Shopsmith Forums

Fitzhugh

After looking at your pictures, I am not convinced my knives are SS. If I am reading the owners manual correctly, they should be proud of the left side of the out-feed table 1/32". These appear to be at least 3/16 or so. They could be relocated to the right a 1/16' or so. Can you tell me what is the exact length of a SS knife? These appear to be too long to me. Look at the attached pics.

Before I start taking them out I would like to know if in fact they are the correct length. It won't be the end of the world because it wouldn't hurt to get them sharpened anyway.

Don G

My jointer blades are 4 1/32" long. They measure 1/8" thick at the back side (non-cutting edge). Mine measure 17/32" from the non-cutting edge to the cutting edge but mine have been sharpened (meaningless dimension).

I just measured mine and they match Dusty's, though they vary by 1/32 total. Notice there is a significant angle on the outer edge (away from fence/headstock) - the tip is undercut a bit. Look at my second and third photos. I can't tell if yours are like that, and I only assume all SS knives are.

The very very important thing to verify is that they are thicker at the base than at the edge side. Unlike other makes, SS uses this to lock the knives in place, and without that wedge shape they won't stay in. This means - far as I know - you have to use SS knives in their planers and jointers.

It looks like you can move them inwards a bit. Is it enough to make a difference? If they are ss knives it should be.

Have you verified your tables are truly parallel - when at zero they are coplaner?

fitzhugh wrote:I just measured mine and they match Dusty's, though they vary by 1/32 total. Notice there is a significant angle on the outer edge (away from fence/headstock) - the tip is undercut a bit. Look at my second and third photos. I can't tell if yours are like that, and I only assume all SS knives are.

The very very important thing to verify is that they are thicker at the base than at the edge side. Unlike other makes, SS uses this to lock the knives in place, and without that wedge shape they won't stay in. This means - far as I know - you have to use SS knives in their planers and jointers.

It looks like you can move them inwards a bit. Is it enough to make a difference? If they are ss knives it should be.

Have you verified your tables are truly parallel - when at zero they are coplaner?

The 'correct' IMHO lateral position for the knives in the cutter head will extend very slightly beyond the outer side of the outfeed table. When so, a rabbet cut will just clear the vertical 'side' of the outfeed table.

Yes the knives ends are undercut slightly so the 'inner' surface of the end will clear the workpiece surface the 'ends' create.

The infeed table on my 1960's jointer will only rise above the outfeed table by about 1/16" or less. Since my knives have been sharpened the knife/infeed table does not mean much, other than they are not close even at that infeed extrenme position.

If the blades interfere with the infeed table, I question the height of the blades.

Do realize the cutter mount is 'adjustable'(holes larger than the mounting screws) so the forward position(towards the infeed table) can vary. Prior to the introduction of the offset mounting tubes, that was the method used to align the shaft with the headstock.

All this may or may not be the same on later versions.

P.S. After taking another look at the pix above, the knives extend too far out. See 'IMHO' above.

I got my jointer in nearly new condition but decades old, and already assembled, so I didn't thick about the cutter head mounting. Interesting.
I noticed there is still chalk marking both tables with a large "18". The date in the castings differ by a month or so, so I assume this is to track which were ground together. Like a little time capsule, seeing that.
Are you saying my photos show knives too far out as well, or just his?

fitzhugh wrote: . . .
Are you saying my photos show knives too far out as well, or just his?

I cannot tell for sure in his pix, but in yours yes.
I did not get the line correctly aligned with the side, but you should get the idea.

I don't see how it is possible for the knives to be "too high", and still have a functional jointer. The outfeed table is fixed-height. For the jointer to make straight edges, the knives have to be adjusted to match the height of the outfeed table. That relationship determines how far the knives must extend (radially) from the cutting head.

This morning I removed the knives and found the following.

They are definitely SS part # 502902 and appear to have never been sharpened. My assumption is the face of the blades still have machine marks running parallel to the cutting edge.

The cap screws that hold the wedges in did not have any lock washers, it seems as though, they should?

The knives were installed about 3/32" too far to the left.

The leveling screws were not even close to contact with the knives. It seems they should have been raised to snugly contact the knives after the cap screws were tightened?

I am going to have them sharpened before re-install, and try to find another set.

Hopefully this will cure the original problem of contact with the table.

Don G

I use the leveling screws to set blade height and then I secure the cap screws.

Actually:

I run the leveling screws all the way down and then back them out two or three full turns. Then I install the blade and wedge and install the cap screws to hold the wedge while still allowing for leveling screw adjustment. When I finally have the blade where I want it, I secure the wedge using the cap screws.

Then - on to the next blade.