Replies

1. 
   QCInspector | May 27, 2008 01:02pm | #1

   My friend has one that he bought new in 1979 or 1980 and when we shared tools I ended up changing the blades more than a few times (he hates doing it). The jointer blades are not as easy to change as on a regular jointer because the outfeed table doesn't adjust and there isn't a shaft lock to position the cutter head when pressing the blades down against the cover spring. You need to fiddle with them a bit to get them the right height because they move up (or maybe it's down, I can't remember) a little when tightened. I think there was an article in Fine Woodworking in the black and white days, and it's in Book 1 of Tage Frid's trilogy, on setting the blades so that they pulled a stick forward about 1/16 when the cutter block was rotated. Just remember to joint a bunch before you start the change or you'll go nuts finding some scraps that have a flat face. Learned that the hard way.;) The planer blades are set the same.

   Once you get the hang of it they aren't that bad and can be done in about 20 or 30 minutes for both planer and jointer together. I bought a similar machine by Hitachi that has shaft locks and magnetic blocks that made the changes easier. The 2030 is a great tool and well worth the extra effort it takes to set the blades. My friend has three sets of blades that he has been using since he bought it and there are only a few sharpenings left in them before they're worn out. Have no idea if any demos on video exist.

2. 
   zolton | May 27, 2008 04:28pm | #2

   I have a Makita 2030, and changing the blades (or, in my case, removing them to sharpen them, as I only have the one set) isn't difficult. It's more tedious than anything. The bolts are long and there are a lot of them.

   As another poster pointed out, because the outfeed table doesn't adjust, aligning the jointer blades can be finicky. I use the trick of laying a straightedge on the outfeed tables and rotating the cutterhead by hand until they lift the straightedge and move it forward 1/8 inch. I use the hardened steel blade of a combination square for this procedure. It's easy to gauge how far forward it moves because of the markings along the edge.

   To reset the planer blades, you just press them down into the cutterhead with a straightedge (I use a maple block) until they're aligned with the aluminum casting that bridges the opening. That's the easy part of this entire process.

   I can remove the blades, sharpen them, and get them back in the cutterhead again in about an hour and a half on a good day - two hours or more when everything doesn't cooperate.

   As a side note, I just hooked up my 2030 to my cyclone dust collector. This was a real trick because it's not designed for dust collection. Let me know if you'd like to see some photos of what I did to pull it off. Instead of the chips and dust spewing out everywhere, now they're almost all sucked away into the cyclone. A real relief from the perspective of lung function - and way easier cleanup besides.

   Zolton 

   If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon

1. 
   Prado | May 27, 2008 08:14pm | #3

   Thanks. I made the mistake of sending a small glued up panel w/o removing all the yellow glue from the jointed edge. The glue actually nicked the blade(s). Now I must avoid that section of the blade or do some sanding afterward. If I hadn't done this I would not really spend much time sanding since the blades are otherwise very sharp.The machine is GREAT! I can't believe how accurately it works. Of course I've moved up from a 12" Central Machinery thickness planer so I'm sure I've moved up leaps and bounds.Why in the world did they ever discontinue this machine? Could it be that there are in fact some great working portable planers that were priced too competitively for them?So, do the FWW article and the Tage Frid book mentioned in one of the previous responses to this post give instructions for this machine specifically?What a great resource this website is!

1. 
   QCInspector | May 27, 2008 08:25pm | #4

   "So, do the FWW article and the Tage Frid book mentioned in one of the previous responses to this post give instructions for this machine specifically?"Nope, they were for jointers in general.