Power Tool Maintenance

For many years, my Dad and I collected lumber, much of it rough cut.
To make good boards requires a jointer to flatten one face, then flatten and square one edge.
The planer takes care of the other face and edge.
I tried to make do with a 4" unit attached to the table saw, but trying to true up 8 or 10' long timber was pretty much impossible.
I would up with a Delta 6" jointer with about 4' total of in- and out-feed tables.
After a while, I needed to tune my jointer. Using a combination of information from Wood Magazine and web searches, I found a method that worked well for me.
I couldn't find a decent source of shims to adjust the outfeed ramps so I went shopping at Harbor Freight for Feeler Gauges.  Worked great!

Last week, I cut a 2x2 on my chop saw that I had tuned recently.
By rolling the piece 90 degrees, I found that the Bevel and Angle adjustments on the saw did not produce matching results.
I had set them both by eye (okay, with bifocals) with a new (and tested true) Trim Square.
Try as I might, I could not get the bevel set to a perfect 90.
Since I had a number of the Feeler Gauges left in the set, I finally resorted to using 0.0015" shim to feel the gap.
After unplugging the power cord, I locked the saw blade in the down position, then tested the tolerance between the blade and square at the top, bottom, front and back
Resetting the 90 degree detents was the last step.
Now I just need to go through all the steps again, take pictures and do a quick write-up of the process from start to finish.
Once printed, that document will get tucked in an envelope under the saw base for future reference.

Great idea, well done.

That's what I call going the extra mile amigo

Quite refreshing to see your level of craftsmanship,  in this age of "build it quickly and let it fall apart" housing, furniture etc.

If interested in methods of bootstrapping precision, similar to what you did here, "Foundations of Mechanical Accuracy" by Moore is worth a read.

You can find scans online, but a hard copy is worth tracking down.  The black and white photos are art grade - tool porn, for sure.  The photographer was well known, and worked for Life Magazine or some such.  Moore spared no expense, in that regard.  I haven't bought a copy of my own, yet, but I should.  It can be purchased directly from Moore Tool brand new for less than many of the used prices seen online.

Before reading "Foundations" I did not appreciate how important temperature control can be when working to high precision.  There is a photo of a scraping hand carefully correcting a spotted surface, with  a sheet of aluminum foil between his body and the part being scraped, to block radiant heat from his body distorting the work.  Really.

Total overkill for squaring a chop saw, but still worth a read.

The thickness of the gauge wasn't really all that important to me - I could have used any of them.
But since I had it, and more importantly since I was getting frustrated with the "eyeball" technique, I had to improvise.
Using shims/gauges on my jointer was the only method I could find that provided good results for long boards.
And since the jointer is just a few feet from the chop saw, it triggered the "aha!"
Probably you young 'uns you don't need the tips we senior (older, not necessarily wiser) woodworkers use.
Or maybe you just don't need them yet...
Enjoy the craft - it can keep you entertained for years.

I encourage you to make a video of this great idea and process.
You'd be doing a lot of people in the future a good turn.
I'm printing off your post and putting it in my "power tool " binder.
Thanks!

Jeff - great idea to video the process...

if only that was one of my (far too many already) hobbies.
Yup, sad to say in this day of technology, I have never even attempted to record a video.
Heck, the only 2 functions I use on the phone is calls and photos!

I guess it'll have to get added to the list - this is the year (we hope) to build the new BB Rocket Heater with White oven.
And I DO plan to try to record that build.

Thanks all for the feedback.

I finally found the document I drafted during my first attempts at Jointer Tuning.

Mind you, this applies specifically for my Delta 6" Jointer - yours may have different adjustments. I'll try an image link for the model.



It is a tedious process, but well worth the results.

I think I spent a week fussing with wrong methods and lots of Googling to get here!

I don't plan on doing this frequently so I tried to make the instructions detailed enough to use even after I forget what the innards look like.

I hope it might prove useful to fellow dabblers!

Tune the Jointer (adjusted for a Delta 37-866 6” Jointer)

1. Unplug machine, remove the fence and pivoting guard.
2. Raise both tables to the top and make sure they are pretty close to even.
3. Shim under pillow blocks, as needed, and align cutter head parallel to infeed table.
4. Place two 4’ straightedges on edge at opposite ends of the machine, 90° across table
I use a steel ruler and a bright yellow level for better visibility.
5. Shim the outfeed table dovetail ways to take out any twist. (May take several iterations)
Tops of straightedges should align when sighted from several feet away.
6. Lower the outfeed tables to just below the infeed
7. Place your best long ruler or level along length of tables, with 60% on the infeed side
8. Using feeler gauge, check all along front and back edges to see that the infeed table is flat
9. Slide gauge back & forth between level and outfeed table
10. Raise outfeed until zero clearance between level and outfeed table
11. Recheck  the infeed table.  Very easy to raise the outfeed too much
12. Shim outfeed to get tables co-planar – careful you don’t introduce any twist.
13. Clean and wax the tables now while you have the most access
14. Pull the blades, number the gibs and slots so you can put them back in the same spot
15. Clean the gibs, slots and blade levelers
Install new blades – I tried Magna-Set, but found using the 12” steel ruler method more accurate
16. Insert blade and gib; tighten gib screws just snug
17. Rotate blade tip to just left of TDC.
18. Center steel ruler on edge over the back blade leveling screw with 9 inches on the outfeed table
Aligning ruler directly over the leveling screw really helps
19. Rotate the cutter head clockwise – ruler should lift slightly and advance 1/8”
20. Adjust blade level screws up or down as needed.  
21. Tap blade down with wooden block to ensure it is fully seated
22. Repeat 17 thru 21 until the 1/8” shift is repeatable
23. Repeat 17 thru 22 with the front leveling screw (ensure front and back positions are the same)
24. Go back at least one last time and check that ALL the gib screws are tight
25. Repeat 16 thru 24 for each blade
26. Re-install and re-squared fence
27. Re-install guard, plug machine in, listen to how much quieter it is.  

I guess my link failed.
Some ideas on getting the image in place?
Thanks

Hey Randy. You could download the photo and add it at the end of the post as an attachment.
Photo-links are a bit trickier, also photo hosts sometimes go down and the the picture disappears.

Delta Jointer model 37-866  6"

Thank you Thomas!