Jointer Cleanup and Repair

[Majones1]

Yes, CA is different than IL, but I was able to order a quart of Penetrol from an Amazon seller in FL (I think they’ll sell anything to anybody anywhere). Still waiting to get it; UPS shows it went to their shipping facility in Jacksonville on 8/31 and no further updates, just “on its way”. Since UPS is using the USPS for ground delivery I’m still not sure I’ll get it.

I pulled the cutter head apart and found very dry bearings, and one of them turns like a coffee grinder, even after oiling and spinning with a drill for several minutes. I ordered two new ones from SS, hopefully they show up this week.

Found a lot of wood gunk and sawdust caked in the crevices underneath the beds. I’ve cleaned that out and found a lot of surface rust, so cleaning it up with the zyalox scrubbers (thanks for that tip!). Once all the rust is removed I’ll be ready to paint them.

I bunged up a few of the threads on the threaded stud used for the cutting depth adjustment knob because I did not realize the other threaded stud (used to hold the outfeed table onto the infeed table) was screwed down into it as a set screw to hold the depth adjustment stud in place. Since there was so much rust on the exposed threads I just thought it was rusted in place. It took a couple of turns on the depth adjustment stud before I realized the other stud might be screwed into it. This is not a huge deal since there are so many threads on that stud and it’s screwed deeply into the infeed table. Used a 3/8” NC die to clean up the threads.

Because of their dull gray coloring, I initially thought the fence adjustment bar on the right side of the infeed table and the depth adjustment knob were both made of aluminum. I did think that would be very strange because of the weight and stresses on these parts would be high. Still, I thought it was weird that I found no rust on either of these parts. Since they are heavier than I would expect I’m pretty sure they are not made of aluminum. Does anyone know what material these two parts are made of?

Here are a couple of photos of my progress.

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[chapmanruss]

Hi Marc,

The Jointer looks like it is coming along great. It should look and work like new when you are finished. Good work.

You asked,

Because of their dull gray coloring, I initially thought the fence adjustment bar on the right side of the infeed table and the depth adjustment knob were both made of aluminum.

I am not totally sure which parts you are asking about but if the fence adjustment bar is P/N B 2793 Bar-Fence from the 1956 Owner's Manual that is steel and is the bottom part shown in the lower picture of the Jointer parts above. If the depth adjustment knob is P/N B 3557 Knob-Adjusting from the same manual it is aluminum or an alloy. That knob is not shown in either of your pictures above. Yours would be the earlier version of the Table Height Adjusting Knob than the one shown in the 1956 Owner's Manual. That knob (originally P/N A 2912 Knob-Adjusting) and the Depth Adjusting Screw (originally P/N A 2951 Screw-Depth) was the first change made to the Model 620 Jointer. Those part numbers (A 2951 Screw-Depth and A 2912 Knob-Adjusting) are from the Model 4E Jointer Owner's Manual I have. Sorry I don't have the first Model 620 Owner's Manual that would be the one for your Jointer but many of the part numbers are the same as long as the parts themselves didn't change. P/N B 2793 Bar-Fence is the same part number shown in both manuals I referenced.

[Majones1]

Russ, you were correct on both parts. I retook the photo to show them on the right side of shot below. I don’t thing the knob is aluminum. If it were allot, I wonder what that would mean. The end caps that hold the cutter head bearings are definitely aluminum.
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[Majones1]

I just realized that I could easily figure out whether the knob was steel, or at least was some ferrous alloy; just use a magnet!!! A magnet sticks strongly to it, so that question is answered.

Thanks to Russ, your post led me to look closer at the manual I have and I can clearly see my knob is a lot different shape from what is shown there.

I’m sure you know this, but I’ve found that in November 1990 SS made the cutter heads larger. Their online parts list tells us that the wedges won’t fit jointers made before that date. I found somewhere else, I don’t remember where, that the reason is that they increased the size of the cutter heads.

[DLB]

Russ, you were correct on both parts. I retook the photo to show them on the right side of shot below. I don’t thing the knob is aluminum. If it were allot, I wonder what that would mean. The end caps that hold the cutter head bearings are definitely aluminum.
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I have a Greenie era Jointer and the depth of cut knob is not like that. I don't think yours is original.

Two more tips about the Greenie Jointers: 1) the fence adjust handle is the longest I've seen of three different versions. You want to use a relatively light hand because that additional length makes it easy to over-tighten and damage the fence quadrant. 2) The fence bar corners are slightly broken or radiused compared to others that have a sharp corner. This reduces the quadrant's grip area which is pretty small to begin with, and moves the grip away from the corner giving it a bit of leverage. Same issue, easier to damage the quadrant than others. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with either part, you just need to be aware. Yes, I learned about these the hard way. There's a reason why Jointer Quadrants are on SS' Top 17 Service Parts List.

- David

[Majones1]

Thanks for the tips David. As for the knob being original, I think it is. I believe Russ nailed the model correctly, it is the Mark 5 version of the 10ER 4E Jointer. You can see one in a previous thread, swung upside down on the special head end attachment in the photo below:

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Photo is from the forum thread found at the link below.

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viewtopic.php?f=10&t=18557&start=20

[chapmanruss]

So let me clear up some things here. First the Table Depth Adjusting Knob Marc shows in his last picture above is not aluminum or an alloy like the later Knob. Sorry my fault for not getting that correct in my last post. That Knob is found on the original Magna 4" Jointer Model 4E made for the Shopsmith Model 10E and 10ER. That Jointer was changed to the Model 620 with the addition of mounting posts to go on the Mark 5 when it was introduced in 1954. Only the base/outfeed table casting was changed adding the mounting posts when it became the Model 620. A few years ago I restored Magna Jointer Model 620 serial number 11458 which is the lowest serial number I have seen for the Model 620 Jointers. The highest serial number I have seen for the Model 4E Jointer is 10974 and I believe the serial numbers continued from the Model 4E to the 620. That 620 I restored has the same parts as the 4E except the change to the base/outfeed table casting and adding the mounting posts themselves plus set screws. I also have a Model 4E. As was said before the first change was the Table Depth Adjusting Knob which included changing the depth adjustment screw. This is one of the changes that when done require more than one part. The second change to the Model 620 Jointer was the Fence Locking Wrench and related parts. This also requires replacing several parts related to the wrench. In mid 1958 the Model 620 Jointer became the Model 620-C Jointer and at that time the holes in the base/outfeed table casting for using the Model 10 special headrest mounting was discontinued. The Model 620 was able to be mounted on the Shopsmith Model 10E and 10ER with the special Headrest Mounting Kit just like the Model 4E Jointer is mounted in the picture the post above.

Marc also has mentioned the change in the cutter head and is correct that the original cutter head and the newer larger diameter cutter head require different wedges to lock the blades in place. Again another change in the Jointer that requires more than a single part when changed.

David's point about over tightening the fence lock is something to remember. Over tightening that lock can strip out the threads for internal/external threaded sleeve out of the quadrant. If that happens you will need a new quadrant assembly. Overtightening can also cause the "fingers" that go around the fence bar to spread apart and at some point will require a new quadrant assembly. Note the picture below where indicated by the arrow. That was the bad news and here is the good news about that, the quadrant is still the same today as the one in the original Model 4E. It has not changed over the years. It also happens to be one of the 17 most frequently ordered service parts. My Model 4E had a stripped out quadrant when I got it and I replaced it with a new one. A 2014 part in a 1953 Jointer.

Something else to note in the picture of the Jointer mounted on the Model 10ER in the post above is it is a Model 620 Jointer that has the holes in the casting for the mounting posts not a Model 4E Jointer.

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[Majones1]

I ordered bearings and a blade sharpening jig from ShopSmith, and on Monday, after two weeks of no word from them about when it would ship, I called them. CS said the knife sharpener was on back order, and that was holding up the whole order. I assumed that was what was happening, so I cancelled the bearing order from them and ordered from an alternate source. I received those this past Wednesday, and then I received the ShopSmith order yesterday, and they included the bearings I had cancelled.

The alternate source sold me Fafnir bearings, each in a plastic bag and in a small box. The ShopSmith bearings were sent together in a small ziplock bag. I installed the Fafnirs last night and the cutter head spins perfectly.

Here’s a photo of the old bearings, which were Fafnirs, the new Fafnirs (from Japan), and the ShopSmith bearings (from China).

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Old and new bearings

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[Majones1]

Today is painting day. Waiting for them to dry. Looking forward to getting it back together and off my bench!

Taking MickeyD and his wife to a lobster fest fundraiser dinner tonight up in Del Mar. My boss bought the table and then he couldn’t go, so he asked if I wanted to bring some guests in their place; excellent opportunity to get to spend time with the D’s. And eat lobster!

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Painted jointer parts view 1

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Painted jointer parts view 2

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[chapmanruss]

Marc,

It is looking great.

I cannot tell from the picture if you covered the contact points, most indicated by the red arrows, between the base/outfeed table and the infeed table. Do make sure there is no paint on on the four contact points on each part before reassembling. Paint will end up acting like glue. Those contact points should be bare metal to bare metal contact and waxed for protection and lubrication.

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Near where indicated by the arrow in the picture below, the semi-circle the adjustment handle sits in can have the paint removed too. Waxing the then bare metal will help the adjustment handle turn easier than if that point on the base/outfeed table has paint.

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