Jointer Difficulties

[ramcam11]

I am having a real problem with my jointer - it seems that no matter what I try when edge jointing I am cutting a bevel along the length of the board. I have recently replaced the knives and thought that might be the culprit so rechecked the installation. With a steel rule placed on the outfeed table with the requisite two inches over the blades the knives will all just barely kiss it without shifting it. When I take the infeed and outfeed tables to the same height and place a four foot level across both tables there is a descrepancy and the straight edge rocks end for end but I can find no instructions on how to level the tables to one another so wonder if that is my problem - though I have to think it is. As I joint the edge of the board the taper will continue to get worse and worse. Ant help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[kd6vpe]

Hi there,
I am new to woodworking and Shopsmith. I know someone will come to your rescue. I have a ss jointer and all I know is that I only have pressure on my board at the infeed side until I am about 1/4 quarter of the way along the board and then I put the pressure on the outfeed side to finish. That might even be wrong but so far it has worked ok for me. I can't wait to see what the others have to say. We can learn a lot from them. Sorry I couldn't be much more help.

[chiroindixon]

I am cutting a bevel along the length of the board....... As I joint the edge of the board the taper will continue to get worse and worse.

I just went down and checked my jointer carefully...then grabbed the book.

Is that a "bevel"? Or from your further description, you end up with a "taper"?
If a bevel, recheck if fence is square to table. It's what you can adjust to cut edge "bevels".

As the previous poster mentioned, poor technique can get you an unintended "taper" in a heartbeat, that will increase if you continue. BTW, doing this intentionally is an excellent way to cut long tapers when desired.

My initial experiences had me cutting "bows".....It wasn't my jointer's fault. It took me some attention and practice.

" I take the infeed and outfeed tables to the same height and place a four foot level across both tables there is a discrepancy and the straight edge rocks end for end " I'm failing to understand.....at the same height...it should not rock. Is your "depth of cut pointer" on zero? Key here is to level the infeed/outfeed (straight edge should be flat, no rocking)....then set the pointer to zero.

" I can find no instructions on how to level the tables to one another so wonder if that is my problem - though I have to think it is." Level end to end, or level in parallel planes? Troubleshooting on page 27 ....."Tables do not move in parallel planes". Probable cause..."Foreign material between tables"...Solution...."Disassemble jointer, then clean and oil machined surfaces".

Hope this helps......

Doc

[dusty]

-..... it seems that no matter what I try when edge jointing I am cutting a bevel along the length of the board.

When I take the infeed and outfeed tables to the same height and place a four foot level across both tables there is a descrepancy and the straight edge rocks end for end but I can find no instructions on how to level the tables to one another so wonder if that is my problem.
Thanks

I am assuming that we are discussing a Shopsmith jointer.

To start with, the infeed and outfeed tables should be in absolute parallel planes. The "end to end rocking level" clearing states that they are not.

The outfeed table is fixed. The infeed table rests upon a milled incline and can be adjusted for height by sliding it up and down the incline. These matting surfaces are milled (not adjustable).

I recommend that you disassemble, and clean the jointer with particular attention to the mating inclined surfaces.

With the infeed and outfeed tables at the same height (0 cut), the two tables should be absolutely flat (rest entirely in a single plane).

After all of this is done: Jointing a board without a taper is a matter of practice. The key is maintaining the proper amount of downward pressure on the stock being milled. Obviously the downward pressure begins on the infeed table. As the stock moves to the outfeed table, some downward pressure must be shifted to the outfeed side of the cutters (while somewhat lessening the pressure on the infeed side. Failure to shift pressure will result in a taper.

Cutting a taper results when the downward pressure is maintained on the infeed side of the cutters (onto the infeed table only). The edge of the outfeed table becomes a fulcrum of sort and the infeed end of the stock actually rises above the table surface.

[kd6vpe]

Dusty,
Thank you I forgot to mention the lesser pressure on the infeed table. See I'm really not good enough to give advise yet. I'm sill learning myself but the questions do help. Thank you for that good information.

[billmayo]

If after cleaning the sliding joints, you still feel that the infeed and outfeed tables are not in parallel, take the joiner to a machine repair shop and have them check it. I have only found one joiner with this problem and I caused it. I took the remains of two joiners (infeed from one and outfeed from another) and made one from them. We aligned the 2 tables the best we could and machined both table. Same setup that auto engine heads and blocks use. Not that expensive. Since then, I have found several Shopsmith joiners with a thin mylar (white?) pad under each sliding point. I removed them and keep them for future use. Shopsmith was not aware of any pads made for the Shopsmith joiner. You need a real good machinist 2-3 ft straight edge to be sure of any table misalignment. Learning how to feed your wood across the cutter head is not as simple as it looks. It takes practice and patience to learn.

Bill Mayo

I am having a real problem with my jointer - it seems that no matter what I try when edge jointing I am cutting a bevel along the length of the board. I have recently replaced the knives and thought that might be the culprit so rechecked the installation. With a steel rule placed on the outfeed table with the requisite two inches over the blades the knives will all just barely kiss it without shifting it. When I take the infeed and outfeed tables to the same height and place a four foot level across both tables there is a descrepancy and the straight edge rocks end for end but I can find no instructions on how to level the tables to one another so wonder if that is my problem - though I have to think it is. As I joint the edge of the board the taper will continue to get worse and worse. Ant help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Nick]

Something to add to Bill's post -- The infeed and outfeed tables of a single Shopsmith jointer are milled assembled, as a single unit to make sure we get the table surfaces perfectly parrallel. They are NOT interchangeable with tables from other Shopsmith jointers. The only ways in which they can be misaligned with one another is if the slides are incredibly worn (very unlikely), if the jointer has been assembled from two machines (also unlikely), the jointer has been improperly assembled (hard to do, but could happen), or there is foreign material between the tables where they slide against one another (most liklely).

A tapered cut is usually a sign that the jointer knives are set too low. If you place a board on the outfeed table and rotate the cutterhead by hand, each knife should catch the board and drag it 1/8". If this is not the case, readjust your knives until the board is moving 1/8" for each knife -- test at each end and the center. If it still cuts a taper, adjust the knives so the board drags 1/32" to 1/16" more (5/32" to 3/16", total). If the jointer suddenly begins to make a concave cut, the knives are too high and you need to back them off so the board is dragged 1/32" less.

With all good wishes,

[charlese]

Hi there,
I am new to woodworking and Shopsmith. I know someone will come to your rescue. I have a ss jointer and all I know is that I only have pressure on my board at the infeed side until I am about 1/4 quarter of the way along the board and then I put the pressure on the outfeed side to finish. That might even be wrong but so far it has worked ok for me. I can't wait to see what the others have to say. We can learn a lot from them. Sorry I couldn't be much more help.

Hi Jim! - Wanted to confirm that your first post is absolutely correct! Once your board is firmly onto the outfeed table there is no longer a reason to maintain downward pressure on the infeed table. (in fact this may cause you to lose full contact with the outfeed table) However, during the entire operation when edge jointing, sideways pressure must be exerted to keep the face of a board up against the fence.

The reason no downward pressure is needed on the infeed table after good contact is made with the outfeed table is; the downward pull of the blades will work for you in that way.