Jointer Blade Wedges

[Gio800]

I am taking apart my jointer blade wedges to sharpen blades and I find washers on all the blade wedge screws except one. I can't find these washers on any jointer drawings. Did the previous owner add these or did they come from Shopsmith. Do you think it is ok to install without the washers since it will be hard to find the one I need.

Shopsmith Jointer Blade bar.jpg (125.65 KiB) Viewed 2596 times

[JPG]

They are oem. One missing should not be a show stopper. Resist the temptation to be a gorilla when tightening that one.

[chapmanruss]

The first Jointers, the Model 4E, did not have washers behind the cap screws. They were added later to the Cutter Head Assembly. From your picture I see you have the earlier Cutter Head. The current Cutter Head which came out in 1990 is slightly larger in diameter and uses different wedges and blade adjustment screws. The current Cutter Head will fit in the earlier Jointers. Below are the different parts to the Cutter Head assembly and which parts are the same or different.

Cutter Head - different
Bearings - same
Bearing Housings (front & rear) - same
Blades - same
Blade Adjusting Screws - different
Wedges - different
Wedge Screws - same
Wedge Washers - same
Mounting Bolts - same
Lock Washers - same
Flat Washers - same

A replacement washer for the wedge screws and the wedge screws themselves may be found at hardware stores with a larger selection of nuts & bolts. This is true for the bolts and external tooth lock washers for mounting the assembly. The blade adjusting screws for both the old and new assemblies are not standard sizes.

Below is the original style of the Cutter Head used from the Jointer's introduction with the Model 4E in the early 1950's until replaced about 30 years ago.

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picture from other source

Jointer Cutter Head - old version.jpg (186.33 KiB) Viewed 2571 times

They did not have the black protective coating on the Cutter Head itself until about 1964.

Below is the new style Cutter Head. Note the differences in the wedges. With it's larger diameter the blades do not project out as far from the head.

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picture from other source

Jointer Cutter Head - new version.jpg (356.06 KiB) Viewed 2571 times

[JPG]

Is there not another newer style of wedge?

[chapmanruss]

JPG,

If you look at the two picture I posted of the older and newer Cutter Head assemblies you will see two types of wedges. The early one has three holes only for the attachment screws. The later wedges have five holes, three for the attachment screws and two to access the blade adjustment screws. Although not the Cutter Heads in the pictures I posted as examples I have a Model 4E Jointer S/N 2145 (I believe the serial numbers started at 1001) and also a recently purchased (2020) new Cutter Head plus my 1979 Jointer and have restored a Greenie 620 and a Goldie 620-C Jointers and haven't seen any wedges other than the two styles shown in the pictures.

The other thing I can tell you is why in both the pictures above there are flat washers besides the external tooth washers for the mounting bolts. I did not originally include them in my parts list but I went back and changed it. Flat washers used there were a an addition. Early Jointers parts lists do not have flat washers with the external tooth lock washers for mounting the Jointer Cutter Head. Why the change? Who knows maybe the same reason the early Jointers didn't have flat washers under the cap screws for attaching the wedges.

[JPG]

I was thinking the wedge change was made more recently.

P.S. Is the c-c spacing of the wedge bolts different?

[Gio800]

washer.jpg (74.58 KiB) Viewed 2526 times

I went to the hardware store and they do not have anything like the SS washer. But I did find lock washers that were close to the dimensions. I bought a steel, stainless, bronze and a high collar lock washer. Do you think any of these will work?

[JPG]

I think any that fit will do. I would grind off the sharp ends(both of them). You do not need them to dig in.

[Gio800]

JPG,

If you look at the two picture I posted of the older and newer Cutter Head assemblies you will see two types of wedges. The early one has three holes only for the attachment screws. The later wedges have five holes, three for the attachment screws and two to access the blade adjustment screws. Although not the Cutter Heads in the pictures I posted as examples I have a Model 4E Jointer S/N 2145 (I believe the serial numbers started at 1001) and also a recently purchased (2020) new Cutter Head plus my 1979 Jointer and have restored a Greenie 620 and a Goldie 620-C Jointers and haven't seen any wedges other than the two styles shown in the pictures.

The other thing I can tell you is why in both the pictures above there are flat washers besides the external tooth washers for the mounting bolts. I did not originally include them in my parts list but I went back and changed it. Flat washers used there were a an addition. Early Jointers parts lists do not have flat washers with the external tooth lock washers for mounting the Jointer Cutter Head. Why the change? Who knows maybe the same reason the early Jointers didn't have flat washers under the cap screws for attaching the wedges.

My mounting bolts didn't have flat washers either just the lock washers. I better get new bolts for all.

[chapmanruss]

Gio800,

If the washers you found fit than go ahead and use them if you want washers under the cap screws for the wedges. The Cutter Head Assembly can be mounted with or without the flat washers. In both cases they have come without those washers. I don't understand why you would need new bolts though since you have indicated that only some washers were not present.

JPG,

You said

I was thinking the wedge change was made more recently.

I thought so too but according to the service parts lists here on the Shopsmith site ref # 30

Jointer Wedges - Package of 3 (Note: Jointer Wedges Do Not Work on older machines made before Nov, 1990)

With that notation I believe that is the date of the change in the cutter head. As for the spacing of the mounting screws they are the same spacing apart but the wedges are different in other aspects and not interchangeable. Note in the picture below that the widths and thicknesses are different. It is these differences that make them not substitutes for each other. In the pictures the top is the older wedge and the bottom the newer wedge.

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Jointer Wedges - top view.jpg (98.71 KiB) Viewed 2484 times

Jointer Wedges - side view.jpg (73.4 KiB) Viewed 2484 times

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When placed in the old Cutter Head the new Wedge leaves only a small gap, much less than the Jointer Blade thickness, when flush with the top of the blade slot. As noted earlier the new Cutter Head is larger in diameter than the original Cutter Head.