My old Rockell /Delta jointer still has a spring loaded head for installing knives in it. Unfortunately most of the springs were AWOL when I got the machine. What I did last time I had to install new knives was to make some leaf style sprigs from spring steel wire. But I've been wondering...has anyone here ever added or heard of adding jack screws to this style of jointer head?

In my simple mind I think it's just a matter of drilling and tapping some holes and turning in some fine thread socket head capscrews. However I have yet to see a jointer head machined in this fashion and do not want to risk messing mine up.

Any thoughts or ideas?

I am sorry John, I don't have much either, I wish I did, cuz I love improving devices to function better, but machinery is not my mind set, I am with Josh though, you got a set of knives spinning as mind blowing rpm's, and my biggest concern would be balance of the tool after your modifications. I am assuming your a man that knows his machinery well and is accustomed to making these types of mods, if so, you know what your doing, I wish ya the best of luck in whatever mod you come up with. Please let us know if you found anything out anywhere else about this. I for one am very interested in following your progress with this.

balance shouldn't be any more of an issue with adding screws as it would be with changing knives. If you think about it a freshly ground set or new knives are different in weight than the previous ones. Being that these would be 1/3 of the way around the head and the screws would all be the same weight balance should equal itself out.

I still have more research to do before attempting this mod and will not do it unless I am absolutly sure it will work.

Good point John, just proves how ignorant I am about machining. When you sharpen knives, they do change in mass don't they? Those lil screws won't matter much if those knives don't!

John Hechel said:

balance shouldn't be any more of an issue with adding screws as it would be with changing knives. If you think about it a freshly ground set or new knives are different in weight than the previous ones. I still have more research to do before attempting this mod and will not do it unless I am absolutly sure it will work.

I wouldn't be worried about the balance, I'd be more worried about the alignment and the blade holding.

By the way, what is the reason for the jack screws?

Alignment?

There's alot of magnetic edge guides for alignment of the blades.

And try these sites

http://woodgears.ca/jointer/knives.html

http://wiki.owwm.com/Default.aspx?Page=Parks%20Heavy%20Duty%2012%e2%80%9d%20x%204%e2%80%9d%20Planer&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

http://www.estausa.com/self-set.html

Cutterhead balance is big. It adds stress to the bearings and can cause knife failure. There is some good information on dynamic balancing on the web . Just be sure nothing can fracture or fly apart if you change the dynamics of the head.

 

I have used straight knives, disposable knives and now I have replaced the heads in both my planer and 1 of my joiners with a Byrd Shelix head. One of the best things I have ever done. Not cheap, but it changes everything for planing high figured woods or even the time between knife changes. I can run any figured wood with zero tear out. It was well worth it for me.

bob

Most of the jointers that I have worked on that should have had springs were missing one or more.  I usually take them out, tape them together, and give them to the owner.  They usually don't offer me much help when setting the blades.  I use a mag base with a dilal indicator, wrench, ice pick (to lift) and scrap dowel (to tap down) just like Bob Vaughn does in his videos.  This has worked great for me for 35 years.  I gues if you are using one of the magnet jigs it might help.

Dan Coelman

Dan, do you have a link that Bob's video and is it something that could be added to the site here?

http://wiki.owwm.com/Jointer%20And%20Planer%20Knife%20Setting%20Videos.ashx

 

Made by Bob Vaughn and excellent videos. bob

Ah, Professor Vaughan. His enthusiasm for old wooddorking machines is contagious. If you ever get the opportunity to visit his shoppe in Roanoke, I wouldn’t pass it up.

 

Speaking of jointer blades, I had to rush Slav Jelesijevish to the hospital last month after he got a nasty gash while removing the bearings from a 50’s Delta 6†jointer cutter head. He failed to remove the blades first, and kept saying afterwards “@#$%% I knew better !!!â€

Bob Kloes said:

http://wiki.owwm.com/Jointer%20And%20Planer%20Knife%20Setting%20Vid...

 

Made by Bob Vaughn and excellent videos. bob

I don't know if it was just me, but it would play.

 

Bob Kloes said:

http://wiki.owwm.com/Jointer%20And%20Planer%20Knife%20Setting%20Vid...

 

Made by Bob Vaughn and excellent videos. bob

You can also Google them.

Did the wiki page come up? You can download them there to play. I just tried it and it worked fine. Sorry, I don't know what to tell you. bob

I'll try it again when I get home. We may have had it blocked at work.

Bob, I missed your comment about Slav.  "Masking and duct tape are your friends."  When I gave my jointer presentation last month  I probably mentioned tape about 7 times during the hour.  I have always had access to f surface grinder to sarpen my blades in the past, and the sharp edge is superb.   I usually try to get at least one layer of masking tape on them before pulling them from the fixture.

Dan Coleman