Replies

1. 
   MBL | Feb 25, 2005 01:38am | #1

   Dear Bill,

   Most likely a large shaving.
   How about try compressed air first?

   Good luck.

   -mbl-

1. 
   billballeza | Feb 25, 2005 01:48am | #2

   Thanks, I'll fire up the compressor and give that a try. Good idea.

   Bill

2. 
   BrentS | Feb 25, 2005 02:33am | #3

   Hi Bill,

     I've had the same problem when jointing walnut.I guess there's something about the grain patterns because I noticed the shavings were much denser than most other woods I've jointed.At first I just took a shallower pass on the wood.That worked to a certain degree,but it would clog up again eventually.What I do now with walnut is a shallow pass at a very slow feed rate and this seems to have solved the problem. It'll be interesting to hear what others have to say about this.Oh, I also found that using the stronger of my 2 DCs helped a bit,but not to any great difference.

                                                                             Brent

1. 
   billballeza | Feb 25, 2005 02:52am | #4

   Thanks, Brent.

   What confuses me is that I've jointed walnut before and I have my jointer set for a 1/16" cut and never take more than that even when tapering legs.

   This is the first time I've had the problem.

1. 
   BrentS | Feb 25, 2005 03:32am | #5

   Hi Bill,

      It doesn't happen to me all the time either.I've found that when it does ,it's usually with the darker ,heavier pieces of walnut.That's why I think it has something to do with the grain patterns.Maybe wood from older trees,maybe it depends on where the tree grew, I really have no idea ,but have found acouple of ways around it although nothing that completely solves the problem.

1. 
   billballeza | Feb 25, 2005 03:55am | #6

   I did notice that the walnut shavings I was clearing were denser, more shredded- paper-like and moister than I've seen in the past.

   In fact it made me wonder about the stability of the wood so much that I rough milled thicker than normal in case there is some gonzo movement.

    

   Bill

1. 
   joinerswork | Feb 25, 2005 05:39am | #7

   bill,

   Sounds to me like the walnut you are working is less than dry.  Grab a handful of the shavings (fresh off the board).  If you wad them together and they stay that way, it's a good indication that the wood's wetter than you want it to be.  Dry wood shavings will fall back apart.  Green wood is bad about clogging up dust chutes. Also, freshly machined green wood will feel cool against your cheek.

   Alternatively, your collectors bag could need to be emptied, reducing suction.

   Regards,

   Ray

2. 
   billballeza | Feb 25, 2005 06:21am | #8

   Yeah, that's what I thought. Thing is.. I've had these walnut boards stickered and stored in my shop for nearly a year. I didn't have a moisture meter when I bought the boards but they read 10% when I began rough milling them.

   I started with 6" wide, 5/4 boards which I crosscut to rough length (44") and milled down to 7/8" leaving them 6" wide.

   Ultimately I need these boards to be four inches wide, 3/4" thick for glue up to a chest top 19"X42".

   I guess the best course here is to leave them in rough mill until they do their number.. and then finish mill them.

   I don't have alot of hope they will dry much more from here.. but maybe they will.

   I live in Houston where humidity levels even this time of year frequently exceed RH50%.

   Bill

3. 
   highfigh | Feb 25, 2005 01:12pm | #9

   Generally, it takes about a year for 4/4 to dry when the RH is below 50%. You said yours hasn't dried for that long, so you may want to measure the moisture content, somehow.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

4. 
   joinerswork | Feb 25, 2005 04:25pm | #12

   bill,

    Your plan sounds like a prudent one.  Make sure you allow for plenty of movement after the piece is together.

   Regards,

   Ray

5. 
   BrentS | Feb 25, 2005 02:39pm | #10

   In my case the walnut was 8% so I don't think that is the problem.I really do beleive it's something to do with the grain in certain pieces of walnut.Usually as a board goes through the jointer it takes a shaving the width of the board,then with all the flying around the cabinet and travelling through the DC hose it breaks up.With these pieces of walnut that doesn't seem to happen,it just stays as one long shaving and it doesn't take long for these shavings to get hooked up in the jointer and at the mouth of the DC.

                                                                       Brent

6. 
   joinerswork | Feb 25, 2005 04:21pm | #11

   brent,

   I've not experienced that problem with dry walnut.  White pine will jam up the dust spout occasionally just cause it's so fluffy.

   Cheers,

   Ray

3. 
   hammer1 | Feb 25, 2005 05:01pm | #13

   Don't pull the tables! You are just getting a high volume of shavings. Do you have your other machines gated off so you have plenty of suction to the jointer? Often, slowing the feed rate will help. It doesn't hurt to wax the chute walls and make sure there are no projections that shavings can get hooked up on. It's not unusual for the grid over the impeller hole to jam with pine or walnut. I did the unthinkable by removing mine, just don't use a floor sweep where hunks can go for a ride.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

4. 
   tailsorpins | Feb 25, 2005 09:44pm | #14

   If I read this correctly, you are face jointing 6" wide boards on a 6" wide jointer, taking 1/16" / pass.  To evacuate the shavings, sufficient air must enter the machine to carry them down the duct to the dust collector.  With the machine off, lay a board over the cutterhead and examine the net free area for this air to enter.  Isn't this your problem?  You must be choking off the air supply with the full width board, thus reducing the velocity to a point below that which will carry off the waste.  Suggest you rip the boards to a slightly narrower configuration and try again.  I've had similar problems with 15" wide boards in my 15" wide Powermatic planer .... an insufficient volume of air can get past the full width board to provide the velocity to carry off the chips.

   Good Luck,

   John in Texas

1. 
   Abe | Feb 25, 2005 10:43pm | #15

   Before cutting your stock narrower just make allowances for a second source of air into the dust collection system.  Your dust collection system need a certain velocity to keep the shavings in the air stream.  Drop below that and shavings drop.  Check and see if there are any other openings for air to enter the dust collection system on your jointer,  somebody may of closed them off thinking that they were making things better.  I used to design dust collection systems in a battery plant and we always had to maintain a certain size of openings to make the system work.

1. 
   tailsorpins | Feb 25, 2005 11:24pm | #16

   I agree!  My old Delta jointer has plenty of space to admit air around the ends of the cutterhead and bearing enclosures, as well as openings near the bottom between the "feet".  My "dust & shaving collector" is a large rectangular plastic department store shopping bag with loop handles over the outfeed table adjustment crank, so I haven't a worry!  Someone may have closed up these openings on the troubled machine, thinking they were helping .... and they would be right, if narrower boards were being run through the machine.

   John

5. 
   TTed | Feb 26, 2005 02:10am | #17

   I had the smaller (open stand) Delta 6" jointer years back. I remember that there was a piece of foam glued up inside of the dust port, just below the cutterhead. You had to reach way up to find it. Chips would often jam up around it. Eventually I tore it off, and I still had the same problem, but with less frequency. Not too long after that, I upgraded to a larger dust collector, and the problem became even less frequent. It still happened, on occasion, but usually when I was face jointing long, full width boards. I put quick release tabs on the DC cover, so I could whip it off and clear the chips quickly.

   -t

1. 
   billballeza | Feb 26, 2005 02:17am | #18

   I noticed that foam, too. I can only just see it.. looking up from the back of the machine with the back cover off.

   I'm still wondering what the heck it's for.. and how to remove it should I decide to.

6. 
   PhillipB | Feb 26, 2005 07:48am | #19

   Bill,

   I have a DJ-20 and know exactly what you're talking about. The same thing has happened to me on numerous occasions and makes a big mess. My solution is to blow the cutter-head out with my air compressor. This happens even if I have my vac going as I normally do.

   I find that the shavings just over-load the vac and I have to help it out once in a while. Someone mentioned that this prevents the flow of air which is necessary to move the shaving towards the vac. That sounds about right to me.

   In addition, you're jointing a wide board so the shavings are quite large which only contributes to the problem especially with vac's with 2.1/2" hose.

   Hope this helps.

   Regards,
   Phillip

1. 
   billballeza | Feb 28, 2005 11:11pm | #20

   Thanks, Phillip. Someone else had mentioned using compressed air and it does work like a charm.

   I did it this weekend while the DC was attached and running and the only problem I had was the DC clogging at the intake.. but it just can't take that much shavings all at once.

   Glad to hear others have had the problem because it makes me understand this is not unique to my jointer.

   Thanks again,

   Bill

1. 
   PhillipB | Feb 28, 2005 11:46pm | #21

   Bill,That's good news. What's also good is that you had a compressor. I feel that my compressor is one of the best investments that I ever made - I use it for a lot of things. I especially use it to blow the very fine powder-like sawdust that remains between the grain after sanding. This make a big difference in the finish.The clogging of the vac is just one of those things you gotta deal with. And why jointers start spittin' and coughin' is again, just one of those things. No big deal - AFTER a guy figures out how to deal with it.Anyway, glad this worked for you. I knew it would because it works for me, but I did not know whether you had a compressor or not. Now I know.Take care.
   Philip

1. 
   billballeza | Mar 01, 2005 12:13am | #22

   I actually have two, the primary use of which is to drive brads and finish nails.

   One of them I got on sale at a price I couldn't resist.. and it is still unused.

   Thanks again, Phillip.

    

   Bill