Somethings Not Right?........ But...... what?
This conversion kit converts the Metabo HC260 planer/thicknesser from disposable blade fitting to accept HSS blades. I bought so I could use HSS resharpenable knives. I could use the planer knife sharpening jig on my Scheppach wet stone grinder.
https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/accessorie ... 0845.html#
I then bought 3 pairs of Metabo HC260C HSS Resharpenable Planer Blades, advertised exactly as such from Woodford Woodworking Machinery Tooling Ltd on Ebay
In the New Brit Workshop, how to set planer blades https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uXh1fx6JE0 he sets the knife height by the moving ruler method. He is using an Electra Beckum 260 planer/thicknesser. I understand Metabo took over Electra Beckum after they went bust. The Metabo HC 260 is a clone of the EB. 3 minutes into video you can see he has the same locking bar, with the wheeled flange bolt, the same design of lock bar as the one in the conversion kit.
By moving the flange wheel on the end of the bolt up and down the height of the knives can be set. The blades he uses have a notch in them that the flange wheel on the end of the bolts in the lock bar fit into. On the Metabo HC 260 resharpenable knives I bought from Woodford they have no notch or slot for the flange wheel to fit into.
I tried fitting the knives so the bottom edge of the knife rests on top of the little flange on the bolt. When I have the knives, set at their lowest height they can go, they move the rule forward by..... 18mm over the line, yes 18mm!
With the original Metabo lock bar that accepted the disposable blades, I could set the ruler to move say 7mm one end of cutter head and about 5mm the other. This was a very hit and miss approach, a real fath and takes hours, hours of trying to get everything set right.New Brit Workshop says movement should be 5mm.
The disposable blade on the original Metabo lock bar the edge is 2.5mm above the bar. The resharpenable blades edge when the blade is set in its lowest position in the new conversion lock bar is is 3.5mm above the lock bar.
After looking at New Brit Workshop seemed a much easier way to adjust the knife height.Using a knife with a notch for the little wheel to fit in. My experience so far suggests moving the flange wheels to raise the knife is a lot easier and loads faster than fathing about with the 3 grub screw type bolts in the original lock bar.
A forum member very kindly came over to show me how he used to set the knives up on his Metabo HC 260 planer. We ran some timber through and at the time thought that was now fine. On checking with square I could see some minute views of light. I thought that even though might not be perfect it was acceptable within tolerance range. I sent a PM to a forum member, who said no, should be no light visible when checking for square.
I attach some photos of planer lock bars.In photo A the conversion lock bar and resharpenable blade are positioned in the cutter head, with the original lock bar and disposable blade sitting on the table to the left of it. Photo B is a side view of the original lock bar and disposable blade. I bought an Empire precision combination square to draw the ruler 5mm line ups across the table.
I sse there are other planer knives that have a notch or slot in them.
Trying to get the planer properly set up is starting...... to get..... a trifle exasperating
Any advice, suggestions much appreciated.
This conversion kit converts the Metabo HC260 planer/thicknesser from disposable blade fitting to accept HSS blades. I bought so I could use HSS resharpenable knives. I could use the planer knife sharpening jig on my Scheppach wet stone grinder.
https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/accessorie ... 0845.html#
I then bought 3 pairs of Metabo HC260C HSS Resharpenable Planer Blades, advertised exactly as such from Woodford Woodworking Machinery Tooling Ltd on Ebay
In the New Brit Workshop, how to set planer blades https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uXh1fx6JE0 he sets the knife height by the moving ruler method. He is using an Electra Beckum 260 planer/thicknesser. I understand Metabo took over Electra Beckum after they went bust. The Metabo HC 260 is a clone of the EB. 3 minutes into video you can see he has the same locking bar, with the wheeled flange bolt, the same design of lock bar as the one in the conversion kit.
By moving the flange wheel on the end of the bolt up and down the height of the knives can be set. The blades he uses have a notch in them that the flange wheel on the end of the bolts in the lock bar fit into. On the Metabo HC 260 resharpenable knives I bought from Woodford they have no notch or slot for the flange wheel to fit into.
I tried fitting the knives so the bottom edge of the knife rests on top of the little flange on the bolt. When I have the knives, set at their lowest height they can go, they move the rule forward by..... 18mm over the line, yes 18mm!
With the original Metabo lock bar that accepted the disposable blades, I could set the ruler to move say 7mm one end of cutter head and about 5mm the other. This was a very hit and miss approach, a real fath and takes hours, hours of trying to get everything set right.New Brit Workshop says movement should be 5mm.
The disposable blade on the original Metabo lock bar the edge is 2.5mm above the bar. The resharpenable blades edge when the blade is set in its lowest position in the new conversion lock bar is is 3.5mm above the lock bar.
After looking at New Brit Workshop seemed a much easier way to adjust the knife height.Using a knife with a notch for the little wheel to fit in. My experience so far suggests moving the flange wheels to raise the knife is a lot easier and loads faster than fathing about with the 3 grub screw type bolts in the original lock bar.
A forum member very kindly came over to show me how he used to set the knives up on his Metabo HC 260 planer. We ran some timber through and at the time thought that was now fine. On checking with square I could see some minute views of light. I thought that even though might not be perfect it was acceptable within tolerance range. I sent a PM to a forum member, who said no, should be no light visible when checking for square.
I attach some photos of planer lock bars.In photo A the conversion lock bar and resharpenable blade are positioned in the cutter head, with the original lock bar and disposable blade sitting on the table to the left of it. Photo B is a side view of the original lock bar and disposable blade. I bought an Empire precision combination square to draw the ruler 5mm line ups across the table.
I sse there are other planer knives that have a notch or slot in them.
Trying to get the planer properly set up is starting...... to get..... a trifle exasperating
Any advice, suggestions much appreciated.