Planer Knife Setting Jig

[paulymarshall]

I bought a pair of planer knife setting jigs some time ago, and have finally got round to try and set the blades in a record planer I purchased second hand. I tried many, many times to set the blades using the 2mm, block of wood set up, but failed miserably. Basically, what I need to know is how many twists do I need to make after I have indexed the jig to the cutter head. If nobody can help me there will be 40 quids worth of magnets and plastic in the Bury St Edmunds landfill site within the week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please help before I cry. Ta Paul.

 

[DaveL]

Hi Paul,

I have no idea of how many turns you need on your jigs, I don't have that type of jig, or a Record planner.
But I have a Wadkin knife setting tool*, that we should be about to use on your machine. Then we should be able to calibrate your jigs.

If someone comes up with the settings for your jigs then I won't get a look round your shop, but you could end up with a working planner a bit quicker. 8)

* I did have a picture but it is hiding from me, will try and find/take one tomorrow. :roll:

 

[Recky33]

Hi Paul

What I do is slap the jig on the cutter block with the loose knives pointing near as pos at tdc, then using a straight edge off the outfeed table, put some A4 paper under the straight edge so the knives are the thickness of the paper above the outfeed, turn each jig till the knife hits the straight edge, record what the jig numbers are and lock them off, then slowly tighten the knives down from the middle out, this is a lot easier if your outfeed is adjustable, you will prob have to try this a few times before your happy with it, biggest problem is making sure the knives dont move when your tightening em

HTH

Allan

 

[MickCheese]

Rob (Woodbloke) showed me a technique for setting the planer blades that I had seen before but seeing him do it made it much clearer.

It involved a small strip of wood with two lines 3mm apart.

Line up the first line on the edge of the outfeed table. Rotate the cutter towards the infeed table slowly by hand so the blade contacts the wood and move it forward towards the infeed table. The idea is to move the wood the 3mm. If it moves more than 3mm then the blade is too high if less then too low.

You could try setting the blade level with the outfeed table, using your gauge then setting them again with the wood then again with your gauge, then you know how many turns from level to correct on your gauge.

I bet you then put the gauge in the cupboard and use the wood in future.

Mick

 

[head clansman]

hi paul

try this link i think it might help you . hc

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

 

[wizer]

The idea is to move the blade the 3mm.

This is how my Jet manual said to se the knives. But 3mm is wayyy to high IMO. I set it about .5mm

 

[miles_hot]

The idea is to move the blade the 3mm.

This is how my Jet manual said to se the knives. But 3mm is wayyy to high IMO. I set it about .5mm

Did Mick not mean to move the wood 3mm along the bed - i.e. drag the strip 3mm by rotating the blades rather than have them sticking 3mm above the bed?

Maybe I misunderstood or you think that the 3mm drag is too much?

Miles

 

[paulymarshall]

Thanks for the comments chaps, I will be trying the paper method tomorrow, the problem I have found with the 2 or 3mm and piece of wood method is that I can get the wood to move the 2mm, but when I tighten the screws the blades move up and I'm back to the start (believe me, I persisted for a good 2 hours this way one afternoon). I would imagine I am not the only person who has ever pulled his hair out trying to set their blades, and I am sure the jigs I have (£39.99 by the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) would have worked if I had a correct point of reference to start with. I am not a beaten man, yet! :shock:

 

[Recky33]

Paul,

Try rubbing a bit of 3 in 1 down the blade sides before you put them in and only tighten the bolts a quarter turn at a time max, also you could try a pair of welding magnets, less than a fiver each for 5" ones, these will help to keep the blades down as well as level to the outfeed

Allan

 

[Digit]

That's the way I do it as well Allen, plus a sheet of writing paper to set the knives to the correct height relative to the out feed table.
Takes about fifteen-twenty minutes.

Roy.

 

[MickCheese]

The idea is to move the blade the 3mm.

This is how my Jet manual said to se the knives. But 3mm is wayyy to high IMO. I set it about .5mm

You're right I have edited it to read move the wood not the blade. :x

Mick

 

[misterfish]

I seem to remember Steve Maskery had a free video to watch from his web site using and setting planer blades. i can't find it at the moment, maybe somebody else can point you in the right direction.

Misterfish

Here you go

http://blip.tv/file/2450654

 

[woodbloke]

The idea is to move the blade the 3mm.

This is how my Jet manual said to se the knives. But 3mm is wayyy to high IMO. I set it about .5mm

Tom...that's probably far too low. 3mm is a very fine 'carry forward' and is what Mr C recommends (if memory serves) A 'carry forward' of .5mm is all but impossible (for me anyway) to see, let alone achieve.
...hope I haven't missed anything or we're talking at Xpurposes - Rob

 

[Boatfixer]

The first thing I thought of when I saw this thread was a Steve Maskery video. As I couldn't find it either I just thought I was mis-remembering things again.....

 

[Digit]

The problem with the wood moving method, for me when I tried it, was the problem that the original poster complained of.
When clamping the knives they moved, so that it was always more miss than hit.
Using magnets, as Allen I both do, holds the knives in position.
If you used magnets on the outfeed table the height is automatically set correctly, provided the block position is correctly set.
As I said earlier, it takes me about 15-20 minutes to remove and replace three knives.

Roy.

 

[paulymarshall]

Cheers again chaps. I think i'll now be able to crack it, using a combination of all posts, i.e. once I get one edge at the requisite 2-3mm, set both jigs to that and then never, ever alter them!!! Am I the only person who thinks the "plain English board" would have a field day with a lot of the instructions we all have to deal with??

 

[Digit]

I purchased a battery for my motor bike last year, made in China, neither I, nor my son, nor anyone else could make any sense of the instructions at all!
It annoys me as at one time one of my jobs was writing instructions for customers, I simply passed my work to someone else to tear apart the revising if necessary.

Roy..

 

[Giff]

Just found this thread as I have spent most of the day trying to set my Record Planer up using the jigs ( was told they were essential when bought the planer last year). I know exactly what paulymarshall went through. In the end I set them up with a straight edge on the out feed table, which needed adjusting as well. Does anyone know what the tolerance should be. If I read with a depth gauge after setting there up to 0.13mm from one side of the blade to the other but I am still not sure if all 3 blades are set the same. Has anyone any tips. I haven't tried Steve Maslerly's rolling wood check yet. Thanks giff

 

[Digit]

I've tried the lot Giff and now use a home made jig.
Before I explain, and believe me it is very simple, can you locate the cutter block in a fixed position?
Top dead centre is best.
If you can do that then two pieces of wood/plastic/alli and some magnets and you are home and dry.

Roy.

 

[Giff]

Thanks for the quick reply Roy. I have just ordered some welding magnets off ebay as a suggestion in the old posts. I haven't worked out how to lock the block yet but maybe the magnets will do that. ? I thinks the jigs setters may be left on the shelf for quite a while ! I did think it was me being stupid so thanks again for the advice. Giff