Don’t know how it happened, but I noticed that all the knives on my jointer have 3 nicks in exactly the same spot! (I must have jointed something with a hard spot – I’ve never put any plywood, or anything with a nail through it)
Now when I joint boards I get a trio of lines on them.
Is there anything I can do short of replacing the blades? They are still quite sharp and I hate to have to buy new ones – almost as much because I’ve heard its a real pain to install the new ones as for the $60 of the new blades….
signed,
Nicked in Noxville
(not really a Nick, or from Noxville)
Replies
A stop gap might be availabile if you can move one of the blades to the left a bit and the other to this right. Won't solve the problem, requires blade alignment, but is of some value.
How do you feel about a hand scraper?
Bill
yeah, thats what I'm resorting to now. I suppose I can live with the nicks and just plain/scrape them away after the fact. Its just so sad...
Re-sharpening and resetting jointer knives is normal, routine practice. So is getting nicks in the blades. You don't need new blades and you don't even need to resharpen them,yet.
Just slide 2 of them sideways a hair in different directions and set them all to the same height as when replacing the blades.
You do know how to set the blades, yes?
Rich
The only difficult time is the first. After that it is much easier. If you do the sliding thing, you may not even have to adjust blade height. Give it a try if those little nicks really bug you. BTW, abrasive from sandpaper can nick the blade as can a small stone or grain of sand on your stock. So can metal grit. Work clean! LOL!!
BTW#2: Other posters have mentioned a tool furnished with Grizzly jointers which makes blade changes a snap. I plan to check out that item next time in Springfield.
Cadiddlehopper
If you're using it just for edge jointing then simply move the fence an inch and you'll have clean/sharp blades again.
So many people keep the fence all the way back forgetting that there is 5 or more inches (depends on capacity) of razer sharp unused blade available.
Rich, I don't yet know how to set the jointer blades. I *theoretically* know, but I've never actually done it.Mumda, Yes I know you can move the fence for edge jointing. I also use my jointer for face jointing though.
Well ya gotta do it, Big guy, or ya can't really use the machine.
Rich
uh yeah, thats true, I just didn't know I could shift the blades to fix the problem. Thats why I asked here. On the flip side, I've been told by a number of people that its very difficult to get the jointer blades aligned as well as they are out of the box.
"I've been told by a number of people that its very difficult to get the jointer blades aligned as well as they are out of the box."
Absolute BS. It's a routine part of operating the tool. It's actually an offensive concept, if you think about it. (my annoyance directed at them, not you).
You have several options.
1. Get a rapid-change option for your machine if it's available. You will still have to make a one-time set-up, then blade changes are simply automatic. Highly recommended.
2. Learn how to set them by "hand" here's a link that describes the method - there are a lot of others on the Internet - do a search for "setting Jointer knives":
http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/jointer_knives.shtml
3. Get a Magnaset and follow the directions that come with it. It's very inexpensive and very effective.
The process takes a few minutes. Yes, it's a little frustrating at first, then you "get it" and it's a 15 minute procedure. Not being able to set your jointer knives is like owning a chisel and not being able to sharpen it - useless.
After you learn how to set the knives, you'll probably need to come back here and ask for help in adjusting infeed and outfeed tables. Don't hesitate to ask. Once you know how to control the machine, you'll really "own" it.
"Out of the box" useability has no validity in woodworking.
Rich
I agree with everything you are saying. I was merely hoping I could put off learning that skill for a bit. There are lots of other skills I still need to sharpen! :-)
Here's a Maganaset. There are 2 types. This is for a jointer:
http://www.tools-plus.com/woow1211.html
Well,
You can put it off as long as you want. the only important factor is your level of discomfort with the fact that your jointer is now unable to do what you need it to do.
Rich
You are right, but dog-gone I hate doing it. I've tried the glass and magnet method and the magna set. The first inch of my outfeed table is aluminum, so the magna-set insn't woth a darn. Also, when I tighten the gib bolts the blades shift just enough to require that I start over. By the time I'm done, my back hurts from bending ove the stupid machine. I envy you guys who can get it right in 15 minutes.
Quickstep,
The link I gave describes using a straight edge that the blade carries up and over as the cutter head is rotated. The amount the straight edge (an actual graduated one or simply a straight piece of wood) moves tells you if each end of a knife is the same distance above the cutter head. This is a very accurate method. No other means of adjustment is really needed. It really does take but a few minutes to do this!
If the gib screws are moving the knife when you tighten them, their ends are not square to their shafts or there is a protrusion on the end of the screw which is catching the blade and moving it (very common problem). You can try dressing the end of the screw with a file, and use a brass shim between the screw and the blade. The shim should extend the length of the blade.
Rich
Edited 12/20/2006 12:32 pm ET by Rich14
Frank,
Murphy's law sub-section 81c says that you will nick jointer knives with the first plank you put through them after installation. (Well, it always happens to me).
Although the ridges they leave seem prominent, most nicks (and those ridges) are actually very small - a bit of grit is the usual culprit. As well as shifting one of the knives sideways to remove the ridges, you can also hone the blades in situ, with one of those chunks of wood having a diamond "file" mounted in it. They're about £16 here.
I hone my blades (2 X 10 inch HSS) after every significant planing/thicknessing session (I mean by significant, "a lot of plank-passes and shavings") and over time this not only keeps the blades pretty sharp but also reduces or even removes the nicks. The blades do lose a tiny amount of height but so little that it doesn't require you raise them or lower the outfeed table.
Since I started this hone-once-per-session routine, the time between swapping out the knives for a newly-sharpened pair has increased quite a bit. Just make sure, if you do this, that you hone the whole of the blade lengths evenly.
Lataxe
You have three choices.
The easiest and cheapest is to just use a hand scraper to remove the ridges. They come right off with one or two scrapes in the course of preparing the surface for finishing. Sanding quickly removes them also.
Next is to slightly shift one of the blades left or right.
Third is to either have the blades sharpened of get new blades.
Personally, I don't worry about ridges in my jointer or planer.
Frank,
IMHO, get a second set of High Speed Steel blades for your jointner, as back up while the other set is being sharpened, or in the middle of a project. Also, add a jointer pal tool to the order, and your can change out your blades in 15 mins or less with no fuss. Ive tried the straight edgew/ feeler guage also, but for accuracy and time, get a jointer pal. Different makes go under differnent names of the tool setting jig.
Good luck
Joe P
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