You can do the knives and tables with only a straightedge, feeler gauge and some hardwood strips, but you can't easily set the thicknesser table that way, and the thicknesser needs to be done first.
As Steve says, check the thicknesser output: as a quick check, I'd use calipers: You don't need to actually measure the thickness, merely check if it's even, so turners' calipers (the handheld sort for measuring diameters of turned objects) will do. Thickness something that's pretty much the full width of the machine. If the pieces coming out are of even thickness, it doesn't need further adjustment.
There are a few similarities wih my Kity 439. I think the leadscrews doing the thicknesser table are the same, in which case, they're 2.5mm pitch (one rev = 2.5mm change in height), and there are ten teeth on each sprocket on the chain drive that links all four together. That means altering the chain by one tooth will be 0.25mm change in height (i.e. tilt) on that corner of the thicknesser table. I'd say that's too coarse for a precise adjustment, but the 439 is only 7" (200mm) wide, so the thicknesser alignment is actually harder to do.
Steve M will know: It may be that you can loosen the sprockets on each shaft. in which case you can adjust in tiny increments (good!). That may also be clear from any exploded diagram in the manual, otherwise you'll just have to get under and try it!
It's much easier to do than to describe, though.
I guess theoretically you could check/adjust the parallelism with a narrow hardwood block or simlar, but it's a bit rough. Basically, the thicknesser bed needs to be parallel to the planer knives. If you use the planer knife drum as your datum for everything, that's probably a good idea, as it's smooth and carefully machined. In the latter case, you might use a metal block or similar, as you're aligning against the drum, and thus won't hurt the knives. Put the block on the thicknesser table, under one end of the drum and with a strongish light behind it, then bring the thicknesser table up until you can just see a crack of light between the two. Repeat at the other end
without altering the thicknesser table height. If the gap is the same, it's probably fine (you can do an absolute check with the feeler gauge at this point).
Order of work:
- TURN THE POWER OFF AND REMOVE THE PLUG FROM THE MAINS.
- Check/adjust the thicknesser bed against the drum for parallelism
- Check the outfeed table (planer) against the drum for parallelism, and that the table is as high up its slope as it can be and still be parallel. This gives the most room for knife adjustment later and the best support for the table in use. It also gives the greatest possible depth of cut on the thicknesser, as it brings the knives closer to the plane of the thicknesser rollers when their springs aren't compressed by the stock (on the 439 you can't adjust the rollers independently of the planer tables, but I think you can on yours).
- Check the infeed table against the outfeed table: The two planes must be parallel , and ideally the infeed table at the same height or very slightly higher as the outfeed when wound fully in (so no cut will be taken at that point), but they don't have to be coplanar.
- Set the knives' heights to be equal and to reach the plane of the outfeed table. There are differing opinions on this one: some say the knives need to be a gnat's higher than the outfeed table. Mine are as near to the same height as I can manage, and it works just fine.
For the thicknesser leadscrews, I'd arm myself with a can of carb cleaner a small paintbrush (1/2") and a Chinagraph pencil or a good fine permanent marker. You need to make index marks on the shaft and the sprocket before loosening anything, and make sure it's thoroughly clean first. Tightening down on sawdust will make accurate setup nigh-on impossible! The carb cleaner is a powerful degreaser (and will strip paint!), but you can't otherwise easily make marks on oily metal unless you scratch it (Chinagraphs are oil based so may work though). Don't get it in your eye! If you degrease, you must grease it again afterwards, obviously.
E.
Edit: forgot to say: you could hold the leadscrew still with a mole wrench
gently clamped to it at the bottom below the table. If you damage the screw, it's least nuisance at the bottom (you rarely thickness 10" stock!). If you're worried about this, improvise some "soft jaws" with a short offcut of 10mm copper water pipe, hacksawed lengthwise into two half-cylinders. This'll take quite a lot of pressure without damaging the thread inside.
(Even later) It strikes me you could do the whole thing with a straightedge, a metal block big enough to go in the thicknesser and give you room to get a hand in alongside it, and a feeler gauge. You'd need two somethings of aluminium or brass to do the knives, as steel would probably hurt the edge, but otherwise it's possible and reasonable practicable.
