Filter
Top Products
G0604 6" X 56" Jointer
-33-
Figure 46. Checking knife height with a
straightedge.
Inspecting Knives
The height of the knives can be inspected with a
straightedge to ensure that they are set evenly
with the outfeed table at their highest point in the
cutterhead rotation.
To inspect the knives:
1. DISCONNECT JOINTER FROM POWER
SOURCE!
2. Remove the cutterhead guard or block it out
of the way.
3. Using a straightedge on the outfeed table,
check the height of each knife at the positions
shown in
Figure 46.
Adjusting /Replacing
Knives
Setting the knives correctly is crucial to the proper
operation of the jointer and is very important in
keeping the knives sharp. If one knife is higher
than the others, it will do the majority of the work,
and thus, dull much faster than the others.
There are two options for setting the knives—the
straightedge method and the knife setting jig
method. Each option has advantages and dis
-
advantages and the correct one for you will
become a matter of personal preference.
For
best results, the tables must be parallel with each
other (Checking/Adjusting Table Parallelism
on Page 36) and the outfeed table height must be
properly set (Setting Outfeed Table Height
on
Page 38) before adjusting/replacing the knives.
Straightedge Method
: A high quality straight-
edge is held flat against the outfeed table and the
knife heights are set to the bottom of the straight
-
edge, as shown in
Figure 46. Because the knife
projection height from the cutterhead is dep
en-
dent on the outfeed table height, the outfeed table
must be set as described in Setting Outfeed
Table Height
on Page 38 for this method to work
correctly.
When using a straightedge to set the knives, you
will not need to move the outfeed table once it is
set and you will always be assured that the knives
are even with the outfeed table in their highest
point of rotation—even if the cutterhead is not
parallel with the outfeed table.
—The knives are set correctly when they just
touch the bottom of the straightedge in
each of the straightedge positions.
—If the knives do not touch the straightedge
or they lift it up in any of the positions, then
those knives need to be adjusted.