Chad Bender
03-01-2017, 1:37 AM
I just purchased a Rockwell Delta 37-220 jointer, 1976. The machine seems to be in quite good condition, save for a few cosmetics. Beds are flat and in plane. Knives are sharp and well aligned with the outfeed bed. No rust. etc.
However, I'm having a serious problem with the fence (which I didn't notice before purchasing the jointer). When I try to rotate the fence, rather than pivot around a single axis, it moves in two degrees of freedom. This has two effects: 1) The fence shifts as it is being tightened, so it's quite difficult to get it squared to the table; 2) the shift induces a twist in the fence, so even if it is square at the infeed table, it is out of square at the outfeed table.
I disassembled the thing, and traced the issue to a small half-ring guide piece, that I believe is supposed to be permanently attached to part of the fence mount. There is a corresponding guide slot on the fence itself. If I understand correctly, this guide & slot are supposed to constrain the motion of the fence around the central axis.
However, the guide piece is no longer attached to the fence mount - it is a loose piece. There are two bushings in holes in the mount that protrude about 1/16" past the surface, and the "mounting holes" in the guide piece correspond perfectly in location to these bushings. However, I see no way that the two are supposed to be physically connected. I wonder if they were originally press fit, and have broken or worn down.
Can anyone with this jointer confirm exactly how this ring guide is affixed?
I'm considering trying to remove the bushings, tapping the holes, and affixing the ring mount with machine bolts. But before I go messing with things, I'd like to know how this was designed to work originally.
Thanks!
However, I'm having a serious problem with the fence (which I didn't notice before purchasing the jointer). When I try to rotate the fence, rather than pivot around a single axis, it moves in two degrees of freedom. This has two effects: 1) The fence shifts as it is being tightened, so it's quite difficult to get it squared to the table; 2) the shift induces a twist in the fence, so even if it is square at the infeed table, it is out of square at the outfeed table.
I disassembled the thing, and traced the issue to a small half-ring guide piece, that I believe is supposed to be permanently attached to part of the fence mount. There is a corresponding guide slot on the fence itself. If I understand correctly, this guide & slot are supposed to constrain the motion of the fence around the central axis.
However, the guide piece is no longer attached to the fence mount - it is a loose piece. There are two bushings in holes in the mount that protrude about 1/16" past the surface, and the "mounting holes" in the guide piece correspond perfectly in location to these bushings. However, I see no way that the two are supposed to be physically connected. I wonder if they were originally press fit, and have broken or worn down.
Can anyone with this jointer confirm exactly how this ring guide is affixed?
I'm considering trying to remove the bushings, tapping the holes, and affixing the ring mount with machine bolts. But before I go messing with things, I'd like to know how this was designed to work originally.
Thanks!