Thicknesser accuracy??? - Now with Pics

[wizer]

I had this on my Delta Thicknesser

A new set of blades cured it 100%

Did you even bother to read the thread? :roll:

No I didn't. I had no interest in the thread and no time to read it all.

Then I suggest you don't waste both your own and our time on nonsensical pointless posting Tony.

 

[ondablade]

Hi Mark. I'd have to say i'm not myself all that interested in having a machine that won't work reasonably accurately, but then that's a personal choice.

Just looking at your photo and reading your account it's clear you are in the right territory. I'm wondering though if there's possibly not another variable in play. Those springs i think are there to allow the infeed and outfeed rollers to lift against them so they exert the right amount of pressure across the width of the board to give a straight feed.

What's bothering me is that parallel cutting should be determined by the relationship between the thicknesser table and the solid cylinder carrying the planer knives.

If when this is set parallel the machine is still not cutting parallel the suspect is probably incorrect placement of the planer knives in the cylinder - so that while the cylinder is parallel to the table one or both of the cutting edges is not.

Both (or all three) knives need to be both parallel to and at the same height above the drum surface - the first for parallel cutting, and the second to minimise scalloping.

If with all the knives mounted so they are parallel to the surface of the table then clearly something else may be up. One possibility might be that the table is not rigid.

The other possibility i can see and the real question this is intended to raise is that if adjusting the preload on the feed roller springs is altering the settings then possibly one or both of the springs was out of adjustment to the point where the timber is tipping a little on the table. i.e. one was probably way too slack, as changing the tension should not tip a feed roll.

This because all being equal its likely that the normal operating set up for the feed rolls is probably that the springs should be tight enough to bed the roll shafts down firmly on to the cast iron lugs they mount on, but tensioned accurately enough so that they lift off equally as timber comes through.

I guess i'd want to check that the blades were set parallel to the table too - it'd be a pity if it turned out that even though the cylinder is level that they were not, and that you were compensating with the feed rolls.

Just thinking aloud......

ian

 

[TrimTheKing]

Thanks for this Ian

All valid points, what I neglected to mention in my write up was that after ensuring the bed/cutter block were parallel that I then checked the blades to ensure they were right, and while they were a little bit out (though not enough to cause the issue I was seeing) I took each of them out in turn, cleaned, honed and replaced them so they were bang on to the block.

I had the same thoughts about the feed rollers and to be honest I think it was the fact that while the springs on the drive wheel side were well tensioned, the ones I tweaked were obviously not, hence why I think the feed rollers were grabbing and pulling the stock to the left.

I checked to ensure that if I over tightened the springs that the stock pulled the other way, and it did, so I am pretty comfortable with this.

Cheers for your comments, it's always good to get others opinions and viewpoints, that's why I'm here

 

[Digit]

I had the metabo, ---for one day, then I returned it!
The infeed/outfeed tables were warped making ANY flat planing impossible and the thicknesser produced wedges. I now have separates.

Roy.

 

[ondablade]

Good job Mark, sounds like you have a solid fix.....

ian

 

[ivan]

As the block axis (not the knives) is not adjustable, everthing is usually alligned to this. The thicknessing table should be parallel to the block within a thou or two, this is often set by grub screws where the column disappears through the casting fixed to the case, underneath the thicknessing table. Move chain on cogs if elevation is by 4 screws.

The infeed and outfeed tables should also be adjusted parallel to the block axis within a thou or two.

Only then should the knives be adjusted to the outfeed table.

You'll need an inexpensive dial gauge and stand to do this with any accuracy.

 

[Digit]

That was where I came unglued with the Metabo PT I had. The tables were both twisted, so no amount of setting up worked. All I could produce was propellers!

Roy.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

My in/oufeed tables are spot on, and now the thickness table is parallel with the block the world is a flat planingly, equally thicknessingly wonderful place again.

 

[OPJ]

Hi Mark,

I had a look at my machine earlier today and found the very same problems - I may even send Axminster an e-mail in the morning, as this seems to be a recurring issue with this particular model! :?

Messing with the feed roller tension isn't enough to fix it. My tests (using nothing more complex than a 6in. combination square! ) also told me that the bed and cutter block are "about 0.5mm" out from each other (actually, my eye tells me it's closer to 0.4mm...! :wink

It doesn't bother me much but, as I intend to fix it soon, I still need to find some 0.5mm spacers - all my washers seem to be 1mm. Somewhere, I'm sure I have a very thin card scraper that's about 0.5mm... I never use it so, if I can find it, I may as well slice it up! 8)

I also found there were loads of shavings in behind that panel. At the end of the day, something possessed me and I decided I would fit a sharp set of knives (I'm planing some beech tomorrow) - for the first time since I've owned this machine, I don't know why but, using the supplied jig, they were set perfectly first time! :shock: Must be something to do with positive thinking... Usually, it takes me well over an hour to do them and there's always one knife that likes to hit the outfeed table.

Thanks again for the advice. Now, if you wouldn't mind having a look at improving the dust extraction... :twisted: :wink:

By the way, the machine will start with the infeed table down and the dust hood sat on top. The interlocking switch is connected to the hood, not the tables (you can hear it 'tick' as you swing it... Right before that steel flap goes BANG!). Trouble is, this leaves an uncomfortably large holes with clear visibility of the cutter block at both ends. :? This scared me enough so, I didn't have a chance to try it and see how if effects the extraction.

 

[devonwoody]

Chinese made machines costing a few hundreds will never be able to produce 100% accurate dimensions, sometimes you might be lucky and get one that fell together right.

Anyway a piece of timber that is 10" wide will have movement somewhere so three days later I would suspect those measurements mentioned at the beginning of the thread could now be different again.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Hi Mark,

I had a look at my machine earlier today and found the very same problems - I may even send Axminster an e-mail in the morning, as this seems to be a recurring issue with this particular model! :?

I rang them and they were going to get someone to call me back, never did..., bit disappointed as I have heard so much about them being really helpful, but I suppose I didn't really need them in the end.

Messing with the feed roller tension isn't enough to fix it. My tests (using nothing more complex than a 6in. combination square! ) also told me that the bed and cutter block are "about 0.5mm" out from each other (actually, my eye tells me it's closer to 0.4mm...! :wink

You need to get that 'eye' fixed!

It doesn't bother me much but, as I intend to fix it soon, I still need to find some 0.5mm spacers - all my washers seem to be 1mm. Somewhere, I'm sure I have a very thin card scraper that's about 0.5mm... I never use it so, if I can find it, I may as well slice it up! 8)

Grrrrr, it bothered me!

I also found there were loads of shavings in behind that panel. At the end of the day, something possessed me and I decided I would fit a sharp set of knives (I'm planing some beech tomorrow) - for the first time since I've owned this machine, I don't know why but, using the supplied jig, they were set perfectly first time! :shock: Must be something to do with positive thinking... Usually, it takes me well over an hour to do them and there's always one knife that likes to hit the outfeed table.

One thing that I am struggling to get my head around is the use of a metal jig to set a metal blade!!! Surely the edges are susceptible to damage doing it this way???

Thanks again for the advice. Now, if you wouldn't mind having a look at improving the dust extraction... :twisted: :wink:

Not sure whether we just haveto suck it up on this one as it seems to be fairly poor.

By the way, the machine will start with the infeed table down and the dust hood sat on top. The interlocking switch is connected to the hood, not the tables (you can hear it 'tick' as you swing it... Right before that steel flap goes BANG!). Trouble is, this leaves an uncomfortably large holes with clear visibility of the cutter block at both ends. :? This scared me enough so, I didn't have a chance to try it and see how if effects the extraction.

Thing with this is, you still need to move your extraction to the other side regardless, and this is the bit that pi$$es me off more than actually lifting the tables. I am even considering getting a Camvac or similar to sit specifically by the PT just for this as it really gets me to have to spin the machine on its wheel just to get extraction. If I get another vac then I can take it off its wheel set and not have to worry.

 

[OPJ]

One thing that I am struggling to get my head around is the use of a metal jig to set a metal blade!!! Surely the edges are susceptible to damage doing it this way???

I can understand that. What I really don't like about it is how lightweight it is, which sometimes makes it difficult to keep enough pressure on the knives with one hand as you try to tighten the nuts with the other. If you look at the jigs for most industrial machines, they weight a tonne!

I've also got a pair of those magnetic jigs... Rutlands sell them under the 'Dakota' name and Record Power do their own. However, Axminster sell them for only half of what those two are asking! :shock: I'm now a fan of these jigs. I can see how they work but, they're not strong enough, in my opinion. I always find I have to give them a push to get the knives in all the way, which means the brass feet get scratched and scarred.

Thing with this is, you still need to move your extraction to the other side regardless, and this is the bit that pi$$es me off more than actually lifting the tables. I am even considering getting a Camvac or similar to sit specifically by the PT just for this as it really gets me to have to spin the machine on its wheel just to get extraction. If I get another vac then I can take it off its wheel set and not have to worry.

The trouble here is that almost all machines are like this. I also have to rotate the machine 180º but, that's largely due to the nature of my narrow workshop; the up-ended tables would also get in my way. I'd get another chip collector off eBay or something, if you were serious (the bigger, the better with this machine's extraction!! :wink. Camvac's look good but I bet they fill up with shavings in no time! Plus, you probably wouldn't realise until it was too late and it was all backing up inside the hose. :?

Another thing I've noticed is that, when the hood is flipped over the you locate the black tab over that pin, for some reason, the shavings seem to hit the roof of the hood (you can hear it - ping, ping ping...). But, if I simply rest the tab on top of the pin, this doesn't happen and yet, the efficiency is still about the same.