I hate changing jointer knives

[tommyt654]

Personally I just lay a pair of 3/4 in ch x 6 inch magnets I bought a Walmart across the table tops with a piece of wax paper in between the blades and magnets and loosen the set screws to allow the blades to rise up to the magnets and then tighten them down. Has worked everytime for me, Hers a link to a setup similiar to mine ,..http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolG...e.aspx?id=5294

[p8ntblr]

Make a jig to hold your dial indicator. If you don't have a dial indicator, get one. You'll also feed a flat tip.

Is the dial indicator simply held in place by pressure?

[cgallery]

Enco also has that kit, but i don't find it nearly as useful as the flat contact.

The Bob Vaughn video, he recommends a button head contact, but you have to slide it back and forth to make the high point of the tip match the hjigh point of the blade. I prefer the flat contact tip myself, in a 1/2" or 5/8" diameter. It allows you to set the dial indicator over the blade within about 1/4" and not have to futz with it anymore.

Agree w/ Loring, a button tip is going to be unnecessarily painful, as you have to find top dead center of the knife and bottom dead center of the button.

I'd use Loring's instructions to make my own tip, or just order one from Enco or McMaster. A final alternative is finding a metrology outfit and asking if they have one. We still have some machining centers here in Milwaukee and there are a couple of outfits that cater to them. I'd imagine they'd have flat tips hanging around.

[cgallery]

Is the dial indicator simply held in place by pressure?

Yep, same method Loring used. I drill a hole, made a kerf cut w/ bandsaw, and use a machine screw and wingnut to "clamp" the dial indicator.

[LCHIEN]

Is the dial indicator simply held in place by pressure?

Dial indicators by themselevs have no mounting.
Very frequenctly a stand with a "Switchable" magnetic base is used; the stand has a vertical arm and a horizontal arm, adjustments are possible on the height of the horizontal arm and how far out on the horizontal arm the gauges is mounted.

Now to answer the question, this arrangement is held by the magnetic base, a rotary switch controls the height of the magnet so you can more or less turn on or off a strong magentic attraction to a steel base.

The dial indicator is held by the lug on its back to the stand, or in other jigs by the 3/8" stem. The plunger from the dial gaugue is lightly spring loaded (downwards) and travels very freely (e.g. little friction) up and down driving the dial pointer (most often .100" per turn and ten turns for a 1.000" range) - using it would consist of setting the point contact on the zero reference surface being measured and making sure the spring is slightly compressed and at the lower end of measurement, then setting the zero reference.

For setting heights of cutters and blades, etc, you them set the gauge over your measurement point. The gauge then indicates the current height. As the measurement is moved up or down, then the dial turns as the spring loaded point follows.

For measuring repeated pieces in quality control for example, the point is raised, the item is slid under the point and the point then set on the test piece latting the spring-load hold it in intimate contact.

For woodworking, the magetic base is useful on jointers and steel-topped saws for setting hights and checking alignment of sliing items (fences, blades, etc).

When a steel surface is not present, we make do with heavy bases that stay in place with gravity or ise the lugs or stems to fasten the dial gauge to some other fixed reference place.

I have a PDF article on dial gauges and contact points - anyone can PM me for a copy.

[windmill]

+1. Even with a dial indicator and/ or jig it's still a pain. You dial it in perfectly, tighten up the screws (a little at a time, going down the line), you think you have it, and boom - off again. Last time took me a whole day as well.

[poolhound]

I have used various methods including the magnetic one which I did yesterday but obviously not well enough. I have known of the Dial Indicator method but never tried it.

So I am off to make a jig for my DI and see how it goes. I hope I can find a nice jointed piece of wood as there are now blades in my jointer

[jussi]

I no longer fear setting jointer knives but I do dread the day I have to install new planer knives.

Another vid by Bob Vaughan for adjusting planer knives.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...4242027&hl=en#

[poolhound]

I am a convert Dial Indicator method rocks

I made myself a holder for my Dial Indicator and then began resetting the knives that didnt go right yesterday.

One and a half hours later which included a long interruption for a phone call my knives are reset and my jointer is cutting beautifully.

Even though my DI only has the standard ball tip it was still pretty easy to use. I will have to get myself some flat tips and next time it should be even easier.

[jussi]

I just checked my newly assembled jointer. The outfeed table is .005 lower than the knives. I just used my magnetic base and stock tip since I just ordered the flat ones yesterday. Is the tolerance good enough or should I still adjust them. I figured less than 1/128 was good enough but what do I know.

[poolhound]

I just checked my newly assembled jointer. The outfeed table is .005 lower than the knives. I just used my magnetic base and stock tip since I just ordered the flat ones yesterday. Is the tolerance good enough or should I still adjust them. I figured less than 1/128 was good enough but what do I know.

Does you outfeed table adjust as this would be easier than resetting all the knives.

[cgallery]

I just checked my newly assembled jointer. The outfeed table is .005 lower than the knives. I just used my magnetic base and stock tip since I just ordered the flat ones yesterday. Is the tolerance good enough or should I still adjust them. I figured less than 1/128 was good enough but what do I know.

Well, the first question is, how does it cut? Joint two boards, slap 'em together like you're edge-gluing them, and then use a feeler gauge to look for gaps at the ends and the middle.

My knives are approx. .003" above my outfeed table (which on my jointer is not adjustable), and I have no problems. I imagine .005" is good, too. But like I said above, it is easy enough to test.

[jussi]

Does you outfeed table adjust as this would be easier than resetting all the knives.

I'll double check tomorrow but I don't think so. It's a Ridgid. After putting it together, applying T9 and waxing it, I didn't have time to run any wood through it yet. Not to mention running around trying to get the work sharp. I'll give 'er a try tomorrow.