Jointer Help Needed

[Nathan Camp]

I recently bought a used 6" Delta Jointer (37-820). I've heard bad things about the fence on this guy, but that is not my issue.

I'm pretty new to jointers, so this may just be operator error, but when I feed wood into it, it fights back like mad. It just broke a plastic push stick. It only fights on the face of a board, seems to do edges just fine.

Knife blades are parallel to and even with the outfeed fence. Infeed fence looks parallel.

My first guess is dull knifes. How sharp is sharp? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Dennis Peacock]

Nathan,

jointing a board on it's "face" will fight you or push back on you especially if the knives are dull. Do NOT run your finger across the knives to test them out. A dull jointer knife will still cut you and cut you bad. DAMHIKT!!!!! :o

Get the knives sharpened, put them back on the jointer, align the knives, adjust outfeed and infeed tables and try it out again. A sharp set of knives will make a big difference, but, jointing a face will still take some effort but not like fighting a dog that wants out of it's fence. ;) :D

Oh Yea, WELCOME TO SMC Nathan..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Allen Bookout]

Welcome Nathan,

Also, how big of a bite are you taking? If you are using the scale it could be off and you are taking a much larger bite than you think that you are.

I may be off base but just a thought.

Allen

[Dennis Peacock]

Welcome Nathan,

Also, how big of a bite are you taking? If you are using the scale it could be off and you are taking a much larger bite than you think that you are.

I may be off base but just a thought.

Allen

Excellent point Allen......(slapping forehead). :rolleyes:

[Nathan Camp]

Excellent point Allen......(slapping forehead). :rolleyes:

Thanks for the input. I had a board that ran about half way before it was thrown across the garage.:rolleyes:

Measured the cut and it is not quite a 1/16". Should not be too big of a bite.

I'm gonna go and get those blades sharpened, and then take it from there.

I've been lurking around for abouth a month. Great forum.

Thanks again.
Nathan

[Steve Clardy]

Welcome Nathan!!

I usually go no more than a 1/32nd

[Dennis Peacock]

1/16th is a pretty good bite for a jointer. More like a 1/32nd would be the norm for me.

[Mark Rios]

Here are a couple of links that might be of some help:

http://www.woodworking.com/article_archive.cfm?section=6&article=1507


and


http://woodworking.homeip.net/wood/Tuning%20Tools/Jointers/Jointers.html


hth

[Nathan Camp]

What I have done so far.

Placed a straight edge across both tables and raised the infeed table until there was just a sliver of light underneath it. Tried to rerun a face cut. Still fighting me.

Placed the straight edge back on and raised the infeed table level to the outfeed. Knife #1 just touched the straight edge. Knifes #2 and #3 came up a little further. When rotating the cutter by hand, knifes #2 and #3 would move the straight edge as they went past. :eek:

I think these two are just a little above the outfeed table.

In any case, I'll get these knifes sharpend, and get them all set the same before my next attempt.

The good news is that the infeed and outfeed tables are parallel (co-planer?).

Thanks again for the help.

Nathan

[glenn bradley]

What Steve and Dennis said. I go 1/32" at a time.

[Ken Werner]

I may be way off base, Nathan, but take a look here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=35968&referrerid=7642

could it be your motor is running clockwise?

Ken

[scott spencer]

Assuming everything's adjusted properly, in addition to taking small bites and using sharp knives, try waxing the infeed/outfeed tables and fence with paste wax to reduce friction.