Changing Knives on Rockwell 37-220 Type 1

[Daniel Emerson]

I just picked up an older Rockwell 37-220 Type 1 Jointer. Everything works, but the blades are in bad shape - multiple deep and wide nicks.

The manual doesn't have any instructions for changing the knives (it says to get a second head and send the first out for repair!). There are for nuts/bolt head per knife. The gap to access the nuts is very narrow, even my smallest wrenches don't fit. Does any one have instructions or advice for how to remove these knives? Is a special wrench needed?

Thanks.
-Daniel

[Ray Newman]

Suggest going to an automotive supply store and inquire about what wrench they might have to fit. Also you might try posting on Old Woodworking Machines: http://www.owwm.org/index.php?sid=43a71b725456cae3ddef9806f2294a70

Believe that to loosen the knives, you turn the bolts counter-clockwise when viewed from the in-feed table. Would apply some penetrating oil to the bolts and let it set for a day or so. It is not unusual for these bolts to be frozen in place or turned in the wrong direction in an effort to remove them.

[william watts]

Bicycle repair shops use thin wrenches. The shop near me also sells bicycle tools. You would need to know the size.

[Rick Whitehead]

There is an excellent video and article on changing jointer knives by Bob Vaughan. Here is the video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRnrWOwun68
and the article is here:http://vintagemachinery.org/files/PDF/FAQ/JointerKnives.pdf.
I have a Rockwell 37-315 8" jointer, and I have used the info in the article and video when I changed my jointer knives.
Concerning the wrench, Rockwell made a special wrench for their jointers, but you can use a regular wrench if it is CAREFULLY ground to the right thickness.I believe Mr. Vaughan covers that in his article or video.
You have a good machine, and I know you'll be happy with it once you have properly adjusted , sharp knives in it!
Rick

[Tom M King]

someone may have put thicker blades in it than what came in it. I have an old 8" that I bought at an auction that happened to. I ground down a regular wrench to fit in the slot just barely. You have to quench it often so as not to soften it too much.

[Bill Orbine]

You might be able to use "ignition wrenches". Google it up.

[Walter Plummer]

The Vintage Machinery site has a manual. http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=1943

[Ray Newman]

Rickwhitehead: many thanks for that youtube link!

[Myk Rian]

You surely don't need to buy a new head. Re-read that part.
Ignition wrenches as suggested will come in handy for many tasks. SAE, not metric for that machine.

[Tom M King]

If that's the same vintage as my 8", stock knives were 3/32" thick, whereas most new ones these days are 1/8" thick. You can still find the 3/32 ones, but you have to look for them. The one I have came from a school auction, and someone had put 1/8" thick knives in it. Since I thinned down the wrench to work with it, I stuck with 8" knives, but even with the special wrench, there is little room left for it.