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Jointer Cleanup and Repair

Majones1

Deleted.

Majones1

theinrichs wrote
Ooops! I thought that might happen. I went back and reviewed Marc’s thread on posting pictures. Hope it works this time. JPG and Russ thank you for your comments.

I’m glad you were able to get those photos posted. I’m hoping someone can explain the odd pattern on the beds. The more I look at them the more it looks like someone laid some chainmail on the to rust.

I remembered the question you asked me while we were talking about something else, it was about the paint. Below is what I used.

JPG

Unfortunately Verge Green is IIRC no longer made by rustoleum.

That jointer bed 'finish' also has me curious.

RFGuy

Yeah, the joiner bed finish caught my eye as well. Just a guess, but maybe someone had some kind of cover over it. My guess is rain/humidity got underneath the cover and rain or some other weight was on top of the cover. Either it transferred a pattern from the cover material or the different high & low spots between the cover and jointer bed trapped this moisture causing more rust in some spots than others creating the pattern. Not cool that it rusted, but cool that it created an unusual pattern like this.

theinrichs

I agree about the unusual pattern on the jointer infeed and outfeed tables. I followed the cleaning steps of using Scotch Brite pads and WD 40 to clean up the tables with some success but the pattern is still there. The tables are now smooth with no visible rust except for the odd "pattern". I'm inclined to leave it alone and move on to the next steps of Penetrol as suggested and JPW. Any thoughts as to how to proceed? The other parts of the jointer have cleaned up really well. I'll post more pics later. Thanks.

Tony

JPG

I wonder what evaporust would achieve.

BuckeyeDennis

theinrichs wrote I agree about the unusual pattern on the jointer infeed and outfeed tables. I followed the cleaning steps of using Scotch Brite pads and WD 40 to clean up the tables with some success but the pattern is still there. The tables are now smooth with no visible rust except for the odd "pattern". I'm inclined to leave it alone and move on to the next steps of Penetrol as suggested and JPW. Any thoughts as to how to proceed? The other parts of the jointer have cleaned up really well. I'll post more pics later. Thanks.

Tony

It looks to me as if someone (who was really good at it) hand-scraped the top of your jointer tables. The factory Blanchard-grinding marks are still visible beneath the hand scraping, as they should be.

Before it was possible to grind machine ways to the required accuracy, flatness was achieved by hand-scraping them with a scraper that looked a lot like a woodworking chisel. The goal wasn’t to remove 100% of the surface layer, but just to knock down the peaks and get sufficient flat surface for load bearing. The remaining “valleys” were considered desirable for retaining lubricating oil, and for that reason many still consider hand-scraped ways to be superior to ground ways. Hand-scraping, done by an expert, also produced an attractive textured finish. I’d guess that your jointer tables were scraped just for the decorative effect.

If you Google “hand scraping metal”, there are plenty of articles and videos on the subject.

RFGuy

Thanks Dennis. I had heard the term Blanchard marks before but really had no idea what these were, what they looked like or the why behind them. Thanks for the excellent explanation. When I searched for this, the one pic definitely looked very similar to what was posted here. The pic was said to have been "frosted". Interesting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_scraper

Excerpt:

One advantage of scraping is the ability to take the tool to the workpiece, this can be useful when the workpiece weighs several tons and is difficult to move.

It is done by using a precision surface such as a surface plate or a straight edge as a standard (a straight edge in this context is not a ruler; it is a miniature surface plate of extreme accuracy). The standard is coated with a very thin coating of a material such as Prussian blue. The work piece and standard are touched together by gravity alone and the high spots on the work piece will be colored by the dye on the standard. These high spots are scraped off and the process repeated until there is an even spread of high spots which total about 60%[citation needed] or more of the surface area. Coarse scraping gives a resulting surface with 5-10 points per square inch while fine scraping yields 24-36 points per square inch. If desired the surface can then be “Frosted”. A surface prepared in this way is superior in overall accuracy to any prepared by machining or grinding operations, although lapping can equal or exceed it over small distances.[citation needed] Grinding and machining stresses the metal thermally and mechanically, scraping and lapping do not.

JPG

I agree re frosted apperence, but his jointer is 'finer frosting'. Someone had a LOT of patience.(and skill)

Lotsa valleys for JPW retention.

Majones1

That is really amazing. I am constantly learning something new here. Frosting might make this jointer slicker, and less likely to be sticky as you push boards through it. I would guess that if not cared for the increased number of valleys would also increase the number of spots for rust to develop.

If this is truly frosted, I assume the PO would have taken good care of their equipment.

JPG

In retrospect, I now think cleaning with mineral spirits followed by penetrol wiped off and then JPW after it dries.

Those mini grooves are likely only a few "tenths" (0.000x")deep.

All that above may be ludicrous since little penetrol will be left behind.

theinrichs

Thanks for the interesting research and comments. I contacted the EBay seller who sold me the jointer and he said when he acquired it he was told the distinctive pattern on the tables was due to “flaking”. This is consistent with the articles describing hand scraping and frosting. I agree with Dennis that the hand scraping was most likely done for decorative effect. I’ll proceed with Penetrol and JPW as suggested by JPG. Who knew I would have picked up an “unique” jointer! :D

theinrichs

Here are some progress photos. I followed the cleaning, penetrol, waxing and painting procedures several of you recommended and this is how it turned out. Installed new bearings on the cutter head and sharpened the jointer knives. Marc Jones graciously let me borrow his bearing puller set and SS knife sharpening jig. I was careful not to get paint on the in-feed and out-feed sliding surfaces. Received the eccentric tube mounts from SS today. After adjusting the jointer knives I’ll be ready to make some test cuts. I definitely would have been lost during this restoration without all of your expert tips and recommendations. Thank you!

Majones1

Very nice job Tony. That old jointer looks new, I’m sure you’ll enjoy using it. Can’t wait to see it mounted with some sawdust n it. :)

chapmanruss

Nice work on your Jointer. The pattern on the tables is unique and the only one I have seen with it. I'm glad you have saved the pattern on the tables. The Jointer I mentioned previously S/N 11458 which was made before your Jointer did not have a pattern like yours (see picture below) and neither did my made earlier Model 4E Jointer S/N 2145.

theinrichs

Thanks, Marc and Russ. I can't wait to try it out. It's been fun learning about this tool through the restoration process. :)

theinrichs

Here are a couple of pics showing the restored jointer. I made a couple of test cuts and obtained nice square cuts. I have about 1 1/4” snipe on the trailing edge of the test stock. From my review of the forum thread regarding snipe I must have the blades set too high. Will adjust accordingly and try again. I purchased the SS Jointer Retro-Kit , #555077. Got this new kit from an EBay seller and it includes a chip chute, shaft guard and rear cutter guard. The instructions come with templates and call for drilling and tapping small holes through the fence to attach the rear cutter guard and into the side of the outfeed table to attach the shaft guard. I’m curious to see if anyone has used this kit before and to determine if there are alternatives such as using JB Weld epoxy instead of drilling/ tapping holes for mounting screws. Any advice much appreciated. Thanks.

Tony

Majones1

:D

I love it, Tony, you've got the wood chips on the machine! It look great. Once I got everything completely adjusted I don't think I had any snipe on the few boards I ran through it, so it should be fixable.

chapmanruss

I added the Dust Chute Retro-fit kit (555077) to my 1979 Jointer. I installed it by drilling and tapping the holes for the rear cutter guard and shaft guard. 2 holes for each and the dust chute holes are already there. Not a difficult job to do as long as you have the correct size drill bits and taps. The rear cutter guard is all metal and the dust chute and shaft guard are plastic.

JPG

Curmudgeon WARNING!!!

The only time I think a rear guard is needed is when the fence is out away from the shaft edge thus exposing the blades. In that situation, I move the guard to the other hex hole thus covering that up.

Most times when moving the fence that far the guard is not usable(think rabbeting) anyway.

I have two guards for those in between scenarios.

No drill/tapping.

Newer jonters may not have the second hex hole.

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