Replies

1. 
   DonC | Jan 20, 2007 07:56am | #1

   Hi Jake,

   The fence doesn't need to be parallel to the tables. In fact, some guys put on an auxillary tapered fence so you can get a skewed cut that slices the wood instead of perpendicular.

   Sag in jointer tables is bad. FWW has a nice article on making a straightedge for checking for sag. A search will give you the Issue number. I have adjusted my tables to within .001. I used brass shims in the gibs to take up slack where necessary.

   If your fence rubs against the tables when you move it, try filing and sanding the bottom edge to a bullnose "rounded" shape. Wax the table surfaces for benefit too as well as rust protection.

2. 
   forestgirl | Jan 20, 2007 07:51pm | #2

   "...drag as it slides across the outfeed table?"  This is pretty much a given with the common jointer designs.  You get in the habit of lifting it slightly as you move it.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   ohcomeon | Jan 21, 2007 04:35am | #3

   In this case it is much more than I've ever noticed on a jointer, to the point that it doesn't slide smoothly.  I've already raised the whole assembly slightly where it bolts to the back of the tables, but it is still stiff, and when retracted all the way it doesn't slide cleanly off the table and onto the fence mount/support.

   Jake

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 21, 2007 07:02pm | #6

   Hmmmm, not good.  Is this a new jointer?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   ohcomeon | Jan 21, 2007 07:09pm | #7

   Yup, it is a new ShopFox W1741 which is the clone of the Grizzly 0490 (which in turn is the clone of the DJ20).  One problem appears to be the gap between the tables and the fence guide/rails.  The bullnosed bottom of the fence drops into that gap when going from base of the carriage to the table.

   Pics in the manual show the surfaces meeting and being flush (seems logical).  I'll have to follow-up with CS to see if this is something that is out of tolerance.  I also plan to visit a couple stores to see others and fiddle with them to see if I pick up on any other salient issues that may be at play here.

   JH

1. 
   PeteBradley | Jan 21, 2007 07:49pm | #8

   > One problem appears to be the gap between the tables and the fence guide/rails.Usually the fence is on a bracket that's bolted onto the base. I wouldn't be surprised if you could loosen the bolts and make it a little higher.Pete

2. 
   ohcomeon | Jan 22, 2007 04:28am | #11

   I've already done that, but with the gap between the two surfaces the bottom of the fence catches when goning from one surface to the other.  But thanks for the feedback.

   JH

3. 
   daryl | Jan 22, 2007 11:39pm | #12

   Incas old jointer/planer had a fence that always moved. Their argument was it didn't matter as long as it stayed square, and they were right. However, the amount of sag that should be tolerated is so close to zero, that the right answer is no sag. I had a DJ15 that came sagging out of the crate, and would not adjust. My experience with Delta customer service was horrendous, and I sold the jointer.

4. 
   forestgirl | Jan 21, 2007 09:04pm | #9

   "I'll have to follow-up with CS to see if this is something that is out of tolerance."  Yep.  If any tips you get here don't pan out (other than filing the thing down - sheesh), Shop Fox should make it good.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

5. 
   highfigh | Jan 21, 2007 09:10pm | #10

   If you set the fence to a 45 degree angle, is it sitting above the bed or on it? If you remove the fence form the jointer, is there a lot of cosmoline on the parts that are in contact? It could be what they put on the bare metal to protect ir from corrosion that's causing the problem.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

3. 
   PeteBradley | Jan 21, 2007 05:02pm | #4

   Parallel is not crucial. Here's a picture of a 1950s Yates-American with the fence set for "shear cutting". The fence came with two tracks, one perpendicular (normal) and one 10 degrees off of that. I haven't found any application that it really mattered yet, which is probably why this feature didn't catch on.

   View Image

   Pete

1. 
   ohcomeon | Jan 21, 2007 07:01pm | #5

   Wow, I've never seen that.  But I figured it wouldn't matter, and might in fact be a small benefit due to the shearing nature of the movement over the head.  Thanks for alaying my concerns.

   Jake

4. 
   dukeone | Jan 23, 2007 06:11am | #13

   Jake: One little thing I can help with is this: I cured the draging of the fence with some of that stick on HMW tape. It is the heavy weight slippery plastic stuff. Put a few pieces on the bottom of the fence; it will last for years.

   http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/10871

   Duke

   "... Buy the best and only cry once.........

1. 
   ohcomeon | Jan 24, 2007 06:13am | #18

   Thanks Duke, you must be reading my mind.  But I didn't realize it came in stick-on, so that answers my question of how to adhere it.

   I went and looked at a DJ20 today and my fence actually works better than the Delta it is modeled after.  I think in the end it isn't a big deal since I adjusted the carriage mount upwards a bit.  Drawing the fence all the way back off the table is the only time it gets hung up slightly more than a 1/8" gap between fence mount and the table where the fence catches), so I guess it isn't a major issue.  The rest of the jointer appears to be great.  I had to adjust the ourtfeed table slightly, but that took all of a couple minutes and everything appears coplanar and the cut I get is smooth and straight.  It has been too cold to work out in the garage since getting it (naturally), so I haven't been able to really put it through its paces, but I'm chomping at the bit.

   Thanks for everyone's feedback.

   Jake

5. 
   gb93433 | Jan 23, 2007 08:15pm | #14

   I use silicone spray on all my tables and most are still bright after several years. It makes the wood go across easily and the fence slide easily.

   I spray the silicone on and then wipe it off after a few minutes. That way it does not come off on the wood.

1. 
   Toto | Jan 24, 2007 01:07am | #15

   Most folks avoid the use of silicones in the woodshop because of the possibility of contaminating finishes, leading to fisheye.
   --
   Todd

1. 
   gb93433 | Jan 24, 2007 01:47am | #16

   I understand that but I have been doing that for almost 20 years and have never had a problem. I always wipe it off before I run a board across it. When the material is liquid it penetrates the cast iron some and protects the cast iron.

1. 
   PeteBradley | Jan 24, 2007 04:28am | #17

   Absorbent cast iron?Pete

1. 
   gb93433 | Jan 24, 2007 07:08am | #19

   You can pour oil and other solvents into cast iron because of its structure. That is one of the reasons why machinery such as a metal lathe is made of cast iron. The other is because cast iron absorbs vibration.