Replies

1. 
   Kell | Oct 24, 2002 12:47am | #1

   Dan,

   The brand escapes me but it's two plastic cups that each have 4 rare earth magnets to hold it to the drum and 2 that hold the knives.  Paid about $40 for it at Woodcraft.  Works like a champ.  Holds the blades perfectly still while you cinch up the bolts.  I love it.  Want to get one for the jointer.

   Kell

1. 
   RSRose | Oct 24, 2002 01:25am | #2

   Kell,

   Dont get that kind for a jointer. You don't want to orient the blades to the hub. You want to orient them to the infeed table. Get the jig that rests on the table and holds the blades with magnets - same principle as the planer blade setter.

   If you get the blades perfectly aligned to the hub, they can be out of square to the table. But if the hub is out of square and you align the blades to the table they will cut fine.

   R

1. 
   DennisS | Oct 24, 2002 08:04am | #4

   Would that be a typo - "You want to orient them to the infeed table. ", Rich? You know as well as anyone that I'm a ww wannabe but all the instruction I've had so far with respect to setting the knives on my jointer say set 'em with respect to the *out*feed table?

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   RSRose | Oct 24, 2002 08:50am | #5

   Hmm . . .

   In feed, out feed. They have to be parallel in both dimensions or it won't work. Does it matter which table?

   R

1. 
   BKCBUILDER | Oct 24, 2002 02:36pm | #6

   220, 221......whatever it takes.

2. 
   kdk | Oct 24, 2002 03:05pm | #7

   Indexing to the infeed or outfeed table may make a very significant difference, depending on whether the height of the outfeed table is adjustable.  On my jointer, the outfeed table is not adjustable.  I must set my knives to the outfeed table in order for the machine to function properly.

   As for the original question, I use a pair of machinist parallels.  If you're not familiar with these, they are pieces of tool steel, approximately 6" long and are ground flat, smooth and all sides are square with each other.  Their thickness and width vary from approximately 1/16"-1/4" by approximately 1/2"-1 1/4", respectively.  I place them on the outfeed table so they hang over the cutter head, lightly secure the knife and rotate it so the knife just touches the parallel at top dead center, then tighten the knife and double check.  It's not the most sophisticated method around, but it works.  Any piece of straight, smooth material will work.  I'd advise against using a steel rule with stamped or etched markings, however.  The markings will catch on the knife as it kisses the surface of the rule and throw off your ability to set them accurately.

   -Kurt

3. 
   RSRose | Oct 24, 2002 06:38pm | #11

   "On my jointer, the outfeed table is not adjustable"

   Right. I forgot that not all jointers have adjustable outfeed tables.

   Interesting, because I have found the need to adjust the outfeed table even after setting the knives to it.

   R

4. 
   Lar55 | Oct 24, 2002 05:23pm | #9

   Rich,

   Yes it does matter.  On my jointer the manual says to line up your knifes with the outfeed table.  Once done, lock your outfeed table because you won't have to move it again.  All adjustments for cutting depth are done with the infeed table.  At least thats what one manual says.  So far it's worked out well.

   Lar

5. 
   DennisS | Oct 24, 2002 05:42pm | #10

   Thinking a little clearer after a good night's sleep and my morning coffee, I see I'm in a planer discussion and not jointer.

   Back in your corner, Dennis.

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

2. 
   JeffKurtz | Oct 24, 2002 06:04am | #3

   Kell,

   Do you mean Planer Pal jigs?  They're available all over, including the Grizzly catalogue.

   Jeff

1. 
   Kell | Oct 24, 2002 03:15pm | #8

   Jeff K

   Planer Pal!  Those are the ones.  Mine works great for the planer.  And the ones for the jointer align the blades with the outfeed table, not the hub.  Don't think I've ever seen a jointer knife jig that aligns with the hub.

   Kell

1. 
   RSRose | Oct 24, 2002 06:40pm | #12

   Kell,

   I can't remember the brand, but there are devices that align the blades to the cutter head, not the tables.

   R

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 24, 2002 07:14pm | #13

   I'll admit, I didn't sleep real well last night, but I get the feeling we need to go back to Square One in this discussion....I'm sooooo confused.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

2. 
   forestgirl | Oct 24, 2002 07:16pm | #14

   Dan, just out of curiosity, and to maybe right this rocking ship, what type of planer do you have?

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

1. 
   Rdan1 | Oct 25, 2002 04:30pm | #15

   Forest Girl, I have a Belsaw Model 910, recently acquired.  Dan

1. 
   kdk | Oct 25, 2002 08:48pm | #17

   Dan, I had an old Belsaw 910 that I sold a couple of years ago in order to purchase a new jet 15" planer.  I miss that old planer at times.  Mine vibrated badly and I wasn't able to fix the problem.  I really miss the fact that the rubber rollers did not mar the surface of the wood.  This allowed me to take a lighter finishing pass than I can with the Jet because the infeed roller on the new planer is serrated and imprints the wood fibers.

   Anyway, here's how I set the knives.  It's somewhat time consuming, but the results were well worth the effort.  I think this especially true with machines like the Belsaw because the table can easily be non-parallel with the cutter head.  And the method in which the gibs fasten the knives in place cause the knives to lift as they're tightened.

   I used a pair 1-2-3 blocks that were made from aluminum so as not to nick the newly sharpened edges of my knives and a set of feeler gauges.  the 1-2-3 blocks came from the scrap bin in the model shop of the company where I was working and the feeler gauges I got at a garage sale for a quarter.  Any piece of aluminum that is approximately 2-3" thick will work, so long as it is machined flat on both sides.  It's best to have a pair of them but you can get by with one.  The key is to consistently set each of the 3 knives so they are the same height above the table and that they are parallel to the table.

   Lower the table and place the blocks so they're located at bottom dead center of the cutter head.

   Install one knife and lightly tighten the gib screws just enough to grab the knife, making sure the knife is seated securely against the jack screws.

   rotate the head around so the knife just about touches the 1-2-3 block and measure the gap between the knife and the block with the feeler gauges.  this measurement must be made on either end of the knife to assure that it's parallel with the table.

   Once the knife is parallel, slowly tighten the gib screws about a quarter turn at a time working from the center out toward the ends of the knife (with the exception of the little center gib, tighten that one last), alternating back and forth from side to side.  It's important to do this slowly and not just crank down the gib screws all at once or the knife will raise up on you. (it will anyway, but this way it's controllable).  Make a mental note as to how tight the screws are because you'll want to tighten them all about the same.   In reference to the knives lifting, torquing all the gib screws to the same torque will minimize the height difference from knife to knife.

   The first knife is the easy one because all you really need to do is ensure parallelism with the table.  The next two require you to maintain parallelism and a specific height. 

   For the next two knives, follow the same basic procedure and use the first knife as the reference standard to which you measure.  I.E. if you measure a .010" gap between the first knife and the block, then you'll want to set the next two knives to that same .010" gap.

   It might sound tedious and time consuming, and to some degree it is, but the results are rewarding.  Setting the knives this way will allow you to surface a full width board so that the thickness of the board varies by less than .005" from side to side as well as to shave off less than that on a single finishing pass if you like.

   No fancy tools, just some time and patience.  Sorry to be so long winded.

   -Kurt

1. 
   Rdan1 | Oct 25, 2002 09:41pm | #18

   Thanks for the detailed procedure. Sounds like a good approach.  I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes.  Thanks again, Dan

3. 
   loveelurouters | Oct 25, 2002 06:39pm | #16

   I have a DeWalt planer and it come with a knife setting jig and I could not live without it. I also have a non-manufacturer made jig for my jointer and I don't know how anyone can accurately set jointer knives in less than 3 hours without one.

   Jointer and planer knife setting jigs are as important as a shop accessory gets if you own a jointer or planer.