Grizzly GO453px roller tension settings

[keith micinski]

SO, I got my new Planer today and have been setting it all up. I ran some boards through it to try and get some of the Cosmoline off and also to see where it was at from the factory before I made any adjustments. I set the tables up with a slight raise on the ends and seam to get pretty good results all things considered. I noticed I was getting some out feed roller marks on the boards so I looked in the manual to see what there suggestions were on where to set the rollers and saw that 3 of the rollers were to be set at an 1/8th of an inch above the casting and for some reason the 4th one is to be set 5/16ths above the casting. None of my rollers were even close to this setting they were all way tighter. My question is why on earth would one of the tension springs be set at more then half of the tension of the other three? Also I have noticed that the plastic piece that goes over the out feed roller to keep the chips off of it is way to far away from the cutter head. The table rollers seem to be set pretty good so far with out measuring them.

[Cary Falk]

On my G0453Z I set the infeed and outfeed tables flat. I debated whether to set them high at the ends like my lunch bow was but I was able to adjust all of the snipe out with the rollers. I adjusted the table rollers to where they barely move when a board passes over them. With a waxed table the are not needed. they are more for rough lumber and all of my stuff is usually S2S. The planer woudl lift up the board adn slap it down as it entered the planer when I got it. I lightened up the infeed roller pressure. I made the pressuer slightly more then enough to feed. I barely get infeed roller marks if I send the board through without taking out anything off. I was able to eliminate the outfeed roller marks by adjusting the pressure so it is enough to feed but leaves no marks. All of the adjustments were done by feel instead of a dial indicator. I adjusted the left and right sides of the rollers but the same number of turns each time. It sounds like yours are not equal on each side. My guess is it was a mistake at the factory but there might be a mechanical issue.

[keith micinski]

I also have been adjusting the rollers by feel. I just read the manual and it clearly states that the back right corner screw which controls the tension on the out feed roller is supposed to be more then half as loose as the other three ad for the life of me I can't figure out why they would say that or what it would accomplish.

[Gary Pennington]

>>>>for the life of me I can't figure out why they would say that or what it would accomplish.

My GO551 manual says: "The feed chain applies additional tension to the right side of the outfeed roller so the pressure added by the set screw need not be as high"

I'm still in the set up/sort out phase of this machine purchased used a month or so ago so can't give you good in-use feedback. My outfeed roller is virtually smooth so there's no marking from it regardless of pressure. I have my bed rollers as close to dead flat with the table as I can get and so far, pretty good results. Still sorting out details and learning the machine but as long as I tighten the head locks everything is snipe free. Also installed a Byrd and am loving it.

Gary

[keith micinski]

Thanks Gary that is exactly what I was looking for. That actually makes sense to me on why that side didn't need to be as tight and I never would have come up with that on my own.

[glenn bradley]

Another G0453Z here; tables and bed dead flat with bed rollers flush. The manual makes it quite clear that the machines adjustments need to be changed for the type of stock you are processing. It is odd that yours showed up at a setting other than the factory default(?). Fortunately the adjustments are pretty easy to get to and change. I backed my roller tension way off but the machine still has a grip like an alligator. This works well for the bulk of the stock I plane. Snipe occurs so seldom that I am always surprised and when it does show it is almost always attributed to thin stock going through tension release that causes path deviation once the infeed roller releases the stock. Here's a very inexpensive "Rotocator" substitute that makes setting heights a breeze; HF dial indicator and a standard 1-2-3 block. I think Rockler (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25074&filter=dial) sells these as a set for over $100(!?!). Now why would anyone do that?

[Thad McCulloch]

Nice Rotocator substitute. Epoxy a couple of small magnets to the bottom of the block and you've got a near duplicate version of thing Grizzly sells!

[keith micinski]

SPeaking of dial indicators I have the Harbor Freight arm and dial indicator but it has a pointy end on it. Does anyone know where I can find a flat end for it to make it easier to set a blade up?

[glenn bradley]

SPeaking of dial indicators I have the Harbor Freight arm and dial indicator but it has a pointy end on it. Does anyone know where I can find a flat end for it to make it easier to set a blade up?

Little Machine Shop: http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1783&category=

[Gary Pennington]

Little Machine Shop: http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1783&category=

Glenn,
Super link!! Thanks!

[keith micinski]

And you can't beat that price. Just an update after messing around with it some more I have backed all of the rollers off continually untill I am comfortable with them. The out feed roller leaves marks still but just barely. I am guessing some of that will go away as I get some wod through it and wear down the sharp edges a little. The biggest thing I have noticed was that lowering the roller tension virtually eliminated the snipe that I was getting. I know it says to adjust the setting for different types of wood and also depending on how rough it is but I have been leaving the rollers alone and have had no trouble with slipping so hopefully it's pretty much dialed in.

[glenn bradley]

I know it says to adjust the setting for different types of wood and also depending on how rough it is but I have been leaving the rollers alone and have had no trouble with slipping so hopefully it's pretty much dialed in.

Ditto. Once I had them dialed in for finer finishing I just left them there. If for some bizarre reason I need to work with something that looks like a railroad tie I might change it but, probably never ;-)