Jointer blade settings

[Chad Easterling]

Good morning!

I have a Sears Craftsman professional 6" jointer/planer. Sometime earlier in the year a blade got knicked. In an effort to remove the "groove" created by the knick, I attempted to move the blade slightly to the side. Ever since, I cannot get a smooth plane. I get a rippled effect indicating one blade is higher/lower than the others. I have gone online and tried every trick I can find to get those blades set up properly again (magnets, depth gauges, etc.) to no avail.

Anyone have any suggestions or a "sure fire way" to fix this?

Thanks,
Chad

[Paul McGaha]

Chad,

I use a knife holding jig named jointerpal. I find that it works well. Might google it and check it out.

Good luck with it.

PHM

[bob hertle]

Chad,

If you have the same jointer as me, you have a fixed (not adjustable) out feed table. This necessitates setting the knives concentric, and at the same time setting the cutting circle (knife height) .002-.003 higher than the outfeed table. Too low--you'll cut a taper, too high--you'll get snipe. I use an indicator on a height gage because I have it, and found it the most reliable. You might not have these items so you will need to use another method. Pencil marking a stick of wood held down on the outfeed table as you rotate the cutterhead by hand, and matching the amount the cutter head picks up and moves the stick with all three knives works suprisingly well.

Regards

Bob

[david brum]

Fine Woodworking made a video a few years back with Robert Vaughan, a professional WW machine mechanic. He does a great job of telling you exactly what to do, and why. The video seems to be public domain now, and you can download it from youtube, etc. I think he's the final word on setting blades:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2983839096587014177

There is also a corresponding article:
http://http://vintagemachinery.org/files/PDF/FAQ/JointerKnives.pdf (http://vintagemachinery.org/files/PDF/FAQ/JointerKnives.pdf)

[Chad Easterling]

My outfeed table is fixed as well. I'll give the stick method a try. I should probably know, but what do you mean by concentric?

[Ronald Blue]

Concentric means the cutting edge of the knives all rotate at the same height or distance from the centerline of the cutter head. I also have a version of this Craftsman jointer and I use an indicator as well to set the knife height. As has been mentioned they have to be level with the out feed table or slightly above and all at the same height.

[Bill White]

I have a piece of float glass 1/4" thick. I lightly oil the outfeed table, set the glass on the outfeed table, and set the knives when they "kiss" the oiled glass. Easy to see from the top, and not too high tech. Just gotta be sure that tightening the gib screws don't throw the alignment.
Bill