Setting planers/jointer up and how close?

[Al Willits]

I have found the part of the York planer I dislike, its how you adjust the top head assembly to parallel the bottom, it's done by adjusting a chain that runs around sprockets that attach to each post that the head sits on.

The adjustment is done by removing the chain from the sprocket then turning the sprocket till that corner of the head is true to the rest of the head....easier said than done, there isn't enough room to remove the chain and turn the sprocket, then replace chain, it seems there is just barely enough room to get the chain off and getting it back on is a batch..

I have managed to get the head level width wise, but from front to back I still have .03" difference.
I wondering if this is close enough for front to back clearances?

If not, I'm seriously considering attacking the chassis with a die grinder and notching it about a 1/8 of an inch so the chain comes on and off easier, but I'd rather not..:)

Also is there a general set of specs to look for, like maybe .003 on the jointer beds and fence?

Also how long a straight edge would you think will work, the Jointer has a 72" bed if I remember right?
Any reccomendations for a reasonable straight edge?

tia

Al

[Joe Spackle]

if it is parallel across the width you should be fine.
You only have one head so it does not matter a bit.

When you set up the chip breakers and feed rolls it will carry itself without an issue.

Have you tried planing stock to see how it acted?

[Joe Jensen]

The adjustment is done by removing the chain from the sprocket then turning the sprocket till that corner of the head is true to the rest of the head

Al, I assume that you can loosen a set screw or two set screws that hold the gear on the shaft, and then afjust without moving the chain? Otherwide, if you are just moving one link on the chain, the adjustment will be in large increments. Can you elaborate?...joe

[Kyle Kraft]

Given a thread pitch of 16 TPI for example, and a sprocket with 10 teeth you would move a linear distance of 0.062" divided by 10 = 0.0062 if you indexed the screw by one tooth on the sprocket, correct??

[Al Willits]

Given a thread pitch of 16 TPI for example, and a sprocket with 10 teeth you would move a linear distance of 0.062" divided by 10 = 0.0062 if you indexed the screw by one tooth on the sprocket, correct??

Not sure about the numbers Kyle, but you have the right idea.

Loosening the chain and moving it one gear tooth makes a very little difference in height, each corner has a sprocket and its attached to a threaded shaft, you raise or lower it by turning the sprocket attached to the bottom of the shaft.

The weekend machinist in me wants it closer, but getting the chain on and off the sprocket is a bear, there's not enough clearance between the sprocket and the chassis.

If .03" is close enough for front to back, I'll leave it, if not, I'm attacking the darn thing with my die grinder and giving me anoth 1/8th inch of clearance, not a job I look forward to.
That should give me enough clearance to remove the chain and set the upper table true.

I have not tried the planer yet, still have the blades and feed rollers to set, been waiting to see about this little problem first.

Al

[Joe Jensen]

The weekend machinist in me wants it closer, but getting the chain on and off the sprocket is a bear, there's not enough clearance between the sprocket and the chassis.

I saw get it right, it will bother you forever if you don't. Is the sprocket keyed onto the shaft? Are you sure you can't just loosen the set screws and move the sprocket?...joe

[Kyle Kraft]

Al,

The workweek:) machinist in me would like to see about .003" not .03". Thirty thousandths is a mile to me, even when woodworking. Although, front to back it may not be much of an issue. Side to side would be intolerable. Run some material through and see if it meets your personal quality requirements

[Al Willits]

I contacted the tech guy at Wilkes and he says as long as they are even from right to left the .03" that its off front to back won't make any difference, makes sense with only one blade assembly.

Now with all the fiddling I did I need to go back and make sure the left to right is still straight....:)

He also left me with the impression the left to right should be equal from factory, I think they may have been....have been, being the key word here....

Al who's getting closer to saw dust and bankruptcy every day....and loving it. :D

[Brian Hale]

Hey Al, which "tech" guy did you chat with, Jim? I'm glad you called them before you did the grinder deed! :eek:

I agree that parallelism from front to back isn't an issue as long as the side to side is ok. I'm sure Wilke checked that before they shipped it.

I never even checked mine. Just wired it up, hooked up the DC, stood to the side and turned it on. Once it was running i ran a 13" wide piece of oak through it and smiled when i saw the results. Cool Stuff :cool:

Brian:)

[lou sansone]

hi al

side to side 0.003 is fine in my book.. what are you using to measure the front to back 0.030" measurement? if you are using the in-feed roller for the "back" measurement and the out-feed roller for the " front" measurement. I believe that on some planers they are offset by ~0.03 to 0.060". I seem to remember going through this drill with my 24" Italian planer when I completely rebuilt it. I am pretty sure that the in-feed roller had to be 0.050 below the cutting circle ( this allows for a firm bite on the wood ), while the out-feed roller was ~ 0.20" below the cutting circle ( thus a net difference of 30 mills.)



Lou

[Al Willits]

Brian, I believe it was Jim, he did sound like this was a step that was already done at the factory and was suprised I was doing it, directions that come with the unit tell me to check it, so I did. :)

They also don't mention a front to back measurement doesn't have to be perfect, I'll know better in the future.

I probably would have been better to just fire it up and see what happened, but the impression the directions gave me, is all adjustable points need to be checked before running, and I've thought that of all the machines I've bought in the past.

Lou, its not the rollers, its the main frame that the cutter and rollers sit in, it has a machined surface at the front edge of each side and you true this edge to the bottom bed.
With enough space to remove the chain easily, this would have been maybe a hour to do and no big deal, I spent over four hours trying to get the unit adjusted, partly because you really need two people to move this puppy around, as in to tilt on its side to gain axcess to the bottom, I ended up doing the adjustments vertial and reaching up though the axcess pannels on the base.

I really like the unit and the way its made, but the directions could have been a bit more clear on adjusting the upper head, especially for a first timer, and adding a bit more clearance to the sprocket/chassis wall would make any adjustments much easier, if they were ever needed.

I'll attack it again this weekend, and hopefully be able to try it on the couple of pieces of walnut the guy at work gave me.

Al who's down to two band aids, and healing....:D

[Al Willits]

Working the 1-9 shift today, so I had a chance to recheck the planer, seems trying to get it even front to back has caused the right to left to go out of true.

Enough is enough, I'll get some help, lay this thing on its side and make clearance to work with the chain and sprockets.
I'll first pull one of the bolts that hold the sprocket to the shaft off and see if any adjustments can be made that way first, but don't have much hope..

I'm hoping to make 4 blocks out of aluminum that are all the same height, put them under the upper assembly, remove the chain, lower the assembly to sit on the blocks and adjust the sprockets so they all true and be done with it....there goes the weekend...

Not a real happy camper right now....but hoping it gets better.

Al

[lou sansone]

Brian, I believe it was Jim, he did sound like this was a step that was already done at the factory and was suprised I was doing it, directions that come with the unit tell me to check it, so I did. :)

They also don't mention a front to back measurement doesn't have to be perfect, I'll know better in the future.

I probably would have been better to just fire it up and see what happened, but the impression the directions gave me, is all adjustable points need to be checked before running, and I've thought that of all the machines I've bought in the past.

Lou, its not the rollers, its the main frame that the cutter and rollers sit in, it has a machined surface at the front edge of each side and you true this edge to the bottom bed.
With enough space to remove the chain easily, this would have been maybe a hour to do and no big deal, I spent over four hours trying to get the unit adjusted, partly because you really need two people to move this puppy around, as in to tilt on its side to gain axcess to the bottom, I ended up doing the adjustments vertial and reaching up though the axcess pannels on the base.

I really like the unit and the way its made, but the directions could have been a bit more clear on adjusting the upper head, especially for a first timer, and adding a bit more clearance to the sprocket/chassis wall would make any adjustments much easier, if they were ever needed.

I'll attack it again this weekend, and hopefully be able to try it on the couple of pieces of walnut the guy at work gave me.

Al who's down to two band aids, and healing....:D


Al ... how do you know that the surface of the casting is referenced to the rollers ? What method does wilkie recommend? I honestly think that you must reference the cutter head to the bed and then reference the in-feed roller and the out feed roller to the same bed ( assuming that the bed is flat )

Lou

[tod evans]

al, just run a board through the darn thing then measure each side of the board and see if it`s cutting parallel. if it is leave well enough alone, if it isn`t then at least you`ll know how far out and which side needs adjusted..02 tod

[Dennis Peacock]

al, just run a board through the darn thing then measure each side of the board and see if it`s cutting parallel. if it is leave well enough alone, if it isn`t then at least you`ll know how far out and which side needs adjusted..02 tod

Exactly.....After all....It's wood and not steel your machining.....wood moves.

[Al Willits]

I don't know Lou, but at this step of the instructions it says to level the casting and shows where you measure from, at work so I'm not sure, but the next step was to adjust the cutter I believe.
Does kinda make sense, if the upper assembly is true and you true the cutter to that, it should cut correctly.

Tod,
Probably would have been a good idea to just run a board though it, but its both not my preferred way of doing it, and this being the first time assembling this thing, I was following the directions.

Getting it as close to correct as possible before running it is what I'm happy with, not right or wrong, just what I like.

I'm at the stage where I'll machine 4 blocks of aluminum the same height and put them under the upper assembly, pull the chains (even if I have to make clearance for them) and reset the whole assembly to parallel.

Once that is done I'll be able to turn the page and see what adjustments the cutter needs...:)

Al

[lou sansone]

al, just run a board through the darn thing then measure each side of the board and see if it`s cutting parallel. if it is leave well enough alone, if it isn`t then at least you`ll know how far out and which side needs adjusted..02 tod

I agree with tod

lou

[Al Willits]

Seem to be missing page two here??

Al

[Al Willits]

Well, all is well and I'm a happy camper, notched the chassis out slightly, moved the sprocket two teeth and were back level again, completed the assembly and all is done, just need to run a board or two though the planer and see what happens.
Also got the jointer together and figured out the 110v plug goes into the switch assembly and that has a 220 plug coming out of it...sorry Wilkes..:)

So all's finally well and I can make saw dust now....:D :D :D

Al

[Matt Meiser]

Since I assume you are moving on to your jointer next: I have the same jointer. The knives were set perfect from the factory. I just had to adjust the outfeed table to be flush with the knife tips when they were at TDC. I checked my tables with a 4' aluminum level and they were in alignment. Like Dennis said, you are machining wood. Even if you get it Starrett-straightedge straight, it will have moved by the time you assemble it.

[Al Willits]

Hehe....nothing like the machinist attitude, get that from years of engine building..:D

I am done with the jointer other than the tables, I don't have a straight enough 48" or so straight edge to check, but the blades were set pretty close, I used the shorter straight edge I have instead of the dial indicator and I think one blade may be a few thou higher on one end....thought about getting the dial out, then thought about this post, and I think I will take a few cuts and see what happens...:D

Off for a round of golf, then back at the disaster I call my garage...:)

Al who will probably find a nail on his first cut...