Planer knives alignment

[owenbrent]

This is my first post.

My search for a planer ended last night when I picked up a pro planer for $200 on kijiji. They seem to be rare and I don't think I paid too much for it either. Looks like a great machine.

I took the unit apart and inspected the knives. They measure .726 so they still have some life left. Before I took it apart, I tried to feed a board through it and in the first pass nothing happened. I raised the table a bit more and still nothing. I raised the table some more to the point where it was hard to get the board under the metal feed roller. The planer planed the board at this point, but I assume the blades were not set properly. I do not have a manual, so I am not sure how to set the blades. The blade setting tool did not come with the planer. I watched the video on the Shopsmith site which was very informative, but I am still not sure how high the blades should be and where to measure.

Is this alignment method actually the preferred method, or are there better ways of aligning the blades. If so, I guess I will need to find a dial gauge.

Thanks.

[mikelst]

I'll be watching this for good information also. I need the same data.

[JPG]

This is my first post.

My search for a planer ended last night when I picked up a pro planer for $200 on kijiji. They seem to be rare and I don't think I paid too much for it either. Looks like a great machine.

I took the unit apart and inspected the knives. They measure .726 so they still have some life left. Before I took it apart, I tried to feed a board through it and in the first pass nothing happened. I raised the table a bit more and still nothing. I raised the table some more to the point where it was hard to get the board under the metal feed roller. The planer planed the board at this point, but I assume the blades were not set properly. I do not have a manual, so I am not sure how to set the blades. The blade setting tool did not come with the planer. I watched the video on the Shopsmith site which was very informative, but I am still not sure how high the blades should be and where to measure.

Is this alignment method actually the preferred method, or are there better ways of aligning the blades. If so, I guess I will need to find a dial gauge.

Thanks.

Have you considered spending $10 on a manual from shopsmith?

[nuhobby]

Here is the alignment tool that comes with the Planers when you buy them:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/item ... =Find+Item

The squarish notch fits over a bar in the planer, and the knives are individually adjusted to just slightly rub the ramped part of the tool.

[paulrussell]

Here is the alignment tool that comes with the Planers when you buy them:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/item ... =Find+Item

The squarish notch fits over a bar in the planer, and the knives are individually adjusted to just slightly rub the ramped part of the tool.

It is brilliant little pluses like the blade adjustment tool which really make me appreciate the Shopsmith tools.

[mikelst]

My manual and alignment tool are on order:D.
Thanks for the input.

[owenbrent]

I aligned my blades using a dial indicator as seen in the video from the Shopsmith site.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Knives.htm

It took me a couple of hours to get it right, but my planer works much better than before. No wonder the guy sold it for $200, it was unusable the way it was. I think I could align the blades in about 30 minutes now that I know how to set up the dial indicator properly. I would really like to try the alignment tool and will buy one (or make one) soon. Although I have not used the alignment tool yet, I have a feeling it could be more accurate than using the dial indicator. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when using the dial indicator. Too many knobs and things that can come loose and move with all the position changes. I had to make a fence to slide the base against because if you do not get the tool perpendicular to the blade every time you move it, the value on the indicator changes. Too complicated, I think simple in this case would be better.

Thanks for your replies.

[JPG]

I aligned my blades using a dial indicator as seen in the video from the Shopsmith site.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS120/SS120_Setting_Planer_Knives.htm

It took me a couple of hours to get it right, but my planer works much better than before. No wonder the guy sold it for $200, it was unusable the way it was. I think I could align the blades in about 30 minutes now that I know how to set up the dial indicator properly. I would really like to try the alignment tool and will buy one (or make one) soon. Although I have not used the alignment tool yet, I have a feeling it could be more accurate than using the dial indicator. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when using the dial indicator. Too many knobs and things that can come loose and move with all the position changes. I had to make a fence to slide the base against because if you do not get the tool perpendicular to the blade every time you move it, the value on the indicator changes. Too complicated, I think simple in this case would be better.

Thanks for your replies.

More prone to error perhaps, but more accurate when done correctly than the eyeball 'alignment tool' procedure. JMHO

Great that you 'got er done'! Does the seller have any 'peers' near KY?:D

[dachsieslave]

Does the seller have any 'peers' near KY?:D

You might have a race on your hands if there are. I'm on the lookout for one too

[JPG]

You might have a race on your hands if there are. I'm on the lookout for one too

Hopefully it would be in 'apple at cha'. That would give me a big head start!:D