Delta 8" Jointer outfeed table and table lip

[Brian Rohde]

Sometimes the piece I am jointing will stop when it gets to where the table lip meets the outfeed table. I can see a slight difference in height where they meet. (they are exactly the same height on the infeed).

How do I get at the bolts that hold the table lip to the outfeed table? Do I have to remove the cutter head or can I get the outfeed table off the machine?

Does anyone have a suggestion of how to fix this?

[Richard Coers]

You are getting good cuts that makes a good joint between two boards? Beds are coplanar? You might try putting a block of wood on the aluminum part and tap with a hammer to see if it moves. If not, I think you can move the stop that limits the travel of the table and possibly get at the bolts then. Removing the cutter head is not a big deal, just take off the belt and remove the two bolts that pull the bearing caps into the machine.

[Warren Lake]

drop the infeed table as low as it goes and hopefully you can get at the allen head screws that hold the aluminum on and allow you to move or adjust them. I dont know your model but going by SCM stuff

[Ronald Blue]

I don't think you can access them without removing the cutterhead. You can try Richards suggestion. Move the fence to the middle so you can get at both ends. Use a piece of maple or similar tight grained wood and give it a rap. No harm in trying. There are only two Allen head bolts securing them as I recall.

[Cameron Wood]

It sounds like the aluminum part is too low already, so one would need to hit up on it, not down.

Looks like there are three screws. Lowering the outfeed table all the way might allow access.

[Bill Dufour]

Sounds like it is too low. Do not try to pry it up by resting a pry bar on the infeed side. You risk getting that side off as well. I suppose you could put a hunk of 2x4 on the iron only part of the infeed table and use that as a fulcrum to try gently to lift the outfeed aluminum edging nose piece.
BillD

[Bill Dufour]

Before adjusting ask was it always this way? What happened to change it. Check it with a good straight edge. Is it coplanar with the other two tables or is it tipped down left to right.
Is it the same amount front and back? That seems unlikely.
BillD

[Mel Fulks]

possible that someone had the out feed table high to make “spring joints “ . When that is being done you need to first joint the board
‘regular way’ ,then raise outfeed table a hair . That makes a slightly too high table that is hit by the board being cut . Best thing to do is take two boards about 4 feet long , joint them and and put them together and hold them in a bright lite . if you see a light at middle and
Not at the ends ….then that is certainly the problem . When making spring joints, I bang the end of the board on the table so the work
can ‘ramp up’. AND there are CERTAINLY others here who know all this , but No One wants to make a mistake ,so they just hope
someone else will Wright it up !!

[Brian Rohde]

Before adjusting ask was it always this way? What happened to change it. Check it with a good straight edge. Is it coplanar with the other two tables or is it tipped down left to right.
Is it the same amount front and back? That seems unlikely.
BillD


I recently bougth this jointer and it has had this problem since I acquired it. The infeed and outfeed are coplanar and the table lip is about .015 below the outfeed table at both the inboard and outboard ends.

Noteworthy is that the table lips show wear on the outboard ends; the gap between the infeed and outfeed table lips is 1/4" wider at the outboard end. I imagine the table lips wear more on the fence side than the outboard ends which indicates the lips were chaged at some point.

With all the good suggestions that have been made I'll try dropping the outfeed table as low as possible and see if I can access the screws; if not I'll remove the cutterhead.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

[Bill Dufour]

Glad to hear it is not at an angle. No shimming required. Of course thre may be shims under it now. I recommend do not remove it all the way, in case there are any shims to get lost, just loosen the bolts and tap it a bit.
BillD

[Ronald Blue]

Glad to hear it is not at an angle. No shimming required. Of course thre may be shims under it now. I recommend do not remove it all the way, in case there are any shims to get lost, just loosen the bolts and tap it a bit.
BillD

It's a DJ-20 parallelogram jointer so no shimming to be done. I'm pretty sure you can only access them by removing the cutterhead. Good opportunity to add a helical head. Cameron is correct that there are three screws. I didn't remember and had to look at the parts break down. I really don't know what the benefit to having them below the in and outfeed tables would be.

[Bill Dufour]

It's a DJ-20 parallelogram jointer so no shimming to be done.
I meant shimming to get the nose piece coplaner with the tabletop. Once all this gets sorted out the knives may need to be adjusted parallel to the noses.
Bill D

[Brian Rohde]

I am nervous about taking the cutter head off. It looks that I loosen the belt, take the rabbeting ledge off, take the hex screws out of the bearing blocks and the cutterhead can be removed towards the front.

Is there any adjustment when I replace it or does so I just reverse the procedure?

[Ronald Blue]

Is there any adjustment when I replace it or does so I just reverse the procedure?[/QUOTE]

Just reverse the removal procedure. The head weighs several pounds so be careful. I don't recall anything unusual or special that I had to do. I removed to change the cutterhead.

[Bill Dufour]

There is a chance of shims under the bearings to level the head, unlikely.
Bill D

[Brian Rohde]

Fiinally had the courage to take it apart and access the three bolts on the table lip, loosening them slightly and tapping the table lip until it was level with the outfeed.

It took 3 1/2 hours but it worked and I have the satisfaction of having taken my jointer apart and getting it back together.

I took the cutterhead off towards the inside after removing the blade guard, rear panel, belt and belt guard and the fence assembly. It is awkward to handle the cutterhead and I had a little difficulty getting it back in place as it was hard to pick up the outboard end. Next time I might take out the knives to be on the safe side but hopefully there won't be a next time unless I decide to replace the head with a helical one.

I'd be interested to here about getting a helical head...cost, where to buy, and the advantages.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and help. I never would have tackled the job without your help.

Brian

[Ronald Blue]

Here is a link to a post made about my experience when I added a Byrd Shelix head to my DJ-20. Grizzly was a little bit higher than Mywwodcutter.com but they had it in stock. Also free shipping.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?303942-Kudos-to-Grizzly-Customer-Service&p=3260608&highlight=#post3260608

[Brian Rohde]

Ronald...thanks for the link. I read your post and others about the helical head conversion and think I'll stick with the HSS knives for now. I guess if you joint pieces with a lot of varied grain or get some tearout by feeding wrong the helical head can be improvement.

I had the knives sharpened when I purchased the jointer about 1 1/2 years ago and they are still doing a decent job. I mainly use the jointer for the occassional glued up work.