Yet another jointer question

[Michael Gabbay]

Ok I'm about to ask a realtively easy question but every place I look I read different answers.

My 6" jointer to cutting tapers on face cuts. The front edge is a lot thinner than the back. I started today with a realtively flat piece of maple. I had reset the outfeed so that there was no shipe on an edge joint. I started with snipe and moved up until I got rid of it.

Then I face jointed the board (about 5' long). After 3 or 4 passes at 1/16" the front edge was much thinner. The back foot or so was not even touched by the blades.

My outfeed is sagging by less than .004" based on my LV steel straight edge.

When I read my Bridgewood owners manual it says that this type of cut is a result of a high outfeed table.

When I read the Oliver manual it says that the knife is higher than the outfeed table. Table too low.

When I read the PM manual it says the outfeed table is too high.



So which is it??? Outfeed too high or too low?

Thanks Mike

[Brian Hale]

High out feed table. I keep mine set just a hair below the highest point of the arc of the blade. If you place your straight edge on the out feed table and rotate the cutter head by hand, the straight edge should move ~1/32" toward the in feed table. Try that on all 3 blades as most likely one blade is a tad higher than the others.

Also, make sure the cupped surface of the board is up. In other words, if you lay the board on the jointer (turned off of course) the highest point of the board is in the middle and the extreme left and right edges are touching the bed.

Brian

[Jim Becker]

Also make sure you are transfering your "attention" to the outfeed side after enough of the board passes over the cutters to allow you to safely move your hands to that side of them. (You should only be using enough pressure to keep the board on the machine...don't "flex" it)

[Michael Gabbay]

Brian - I have the outfeed table set so that the straight edge moves about 1/2" - 3/4". So based on your setting I'm too high. I also have the concave side facing up as you said.

Jim - I was trying to only apply minimal pressure to move the board.

I'll raise the outfeed a little more and check each knife. I do have some really nice tapers!

Thanks, Mike

[Jim Dunn]

My first experience with a jointer I too cut tapers. Had to set the blades as the owner never had. They were out about .015 from outside to the fence. After I adjusted them for him no more trouble.

Jim

[Brian Hale]

Brian - I have the outfeed table set so that the straight edge moves about 1/2" - 3/4".

Yes, that's high for the outfeed table, drop it down and see what you get. You mention your out feed table is sagging by about .004". This will cause a very slight bow in the board but not much.

I also turn a board end for end after 3-4 passes.

Brian

[Michael Gabbay]

Brian - do you mean low? If I lower the outfeed table it will move more.

Mike

[Mark Singer]

Michael,
I think Jim may be correct....start with downward pressure on infeed and then transfer to pressure on outfeed table... The out feed table should be just a wisker under the high arc of the knives

[Michael Gabbay]

Mark - I tried a variety of methods yesterday with the pressure on the feed. I do transfer to the outfeed pretty quick and try not to influence the bow by pushing down. I'm thinking the real problem is the outfeed height or the .004 sag on the outfeed. I was reading the John White book and he says .005 or less on the sag is ok. But he's probably thinking for a 8" jointer with longer beds.

Mike

[Brian Hale]

Brian - do you mean low? If I lower the outfeed table it will move more.

Mike

Sorry, you're correct. Your table is low.

Just proves i shouldn't type before the coffee kicks in...

Brian

[Michael Adelong]

Michael,

An easy way to sneak up on the outfeed adjustment is to use the OF table adjustment stop bolt. It is the one that you set after the table is adjusted properly to allow you to return to the same "zero" setting after moving the OF table (if you did - I can't think of any reason to move it once it has been set properly).

Leave the OF table setting where it is. Loosen the lock nut and turn the stop bolt until it hits the stop. This is your current setting. Now, you can make extremely fine adjustments by lowering the table slightly to remove any pressure from the stop bolt and then turning the bolt in very small increments (I turned about "1 hour" each adjustment - move a point on the bolt from 12 o'clock to 1 o'clock for example). When you raise the table back up until it hits the stop, you have made a very small adjustment.

My jointer has levers, so this procedure really helps. If yours has wheels, then you can probably make very small adjustments without adjusting the stop bolt. This method does allow you to make relatively uniform adjustment steps. Once you go past proper adjustment, you know you are only a small turn of a bolt back to where the last "good" adjustment was.

Michael

[Michael Gabbay]

Brian - Your recommendation was right. I found while tuning the outfeed table that knives 1 and 3 are a few thousands low. I used knife 2 to set the outfeed table. I set the straight edge to move around 1/16" - 1/32" when I rotated the cutter.

I selected a fairly straight slightly bowed piece and put the concave side down. Set the cut for less than 1/16". First cut only the ends were cutting. Second cut I turned the board (concave side still down) and more of the ends were being cut. Turn the board once more and the whole board was cut. I checked the flatness and it was basically dead on. Maybe .01 off in the middle.

Since raising the outfeed basically corrected the problem I now know where to register my settings.

Last week I ordered a new set of knives from Schmidtt. I'll replace them this week since the original ones have a slight nick and have not been sharpened in 3 years.

Any recommendations for a sharpening service?

Thanks, Mike