Shopsmith Forums

I've watched a few of his videos in the past but I never saw this one.

He has a large shop and lots of tools but uses a Shopsmith 510.

In the video DE checks that the jointer fence is perpendicular to the INFEED table. I always set my blades to be parallel to the OUTFEED table. For the joint to be perpendicular to the face against the fence, logic tells me that I should set the fence perpendicular to the OUTFEED table, thus perpendicular to the blades.

Any words of wisdom?

Forrest

forrestb wrote:In the video DE checks that the jointer fence is perpendicular to the INFEED table. I always set my blades to be parallel to the OUTFEED table. For the joint to be perpendicular to the face against the fence, logic tells me that I should set the fence perpendicular to the OUTFEED table, thus perpendicular to the blades.

Any words of wisdom?

Forrest

Since the infeed and outfeed tables are parallel to each other, it does not matter which one the fence is set perpendicular to. Set perpendicular to one sets it perpendicular also to the other. In our case, the fence is attached to the infeed table and the fence does not extend far onto the outfeed table.

Where is it written that the infeed and outfeed tables are truly parallel? If that were to be required, I would think that there would be instructions to verify and correct if not. The 4" Jointer Manual ASSUMES that the infeed and outfeed tables are exactly parallel but no where suggests checking that this is the case with each and every jointer (used?, been dropped once or twice? ). Nor does it provide instructions on how to correct if not parallel.

I haven't seen those checks so I will continue to verify that the fence is perpendicular to the table to which I set the blades parallel, i.e., the outfeed table as instructed in the Manual.

Can the tables even be adjusted if they are not parallel? Help!

Forrest

forrestb wrote:Where is it written that the infeed and outfeed tables are truly parallel? If that were to be required, I would think that there would be instructions to verify and correct if not. The 4" Jointer Manual ASSUMES that the infeed and outfeed tables are exactly parallel but no where suggests checking that this is the case with each and every jointer (used?, been dropped once or twice? ). Nor does it provide instructions on how to correct if not parallel.

I haven't seen those checks so I will continue to verify that the fence is perpendicular to the table to which I set the blades parallel, i.e., the outfeed table as instructed in the Manual.

Can the tables even be adjusted if they are not parallel? Help!

Forrest

There is no way to adjust for it.

The tables are ground as a 'matched' pair.

A quality straight edge of sufficient length could be used to check.

If the tables are indeed not parallel, perpendicularity of the outfeed table is the least of your problems.

Just to satisfy yourself, next time you set the fence to the outfeed table, check the fence to infeed table.

The blades are set parallel to the OUTFEED table. Why worry excessively about the INFEED table?
Forrest

forrestb wrote:The blades are set parallel to the OUTFEED table. Why worry excessively about the INFEED table?
Forrest

Because a basic requirement of a jointer is to have the tables so.



Why obsess over which table to set the fence to,;) they have to be the same or other 'issues' will be apparent.

JPG40504 wrote:There is no way to adjust for it.

Well actually there might be. Decades ago an acquaintance did run over his SS jointer while it was on the floor and it did warp the infeed table a bit. He got out a die grinder and ground down part of the metal pieces that slide along each other enough to negate the twist. At least enough so it was usable to his standards. It's been 30 plus years, but I remember him only having about 2 to 3 inches cutting surface available, but most of his stock was narrower than 2 inches. He "might" have had to make an adjustment to the fence, too?!?
Anyway, I just remember him taking a bit off, reassembling, testing with a fancy granite straight edge slab and then disassembling, taking off a bit more in a process that was hours.

benush26 wrote:Well actually there might be. Decades ago an acquaintance did run over his SS jointer while it was on the floor and it did warp the infeed table a bit. He got out a die grinder and ground down part of the metal pieces that slide along each other enough to negate the twist. At least enough so it was usable to his standards. It's been 30 plus years, but I remember him only having about 2 to 3 inches cutting surface available, but most of his stock was narrower than 2 inches. He "might" have had to make an adjustment to the fence, too?!?
Anyway, I just remember him taking a bit off, reassembling, testing with a fancy granite straight edge slab and then disassembling, taking off a bit more in a process that was hours.

Sure it is 'possible'.



Success is another matter.


There is so much that can get messed up.

Sorta like cutting dovetails with sandpaper.