Hi all -
I have a Ridgid 610 jointer (no chuckles please, it was a deal), and I am
trying to tune it for maximum precision.
Last night, I was checking the tables with a straight edge, and I cannot get
them exactly co-planar. Instead of droop, it would seem that the outside end
of one table is actually too high. With a straightedge dead flat on the
outfeed, and touching the far end of the infeed table, I have about .004
under the straightedge at the infeed table right before the cutters. Both
tables are dead flat individually. The problem worsens slightly as I lower
the outfeed table, so I have adjusted the knives to the table's highest
setting and locked it there.
I have tried loosening the gib screws, and I even gave a good tap on the
ends of the tables with a dead-blow hammer. This got me to the current point
from a start of about .010
Is this the best I can hope for, or are there any other tricks short of
machining that I can try? Is .003 close enough that I can now blame my poor
results on technique instead of the machine? I haven't tried it since these
adjustments, but I was getting a concave edge with a high spot about 2" from
each end.
Thanks for any insight - Gary
"gw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all -
>
> I have a Ridgid 610 jointer (no chuckles please, it was a deal), and I am
> trying to tune it for maximum precision.
>
> Last night, I was checking the tables with a straight edge, and I cannot
get
> them exactly co-planar. Instead of droop, it would seem that the outside
end
> of one table is actually too high. With a straightedge dead flat on the
> outfeed, and touching the far end of the infeed table, I have about .004
> under the straightedge at the infeed table right before the cutters. Both
> tables are dead flat individually. The problem worsens slightly as I lower
> the outfeed table, so I have adjusted the knives to the table's highest
> setting and locked it there.
>
> I have tried loosening the gib screws, and I even gave a good tap on the
> ends of the tables with a dead-blow hammer. This got me to the current
point
> from a start of about .010
>
> Is this the best I can hope for, or are there any other tricks short of
> machining that I can try? Is .003 close enough that I can now blame my
poor
> results on technique instead of the machine? I haven't tried it since
these
> adjustments, but I was getting a concave edge with a high spot about 2"
from
> each end.
>
> Thanks for any insight - Gary
If I am imganing the situation properly, the infeed table should be lower
than the outfeed, otherwise the blades would not be taking any material off?
The outfeed table should be level with the top of the blades, the infeed
table should be able to adjust lower to however much material you wish to
remove in a single pass. I usually remove 1/16" per pass as standard, but
this can change depending on how warped/bowed the material is.
--
Regards,
Dean Bielanowski
Editor,
Online Tool Reviews
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com
Over 60 woodworking product reviews online!
------------------------------------------------------------
Latest 6 Reviews:
- Porter Cable COIL250 Coil Nailer
- Ryobi 18v Cordless Jigsaw
- Festool CT22E Dust Extractor
- Fasco GN-40A Brad Nailer
- Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture & Cabinet Construction
- Milescraft SignCrafter
------------------------------------------------------------
"gw" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi all -
>
> I have a Ridgid 610 jointer (no chuckles please, it was a deal), and I am
> trying to tune it for maximum precision.
>
> Last night, I was checking the tables with a straight edge, and I cannot get
> them exactly co-planar. Instead of droop, it would seem that the outside end
> of one table is actually too high. With a straightedge dead flat on the
> outfeed, and touching the far end of the infeed table, I have about .004
> under the straightedge at the infeed table right before the cutters. Both
> tables are dead flat individually. The problem worsens slightly as I lower
> the outfeed table, so I have adjusted the knives to the table's highest
> setting and locked it there.
>
> I have tried loosening the gib screws, and I even gave a good tap on the
> ends of the tables with a dead-blow hammer. This got me to the current point
> from a start of about .010
>
> Is this the best I can hope for, or are there any other tricks short of
> machining that I can try? Is .003 close enough that I can now blame my poor
> results on technique instead of the machine? I haven't tried it since these
> adjustments, but I was getting a concave edge with a high spot about 2" from
> each end.
>
> Thanks for any insight - Gary
You have to shim the dovetail ways if you are looking for perfection.
004 is not too bad though. Reset your knives so they are even or maybe
.001 above the outfeed table at the cutterhead. Take light cuts and
you should get good results. Sometimes moving the jointer by lifting
from the outfeed table will cause your problem, should not if the gibs
are tight.
mike
"Woodcrafter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "gw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Hi all -
>>
>> I have a Ridgid 610 jointer (no chuckles please, it was a deal), and I am
>> trying to tune it for maximum precision.
>>
>> Last night, I was checking the tables with a straight edge, and I cannot
> get
>> them exactly co-planar. Instead of droop, it would seem that the outside
> end
>> of one table is actually too high. With a straightedge dead flat on the
>> outfeed, and touching the far end of the infeed table, I have about .004
>> under the straightedge at the infeed table right before the cutters. Both
>> tables are dead flat individually. The problem worsens slightly as I
>> lower
>> the outfeed table, so I have adjusted the knives to the table's highest
>> setting and locked it there.
>>
>> I have tried loosening the gib screws, and I even gave a good tap on the
>> ends of the tables with a dead-blow hammer. This got me to the current
> point
>> from a start of about .010
>>
>> Is this the best I can hope for, or are there any other tricks short of
>> machining that I can try? Is .003 close enough that I can now blame my
> poor
>> results on technique instead of the machine? I haven't tried it since
> these
>> adjustments, but I was getting a concave edge with a high spot about 2"
> from
>> each end.
>>
>> Thanks for any insight - Gary
>
> If I am imganing the situation properly, the infeed table should be lower
> than the outfeed, otherwise the blades would not be taking any material
> off?
> The outfeed table should be level with the top of the blades, the infeed
> table should be able to adjust lower to however much material you wish to
> remove in a single pass. I usually remove 1/16" per pass as standard, but
> this can change depending on how warped/bowed the material is.
>
The infeed is lower than the outfeed, but it is not exactly parallel. If I
lay a straightedge on the outfeed table, and allow it to project over the
lowered infeed table, the end of the infeed table closest to the cutting
head is .004 lower than the far right end. In other words, it is very
slightly sloped "downhill", toward the blades. I think this is giving me
concave cuts, because the trailing edge of the board gets lower as it
approaches the blades.
> --
> Regards,
>
> Dean Bielanowski
> Editor,
> Online Tool Reviews
> http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com
> Over 60 woodworking product reviews online!
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Latest 6 Reviews:
> - Porter Cable COIL250 Coil Nailer
> - Ryobi 18v Cordless Jigsaw
> - Festool CT22E Dust Extractor
> - Fasco GN-40A Brad Nailer
> - Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture & Cabinet Construction
> - Milescraft SignCrafter
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
gw wrote:
Well .003 is really good if it will stay that way. Most of the time the
tables seem to sag a little. Each table is flat but going from the end of
the infeed to the end of the outfeed you see a gap and the end of the
tables. If I am correct you have a gap near the cutterhead. Do a google
search on "shimming a jointer". What you need to do is get some shims .001
at an auto parts store and find the sweet spot to shim the dovetail ways
that the table rides in. Now the only problem is if you shim the infeed
table, it gets moved more than the outfeed table. So it's best to shim it
for a 1/32 or 1/16 cut and leave that setting.
> Is this the best I can hope for, or are there any other tricks short of
> machining that I can try? Is .003 close enough that I can now blame my
> poor results on technique instead of the machine? I haven't tried it since
> these adjustments, but I was getting a concave edge with a high spot about
> 2" from each end.
>
> Thanks for any insight - Gary
--
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