Getting Jointer Parallel with Helical Head

[Ken Howell]

Hi Everyone,

I've been reading this forum for a long time but never have posted. I have a new Grizzly G0858 jointer with the helical head and am having some issues getting it parallel. First off both beds have a bow in the center. Around .004 but from what I've read that is within tolerance. My main issue is getting parallel. The manual says to reference off the body of the cutter head but on this head it's difficult since it's not a consistent level through the head.

Does anyone have any tips on this?

Thank you,

Ken

[Jamie Buxton]

Here's a technique which works well with straight-knife jointers. I don't see any reason it shouldn't work with helical heads.

Make a wood straight edge. You don't have an operating jointer yet, so maybe you make it with a handplane, or a table saw. Or use some other kind of straight edge. Set the outfeed a tad below the head. Put the straightedge on the outfeed table, overhanging the head. Rotate the head by hand. As it turns, the head will catch the straightedge and move it. Do this on both edges of the table. Adjust until the movement is the same on both edges. Then raise the outfeed table until the head just kisses the straightedge.

[Ken Howell]

Here's a technique which works well with straight-knife jointers. I don't see any reason it shouldn't work with helical heads.

Make a wood straight edge. You don't have an operating jointer yet, so maybe you make it with a handplane, or a table saw. Or use some other kind of straight edge. Set the outfeed a tad below the head. Put the straightedge on the outfeed table, overhanging the head. Rotate the head by hand. As it turns, the head will catch the straightedge and move it. Do this on both edges of the table. Adjust until the movement is the same on both edges. Then raise the outfeed table until the head just kisses the straightedge.

Thank you Jamie!

[Bobby Robbinett]

You have to find some spot on the cutterhead body to reference off of for each side. If the cutters on the cutter head are in the way, just remove a few of the individual knives until you get a spot cleared off where you can reference your straight edge. My advice is NOT to use a wood straight edge or to use the drag the wood strip method as those are wildly inaccurate. My OCD is too much for using methods such as this. LoL. Seriously though just remove some of the knives on the head and you will be good to go.

One last thing, look in your manual and see what the recommended foot pounds of torque is for the individual knives so that when you reinstall the knives that you removed you can torque them down to factory specs using a torque wrench. You can get a small torque wrench at Harbor Freight for just a few dollars, if you do not already have one.

[Ken Howell]

You have to find some spot on the cutterhead body to reference off of for each side. If the cutters on the cutter head are in the way, just remove a few of the individual knives until you get a spot cleared off where you can reference your straight edge. My advice is NOT to use a wood straight edge or to use the drag the wood strip method as those are wildly inaccurate. My OCD is too much for using methods such as this. LoL. Seriously though just remove some of the knives on the head and you will be good to go.

One last thing, look in your manual and see what the recommended foot pounds of torque is for the individual knives so that when you reinstall the knives that you removed you can torque them down to factory specs using a torque wrench. You can get a small torque wrench at Harbor Freight for just a few dollars, if you do not already have one.

Thank you so much Bobby! I do have a powertec straight edge I use. I'm also thinking the bow in both tables might be a little worrisome. I've read that .005 tolerance is acceptable but that seems a little much.

Thank you.

Ken

[glenn bradley]

A couple of things . . .

First, Nice that you have parallelogram-beds. Easier to adjust.
Second, There have been so many threads on folks getting into trouble by changing the alignment on their jointer beds when something else was the problem.

What specifically led you to start changing the tables? Since you are able to accurately measure to .004" I will assume you have a decent long straight edge and some feeler gauges. I'm a .001" or die kinda guy and The the .004" dish is not something that would worry me. Your straight edge is going to bridge that span for our purposes anyway.

Pick somewhere to start, say the front edge of the infeed table; set this to TDC on your cutterhead using just the tip of your straight edge while the rest of the straight edge's body is in contact with the infeed table. Lift the straight edge off and check the same way at the rear edge (against the fence) of your infeed; what is that difference please?

[Alex Zeller]

I found that removing the belt cover and the fence helps. In the grizzly manual it shows where to position the cutter to align the outfeed table. With the guard off you can rotate the cutter head much easier and hold it since the belt seams to have a memory. Removing the fence isn't needed but, for me, it allows me to see light from the backside. I assume being new you have already set up all the other adjustments or are you trying to level the outfeed table to the cutter head before making the infeed and outfeed tables parallel? Prsonally I don't think I would worry about .004". My Powermatic is slightly under .002" (it's the thinnest feeler gauge I have).

[Ken Howell]

Hi Glenn,

It wasn't cutting flat. I don't think I understand what you saying. What and where do I check? I did notice that if I laid my hand on the middle of the straight the gap was gone. No pressure just resting my hand on it.

[Ken Howell]

Hi Alex,

Actually the manual shows it for a straight cutter. I have the helical head. I did mange to reference off the body by placing the straightedge on the metal behind the cutter then had to rotate the cutter head on different points of checking. I think I got it worked out. I did some test cuts and it's cutting flat.

[Robert Hazelwood]

Thank you so much Bobby! I do have a powertec straight edge I use. I'm also thinking the bow in both tables might be a little worrisome. I've read that .005 tolerance is acceptable but that seems a little much.

Thank you.

Ken

If I read your post correctly the 0.004" bow is across the width of the tables and not along their length. That's quite a bit over a short distance and its going to be a constant source of frustration IMO- the workpeice will always be trying to high-center on the tables and will be extremely sensitive to where you place pressure. I would be much more tolerant of a 0.004" bow along the length of a table.

I have the straight knife version of this jointer (G0857) and the tables are very flat, with the only detectable error (meaning 0.001 or greater n my case) is the outfeed table has a gradual 0.002 dip along the length which has been negligible in use.

Grizzly has a good reputation for customer service, I would advise seeing if they will work with you.

[glenn bradley]

Hi Glenn,

It wasn't cutting flat. I don't think I understand what you saying. What and where do I check? I did notice that if I laid my hand on the middle of the straight the gap was gone. No pressure just resting my hand on it.

OK, so I realize I have made some assumptions that may be wrong so let's fix that. I assumed face jointing as that is often the first operation when milling material but, let's do this by the numbers. For your not-flat result, are you:

Face or edge jointing?

Dimensions of test piece?

This may seem like a slow and painful way to get through this. Although jointers are very simple machines, their simplicity comes from very strong but simple assumptions. The tables need to be reasonably flat and coplaner, the fence needs to be reasonably flat and at the correct angle, the cutterhead should be on the same plane as the tables.

Beyond that it is pretty much all technique and this again is really basic. Just because it's basic doesn't mean it isn't important ;-) Please post the answers to the two (or three) questions above and we'll move along.

[Alex Zeller]

Here's the image from the on-line manual. In the lower left is the insert cutter head.
437222

[Ken Howell]

Hi Glenn,

Thank you for your help. I actually got it all squared and level.

Thank you,

Ken

[Ken Howell]

Here's the image from the on-line manual. In the lower left is the insert cutter head.
437222

Hi Alex - Thank you. I couldn't see that image.

[Ken Howell]

Hi Robert,

It's actually across the length. I laid my hand across the straight edge and the gap went away. I wasn't putting force on it. I went ahead and got the table parallel and it cut fine. I did email Grizzly a few days ago but haven't heard anything back from them. My experience with their CS hasn't been as good. I asked them a question a couple of months about this jointer and still haven't heard back from them.

[Alex Zeller]

You have to call them. It's the only way to actually get an answer. When my lathe was making an unusual noise they didn't even have a way to watch a YouTube video.

[glenn bradley]

Hi Glenn,

Thank you for your help. I actually got it all squared and level.

Thank you,

Ken


Excellent. I have received a lot of help from forum-folks. It feels good to give a little back.