INSTALATION OF PLANER BLADES

[woodmeister]

I set these blades before and wondering if I took the cylinder out of planer and installed the blades that way because access would be easier would be a better way to go? Is it a big job to remove the cylinder and replace? Any one ever done this?
Thanks,
Tom

[dusty]

I set these blades before and wondering if I took the cylinder out of planer and installed the blades that way because access would be easier would be a better way to go? Is it a big job to remove the cylinder and replace? Any one ever done this?
Thanks,
Tom

I do believe that Shopsmith sets the blade with the cutter head removed using a setup that has three dial indicators (each end and the middle). I have no doubts that this method yields a more uniform and precise result than doing it with the cutter head mounted.

The question (for me) is it worth the effort. I have a spare set of blades that have never been installed. I hone the blades before any heavy job but other than that have had no problems with my ProPlaner. That having been said - "I don't know".

If anyone believes removal is the best way to go I do hope that details supporting that opinion will be included. I prefer to NOT DISASSEMBLE a piece of equipment that is working. I have come to that opinion the hard way.

[garys]

I would suggest that you use the planer knife gauge that Shopsmith offers and do the installation as the manual calls for. Also, Shopsmith has a video showing the process for the reading impaired.

[jsburger]

I don't believe you will gain enough to go to all that trouble. I have had the knives out of my pro planer a number of times over the years. I have always installed them using the SS supplied setting gauge and used the instructions in the manual. It has always worked perfectly.

[gsouther78]

I recently acquired a used pro planer. I changed out the pulleys and cleaned it up then had the knives sharpened through a local woodworking supply store. I tried reinstalling the knivestoday using the shopsmith gauge that bought from shopsmith right after getting the planer. The gauge looks different than the one pictured in the ptwfe book. That one shows and refers to an arc. My gauge does not have an arc at all.

When I put the knives in and have them as low as they will go, the edges bind on the gauge and will not spin freely under the gauge at all. They cannot be lowered anymore. What am I missing?

[br549]

Attached is page 2 of the instructions that were a supplement to the Owner's Manual I purchased when I got my used Mark V Mounted Planer. Maybe it will help. My knife setting gauge that I purchased at the same time did not come with the "zero" line already scribed, but the supplemental instruction sheet described how to do that.

[gsouther78]

Those are the instructions I followed at first. Then I looked in the ptwfe book and saw where the gauge looks different. The area where the zero line would go is an arc but the gauge I received and the picture in the I instructions you attached do not show the arc. I was wondering if something changed and if I am using a new gauge on an old setup or something

[br549]

I think the gauge did change, which is the reason the supplemental instructions amended the original planer owners manual. Attached are pages 22 thru 26 from the planer owners manual that I purchased. It shows an arc on the gauge. My copy of PTWFE is older and doesn't include instructions for the planer.

As to why your knives are hitting the gauge, I don't have an answer there ... I used my gauge just to check the knives, but have never removed or replaced them.

[dusty]

I think the gauge did change, which is the reason the supplemental instructions amended the original planer owners manual. Attached are pages 22 thru 26 from the planer owners manual that I purchased. It shows an arc on the gauge. My copy of PTWFE is older and doesn't include instructions for the planer.

As to why your knives are hitting the gauge, I don't have an answer there ... I used my gauge just to check the knives, but have never removed or replaced them.

Yes, the manual appears to have changed as does the shape of the knife setting gauge. I can't say that one works better than the other but to me they appear as though using either one should yield the same results. Is the functional difference how the arc effects the gauge as opposed to the "zero line"??? My gut feel is that the arced gauge (the new one) would be easier to use.

A comparison:

Capture New ProPlaner Knife Gauge.JPG (42.52 KiB) Viewed 7814 times

Capture ProPlaner Knife Gauge.JPG (81.75 KiB) Viewed 7814 times

As for the knives hitting the gauge - my first guess is that the knives are set too high. The cutting edge of the knives should just "kiss" the gauge when set properly.

[jsburger]

The original gauge not the new one had an arc. I assume the way to set the blade with the old arced gauge was to set the height to just clear the arc. I don't know for sure since I have the new gauge with out the arc.

With the new gauge you have to scribe an index mark on the gauge per the instructions. Then you set the blades to just touch the gauge right at the mark. Yes the blades are supposed to touch the gauge.

Why did SS change the gauge? My guess is for better accuracy. Trying to judge the distance between the curved gauge and the blade is more difficult than judging when the blade hits the scribed mark. The only thing I have never understood is why SS doesn't provide the gauge with the index mark already scribed on it.