I am curious about your technique for setting the tables parallel, but my jointer's beds are parallel so I don't have any use for such knowledge at this point in time. If you think you can describe it, I'd be interested to read. If it's too much trouble, no worries...

   Chris @ www.flairwoodworks.com
   and www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com)

    - Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   RickL | Sep 21, 2009 09:38pm | #6

   http://www.grizzly.com/images/manuals/g0609_m.pdf  Page 37

   It's pretty much an intuitive thing. At least for me it is. I work on machines and have done a fair amount of DJ jointers in the past. Such info isn't included in the Delta manuals. It's a seperate page you have to ask for with the Delta units. At least it was in the past.

1. 
   SantaFeTom | Sep 22, 2009 01:02am | #7

   I found the process described in the manual, to get a table parallel to the cutter head, difficult to follow. It calls for placing a straight edge in four different positions and adjusting the table so the height of the straight edge above the cutter head is the same, or at least within tolerance. The two positions where the straight edge was alligned with the table were simple. The problem was what to do if the diagonal positions showed an error. Which corner should I adjust to fix it? No mater which corner I chose, it altered the setting for a straight edge alligned with the table. My intuition failed me. I think I figured out a better way to do it. My way gets the table edge next to the cutter head parallel and then gets the table edge furthest from the cutter head parallel. That guarantees the complete table is parallel.

1. 
   user-87215 | Sep 22, 2009 04:33am | #8

   AustinTom,  but how do you get the table closest to the cutterhead parallel?  Do you use a straight edge or a dial indicator.  On a side note, read the Grizzly manual and it said to get parallel within .01 -   I have always tried to get it within .003 on my Jet and that takes some time -  I am surprised that .01 would be enough ( yes I know that wood moves) but I have found that a knive high, or low, by .001 or .002 can give me a cupped cut as opposed to truly straight.

1. 
   SantaFeTom | Sep 22, 2009 05:14pm | #9

   I agree with you about the Grizzly tolerance in the manual; it is way too generous. I try to get it as perfect as possible.

   To get the edge of the table closest to the cutter head parallel to the cutter head, I lay the flat part of a straight edge, or some other known flat item, on top of the cutter head (not the top of the knives) and then raise the outfeed table until one of the corners just touches the the flat item. If there is a gap at the other side of the table, I raise that corner until it touches the flat item. I think you can be accurate enough visually but you can measure too with feeler gauges. The goal is a consistent distance from the edge of the table to the flat item above it. Lower the outfeed table and repeat to be sure everything is OK. Once that is done, there should be no need to change those two corners again. To balance the flat item on the round cutter head, raise the infeed table enough for the flat item to rest on.

   Actually the best area to test for parallel is not the edge of the outfeed table but the point just above the adjusters, or shims if it isn't a parallelogram jointer. If you don't have a flat item wide enough to extend that far, the edge is an acceptable compromise.

   Once that edge is parallel, I put a straight edge along the front or back edge of the outfeed table.  I hold one end down on the cutter head and adjust the height of the table so there is no gap under the straight edge. In other words, if the table is too high, the straight edge will pivot on the edge closest to the cutter head and the error will be exaggerated at the end furthest from the cutter head. You will probably need to use a short, about 12", straight edge because it is hard to hold the end down on the cutter head for something longer. I then move the straight edge to the other side of the table and do the same thing, without changing the height of the table. If there is any gap under the straight edge, use the adjuster at the corner furthest from the cutter head to correct it.

   That's it. If any of this made sense, and you followed the instructions, you should have an outfeed table parallel to the cutter head in all directions. All skewing will be corrected.

   Then move to the infeed table and make the edge closest to the cutter head parallel to it using the same technique. Then use a long straight edge along the front or back of the tables that extends equally over both the infeed and outfeed tables. adjust the heights of the tables so that the straight edge rests solidly on the outfeed table and touches the closest edge of the infeed table. Adjust the furthest corner of the infeed table to eliminate any gap along the infeed table. Then move the straight edge to the other side of  the tables and repeat. At that point, the infeed table should be parallel to the cutter head too and both tables should be parallel to themselves.

   Then adjust the outfeed table to its proper height and adjust the knives to the height of the outfeed table.

   Again, I sure hope this makes sense.

   ...tom

   Edited 9/22/2009 10:17 am ET by AustinTom

2. 
   user-87215 | Sep 22, 2009 10:37pm | #10

   Tom,  thanks, I understand your proceedure,  somewhat similar to mine.  I have the Jet JJp-12 which is the jointer/ planer, which is a little different in that when you lift up the jointer table to use the planer, you see the heads of the adjusters -   I marked those locations ( with tape ) on the top of the bed so I could see where they are, put my dial indicaor at that spot on the outfeed - with the tip resting on the cutterhead (not the knives) and adjusted the 2 adusters on the outfeed closest to the cutter head so that the sides nearest the fence and away from the fence read the same distance. Then I do the remaining steps as you did.  Note that since it is a J P, if you get the tables aligned to the cutterhead, then align the knives to the tables, the knives should then be aligned with the planer table below.  Somewhere I read that the straightedge should be used with a .003 feeler gauge and that is what I have shot for as a tolerance.  I tried going .002 or .015 , but it became very time consuming - if you adjust the front outside adjuster furthest from the cutter head down ever so slightly, it brings up the  front of the table closer to the cutter head and also brings down the middle and fence side of the infeed table furthest from the cutter head - it made my head hurt thinking about how each one movement affected the other areas.

3. 
   SantaFeTom | Sep 22, 2009 11:10pm | #11

   Well, I feel stupid. I actually own a dial indicator but never thought of using it. That would have made it much easier to get the portion of the table directly above the inside adjusters (closest to the cutter head) parallel to the cutter head. I like your idea of putting a mark on the table directly above the adjusters.

   Yes, changing the front outside adjuster will slightly alter the table edge and create work if using a feeler gauge. However, the portion directly above the adjusters will still be parallel to the cutter head since you used a dial indicator to set that portion previously. That is why I would raise the table high enough to have a straight edge pivot on the edge while holding the end of the straight edge down to the cutter head. Then adust the height of the table to eliminate the gap at the far end of the straight edge. Then when you move the straight edge to the fence side, holding one end down on the cutter head. The only point left to adjust would be the fence side outside adjuster. Either raise or lower that corner so that there is no gap under the straight edge. That should take care of everything for that table without a hurting your head.

4. 
   user-87215 | Sep 23, 2009 03:27am | #12

   Austin, thanks. My head hurt because I spent hours on it before I fully realized that since the bed is cantilevered over the adjusters,  a slight adjustment at one end can cause the other end to rise ( or fall )  It was probably the 3 or 4th attempt that I finally realized that I could put the base of the indicator directly over the adjusters.  The other slight problem is that you have to lft the jointer table up to access the front 4 adjusters, and you have to lift  the table and  unscrew some bolts to access the 4 rear adjusters.  While the table has a spring, it is still pretty heavy, , and then you have to lock the tables down to check it,   so each adjustment takes some time to do and some energy.  Glad you got yours sorted out.

2. 
   RickL | Sep 23, 2009 04:42pm | #13

   I pretty much set my six foot Starret straight edge in the front and the back edge of the table to line the table up. I use my indicator to get my table front edge in line with the cutter head and use feeler gauges with the straight edge.

   When I'm pretty much done I move the tables up and down a couple of times  with the hand levers through the full range to settle out any discrepencies and do the final tweak if needed.

   Obviously if you move one corner up or down it affects the opposite diagonal corner. It's a matter of just working throught the process. The error gets smaller as you get closer.