Planer knives adjustment

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eagspoo
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by eagspoo »

Ok, I've added some notes to the images to clarify. Basically where the "scribe line"/"zero line" should be, there is only 1/32 of room (gauge is 1/32" above cutter head) but to "kiss" at that spot I'd need more like 5/8" of room because that is how far the knives are all sticking up above the cutter head.

So, is my planer assembled wrong? Wrong knives? Or am I totally misinterpreting how to use that gauge?
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RFGuy
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by RFGuy »

Sorry, I am new to this thread, but your pictures look right to me, but where you are marking 7/16" does NOT look right to me. Are you measuring from the wrong end? I used a paper ruler that I printed out to tape to my gauge and that really helped having the contrast (see link below). I also double checked that it is a true 7/16" measurement with an actual ruler. IF I go back to that 2nd pic on your original post it looks correct to me and similar to the pics I posted at the link below. What you are calling 3/4" on your gauge looks an awful lot like the 7/16" mark on my gauge.

viewtopic.php?p=265392#p265392
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eagspoo
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by eagspoo »

ok! well, looks like the issue was that my head was on backwards! Yes the mark I said was wrong was actually 100% where it should be and the knives do indeed kiss right around there. Thank you everyone for patiently helping while I figured this out.

Now I may have another problem, my blades aren't perfectly straight. All 3 are slightly bowed in in the middle which I first noticed when trying to adjust the blade so it kissed on either end and the middle, and saw that the middle was always a little further down the gauge.

I wondered if the reference bar was actually bowed but it is dead straight. Below are the photos showing the bow in the knives. All three touch on the ends but are just under 1/16" apart in the middle, enough to move the place where they kiss on the gauge down by over 1/4".

A few options I'm not sure about:

- Did the shop that sharpened these mess this up or fail to correct it if the bow was already there and I should take them back?
- Am I supposed to take out that bow by flexing the blade with the middle adjustment screw?
- Is this actually fine and I should just adjust the ends to spec, not worry about the middle being a tiny bit off, and fire it up?

It seems like option #1 is right in which case I can take them back, but would love to hear from the experts in this forum.

Thanks again (one day this thing will finally run again!)
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dusty
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by dusty »

The blades should not be bowed. The cutting edge should be dead straight. If new - send them back. If used, they need to be sharpened properly.

Do you have the gig and a conical disk?

https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... rpener.htm
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eagspoo
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by eagspoo »

dusty wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:42 pm The blades should not be bowed. The cutting edge should be dead straight. If new - send them back. If used, they need to be sharpened properly.

Do you have the gig and a conical disk?

https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... rpener.htm
I don't. I just took them to a local shop that does lots of sharpening.
eagspoo
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by eagspoo »

So I could either do:

a. take them back to the shop, argue with the guy, wait a week, and then have no choice but to go through the same process again in a few months after having let them get way too dull because I wanted to avoid all that

or

b. spend $180 for the conical disk package and sharpening jig (new toys), get the satisfaction of doing a better job myself, and have the freedom to keep them and my jointer blades insanely sharp at all times.

Yeah, b is a pretty easy choice.
RFGuy
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by RFGuy »

eagspoo wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:19 pm So I could either do:

a. take them back to the shop, argue with the guy, wait a week, and then have no choice but to go through the same process again in a few months after having let them get way too dull because I wanted to avoid all that

or

b. spend $180 for the conical disk package and sharpening jig (new toys), get the satisfaction of doing a better job myself, and have the freedom to keep them and my jointer blades insanely sharp at all times.

Yeah, b is a pretty easy choice.
Pictures can be deceptive, but just looking at the pics it doesn't "seem" like a 1/16" gap between them. I believe you indicated it is just under a 1/16". I wonder if that is just on one knife or split between two different knives that are back to back? Here are my thoughts. You could go back to the sharpening place that is local and complain. Another option would be to mount them up in the planer and test them on a scrap board. Do you have a suitable straight edge to use as a reference, e.g. a ruler, flat straight bar, etc.? I would check for any undulations or convex-ness across the board. Even if one knife is slightly off, the other two should clean up the cut. NOT ideal, but also those knives don't look so bad that I would abandon them. Perhaps others here may disagree with me, but I think you can get some use out of those knives before the next re-sharpening. Just a thought...

I have the Shopsmith sharpening jig and use that myself. It works well, but I hope you can get some use out of those knives before you need it.
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
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jsburger
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by jsburger »

I agree with Dusty. The sharpened edge should be dead straight. It may be the light but the scratch patterns from the sharpening process look very inconsistent. That would lead to a non straight edge. The knives are probably salvageable but I certainly would not take them back to the same shop.

FWIW, I have used the conical sanding disk and the planer/jointer knife sharpening jig and it does a wonderful job and it is very easy to use.
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JPG
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by JPG »

I would attempt to get them adjusted to get the center equal to the ends.

THEN if unsuccessful proceed to option a and b.


P.S. I would be curious how the back edges align.

I wouid also be curious how the 'sharpener' mounted them for grinding.
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dusty
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Re: Planer knives adjustment

Post by dusty »

eagspoo wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:19 pm So I could either do:

a. take them back to the shop, argue with the guy, wait a week, and then have no choice but to go through the same process again in a few months after having let them get way too dull because I wanted to avoid all that

or

b. spend $180 for the conical disk package and sharpening jig (new toys), get the satisfaction of doing a better job myself, and have the freedom to keep them and my jointer blades insanely sharp at all times.

Yeah, b is a pretty easy choice.
There may be another option. Where are you located? Maybe someone nearby you could be of assistance.
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