Where can I get some detailed instructions on setting jointer parallelogram tables

[Lewis Cobb]

Hi -
I'm trying to set up a Powermatic 882HH jointer - there's 8 cam adjustments that you can make to tweak the tables into co-planerness and parallel to the cutter head knife inserts. There's no mention in the manual about any sort of sequence or procedure other than warning you it's sensitive and should be made in small increments. I have not started to loosen and tweak things yet, and am leary of doing it. My measurements indicate that the tables are out of coplaner by a bit (0.006") across the width of the table, and the outfeed table seems to be off from parallel to the apex of the knife inserts a little bit as well so I assume I have to tweak the outfeed table to the cutterhead first, then the infeed table to the outfeed table. However, I'd really like to have a battle plan other than wildly cranking the cam adjustments around - sort of like shooting wildly in the dark.

Anyone done this with a parallelogram machine like the 882 with a helical cutterhead or can point me to some documentation?

Thanks !
Lewis

[glenn bradley]

First, be sure your really need to adjust them. What is your reference surface? Don't do what a couple poor souls here did; started adjusting their p-beds when their fence was the actual problem. Now that the warning part is over.

I would go to PM's extensive support site or equate the basic method here (http://www.grizzly.com/images/manuals/g0490_m.pdf) (page 37 as per the document's page numbers) to your machine ;-)

[Rick Lizek]

Check your locking setscrews. Delta parallelogram jointers have a set screw on top of the locking setscrew so failing to remove the top one will result in gouging the cam adjuster. I assume you have a machined straight edge.

[Lewis Cobb]

First, be sure your really need to adjust them. What is your reference surface? Don't do what a couple poor souls here did; started adjusting their p-beds when their fence was the actual problem. Now that the warning part is over.

I would go to PM's extensive support site or equate the basic method here (http://www.grizzly.com/images/manuals/g0490_m.pdf) (page 37 as per the document's page numbers) to your machine ;-)


Hi Glenn & Rick - thanks for the response. I am a frequent visitor to that dark place when you start fiddling only do discover that there was no need to put the 10 hours into it in the first place. This time however, I think I avoided it.

I just came in from the workshop where I spent a couple of pleasant and very calm hours checking and measuring things and I think everything is ok out of the crate.

Here's a re-cap in case others come across this thread and are contemplating having at those cam adjustments before really checking things.

I was referencing from the outfeed table to the top "peak" of the arc of the carbide inserts at the front, middle, and back of the table with a straightedge. There seemed to be about a 6 thou difference from the front to the back. After I had some supper and a rest, I went back out and re-measured and also checked the head at several points in the rotation - i.e. several different cutters in the same plane. I thought that there's probably a tiny (.001 or thereabouts) difference in the cutters, but they seemed to be bang on. Went back and re-measured my initial points again and this time they all looked to be the same or within a couple of thou. Maybe it was my rushing along before supper that gave me the weird results. Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.

I got the outfeed table set up so that when rotating the cutterhead under the straightedge, I would not touch the straightedge but when a shim of .0015 between, the cutter would slightly lift the straightedge and push it towards the infeed table by about 1/16". That seems to me to be pretty darn close to the apex of the cutter being in line with the outfeed table. Locked 'er down and went to the infeed table.

Placing the straightedge across the infeed / outfeed tables equally and raising the infeed table to just touch the straightedge, I then checked with the feeler guages again - on each side of the cutter head and with the straightedge at the front, and back of the tables. I could not fit the .0015 guage under the straightedge anywhere but about 1' to 16" away from the cutterhead on the infeed table near the back. Then it was about .004" or so. Seems that means the infeed table is slightly lower on the rear but it's so close everywhere else I'm going to ignore it. Hell, wood will change that much overnight with the change in temps in the workshop I am sure. Can't get too anal about all this ;)

A final "just to see" check was made with the straightedge on the outfeed table only and the infeed table only at the front, middle, and back and also at 2 diagonals. I could not fit the .0015 feeler guage in there anywhere :eek:

Happy camper here at the moment - the belt's checked for tightness, the guard is mounted and the only thing left is the power plug to go on the cord and a coat of wax on the tables (put the boeshield on before I came in for the night so will let that dry and buff that out tomorrow after work).

Hopefully I'll be back here with a big thumbs up tomorrow or the next day with the successful commissioning of my new jointer.

Thanks again,
Lewis

[Anthony Whitesell]

I found the instruction manual for my Grizzly G0490 to be fairly complete in terms of what to look for and how to look for it. It may not apply much to how to actually adjust your PM jointer, but the procedure for making the measurements would still apply. You can get to it through the Grizzly website.

Make sure you have a good reliable straightedge first.

[Lewis Cobb]

I found the instruction manual for my Grizzly G0490 to be fairly complete in terms of what to look for and how to look for it. It may not apply much to how to actually adjust your PM jointer, but the procedure for making the measurements would still apply. You can get to it through the Grizzly website.

Make sure you have a good reliable straightedge first.

Hi Anthony - thanks for the tip. I actually did download the manual for the 490 in the process of scratching my head yesterday on the PM jointer.....great minds think alike as they say.
Cheers,
Lewis