Assembling jet 60A planer

[9fingers]

Mark,

I've just been down to the workshop and run a testpiece over my 60A.

There is no perceptible snipe either by eye or by feel. I tried it with both a dust cut and a 2mm deep cut with similar results.

Incidentally the drag appears to be about 2mm - it has been a while since I set them.

The fact that your snipe is 3/4 long - being the distance between top dead centre and the outfeed table, suggests that it has nothing to do with any infeed/outfeed mis-alignment

Sorry I can't offer a reason or course of action for your snipe.

(I also can't find an emoticon for thumbing the nose !!)

Good Luck

Bob

 

[The Bear]

I've also run a few more cuts and to be honest it is barely noticable now.
I am happy to live with it until I get to know the machine a bit better. I don't think anyone but me will notice it.

Incidently my test cuts were in fairly thin pine, maybe thats not the best thing to use?

Oh and those springs are coming out next time I need to set the blades. Bob just out of interest how much do you tighten each of the 5 screws holding each knife in. I've done them so I can't move them any more, can they be over tightened?

Mark

 

[9fingers]

Mark,

It is theoretically possible to strip the threads (sod's law says it would be the female ones!). My spanner is only about 4" long and I only use one hand and 'comfortable' pressure.

Sorry this is not a calibrated torque setting!

Bob

 

[The Bear]

Just when I thought I had this sorted, another problem.
I am getting two very light "scratches" about 8mm apart as I plane. Can't believe I didn't notice them before but that was the crappy pine I was using.
So i've inspected the blades to see if I nicked them as I set it up. Nothing seen in the relavent place on any knife.
Have also checked, v carefully by feel - also nothing.
Have checked the beds to see if there is an imperfection with the castings - nothing.
The nick would be tiny given the scratches are very light so might not be obvious.

Worth running one of those credit card stones along the edge? Or any other ideas welcomed.

Mark

 

[9fingers]

Almost certainly will be a nick on the edge.

A quick fix is to offset one of the blades by a small amount to take the nicks out of line. Make sure all the jack screws are in contact with the back of the knife before you loosen the knife clamps.

Bob

 

[The Bear]

Bob you must be the only one reading this thread!!!

I used a piece of wood to push the knife against the springs onto the height setting screws while tightening, I've obviously caught it at this point

I am aware of the offset trick but with 3 knives I would presumably need to move 2 out 3 as I dont know which it is? With how long it took to set them I was reluctant to move them if I didn't have to, though I suppose the heights are now set....just don't want to nick them further.

If I was to get one of these credit card "stones" (not sure the proper term), what grit/micron would be best?

Mark

 

[Chems]

I'm reading it!

What was the motivation behind your buy, its an expensive planer isn't it? What sort of thicknesser do you have?

 

[9fingers]

Mark, Assuming all your knives are set at the same height, then for a ridge to appear on the work, you must have a nick in all three knives at the same place.

So just moving 1 should fix the problem.

I have never used one of those stones. If mine need attention, then I whip them out, pop in the spare set and sharpen them on the Tormek.

I got my spares from 'cutting solutions' who lurks here and supplies very good value 'sharp bits' . They were about £4 each plus post & vat

 

[The Bear]

Chems
Motivation was all cast iron, especially fence, long beds (longer than planner thicknesser in any case), axminsters back up/reputation (maybe should be using that now), never wanting to upgrade in the future, a bit of a bonus burning a hole in my pocket. Basically pushed myself and bought the best I could afford. Had a couple of "disappointments" on other stuff second hand so didn't want to risk the cash on the bay. I would have got the 54A but few people seem to sell it these days. Oh and had a small "deal" with Axminster.

Thicknesser is the DW733, which is probably in a lower bracket generally.

Mark

 

[The Bear]

Bob, not sure how I would have nicked all 3, only had clean sort pine over it so far, but your knowledge is definitely greater than mine.

Will move one tommorow evening, as I've packed up for the evening now and report back.

By the way has "cutting solutions" got a website / contact details or do I just need to PM him as that price is very cheap?

Mark

 

[9fingers]

Bob, not sure how I would have nicked all 3, only had clean sort pine over it so far, but your knowledge is definitely greater than mine.

Will move one tommorow evening, as I've packed up for the evening now and report back.

By the way has "cutting solutions" got a website / contact details or do I just need to PM him as that price is very cheap?

Mark

Mark, either you have one knife higher than the others and that one has a nick, or all three are level and must have a nick in each other wise the un-nicked blade would take off the ridge - Logical??

Possibly best to PM Doug. he does have a website but when I wanted to buy, he did not list that size. He supplied 203x30x3mm.
Mine were HPS not HSS. I've not had them in service long enough to decide if the claim of superiority of HPS is true or not.
website is http://www.cutting-solutions.co.uk

Bob

 

[Chems]

Glue will nick the blades I found out, was it solid pine or a glued board? Maybe a very hard bit of resin did it, sometimes get it in pine.

 

[The Bear]

Hopefully Bob is around tonight

I have offset two of the blades now, one one way and one the other.

The scratches are still there but have moved in the same direction and are still the same distance apart. I think that tells me one knife is causing both?

Having looked closer I cant tell if the lines I'm getting are ridges or scratches as they are very minor. If they are ridges caused by a nick in the edge this should have solved the problem?? If they are scratches (maybe as a blade is nicked a high sport/bit of burr can be thrown up) then this won't and the blades will need a touch up?? Is my thought process correct here?

As a side I have contacted Axminster to find out their thoughts on how to "fight" the springs holding the blade up. I believe pushing the blade against these springs while setting them has caused this minor but fustrating defect in the edge. I await to see if they advocate removing them.

Mark

 

[9fingers]

Hopefully Bob is around tonight

I have offset two of the blades now, one one way and one the other.

The scratches are still there but have moved in the same direction and are still the same distance apart. I think that tells me one knife is causing both?

Having looked closer I cant tell if the lines I'm getting are ridges or scratches as they are very minor. If they are ridges caused by a nick in the edge this should have solved the problem?? If they are scratches (maybe as a blade is nicked a high sport/bit of burr can be thrown up) then this won't and the blades will need a touch up?? Is my thought process correct here?

As a side I have contacted Axminster to find out their thoughts on how to "fight" the springs holding the blade up. I believe pushing the blade against these springs while setting them has caused this minor but fustrating defect in the edge. I await to see if they advocate removing them.

Mark

You called??

I agree that maybe a burr is causing the effect. Get a very strong light and a powerful magnifying glass on it. You can use the mark on the wood to give you a region in which to start looking.

Bob

 

[The Bear]

Thanks Bob

Have a magnifier at work, will get it tomorrow and look on Friday.

I have ordered a couple of those credit card diamond stones, if I find anything I may carefully run one over the blade insitu.

Chems to answer you Q it was solid pine, no glue. I'm ashamed to say it was a bit of pressure treated construction pine, though was clean and knot free. Didn't want to waste anything else.

Mark

 

[The Bear]

Touch wood, but i think I've sorted this.
Quick swipe down each blade with a diamond card seems to have done the trick. So I guess it was a tiny burr sticking up that I couldn't see. And no snipe now either.
Thanks especially to Bob.
Going to make something now

Mark

 

[head clansman]

hi

maybe you would like to try this ,


https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/plan ... 35179.html

it work perfect every time . hc