WWA Info Exchange

Well after almost 2 weeks of trying to get my jointer to work properly, I'm about to give up on it. The thing has worked flawlessly for years and now all of a sudden it will not flatten stock at all. I have researched as much as I can, cleaned, adusted the gibs, knives, and I cannot get the tables parallel. I have borrowed our machine shops 6 foot Starrett straight edge, adjusted the table flat and it still will not flatten stock properly. I even had a very experienced machinist shaking his head at it. I have one hope left, I have one buddy that used to set-up woodworking tools as a living, so he will try this week hopefully. Does any one have a tips on a 1995 Delta 37-190?
And I looking a the Ridgid JPO610, Mainly because of the Low price and good reviews. Any opinions?

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When I don't get to fish for a few weeks I start to have nightmares, But its the daydreams that bother me the most!
Marty

Doesn't it tick you off when something that was fine, all of a sudden isn't? I think I know how you feel.

Did something drop on it, was it bumped, did the shop ghost get in to tinker with it? It sounds like something so simple, but not obvious. If the tables are level and parallel, it sounds like the spindle / cutter is not. Are the blades dull?

I don't have an answer, but I've wasted an afternoon trying to true up a table saw. I know how it feels to be stumped by a machine.

Sorry I can't chime in on the troubleshooting, but I'll put in a plug that the ridgid jointer has worked just fine for me with no problems for a couple of years now. It has survived a move and one blade change without losing its adjustment.

Lawrence

Here is a short article from Fine Woodworking about jointers:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuid ... px?id=3004

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C J K
in beautiful -
Oxford GA, USA

Something I overlooked when having the same problem with my jointer was the off feed table was a bit lower than the blades.

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Paul G
"To the last I grapple with thee, from heqq's heart I stab at thee, for hates sake I spit my last breath at thee."

Shun those studies in which the work that results dies with the worker.
-- Leonardo da Vinci

I hate to see you have all that stress MGH. I better come over and haul that thing away for you.

I am sure you will get it right. Hang in there!

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Nothing is impossible when you have faith, even though it may be as small as a mustard seed (Matt. 17:14–21).

What does it do to the board?
Thickness varies from center to both ends?
Thickness varies from end to end, taper?
Ripples the length of the board?
Taper from side to side?
cutter bearings are shot?
Pully is cracked or slipping?
motor bearings are shot?
motor is not putting enough tension on the belt?
belt is shot, hard or cracked?

just some thoughts, good luck

What's going on with the flattening? What isn't happening? I had the 37-190 and it was always a bit difficult with set-up and could never get a perfect 90º on edge jointing. Alternating boards in then out would solve the problem but face jointing always seemed to work OK.

Buy a book is my very best tip.
Ive bought Popular mechanics Jointer and Planer fundamentals - a complete guide. I learned tons of it, much more than I got at my wood work teaching education. A thorough "dictionary" that explains how the machine works is essential(at leastI think so). Magazine tips how to fix this and that can often help you, but you want to know why it happened and how to prevent it in the future, at leas I want that.
The best thing is to learn from a person, your friend or your father, but a good book is really something to consider. Even if your model of planer/jointer isnt in the book you get the gist of it, the anatomy of the machine.
Good Luck!
/Anders[/i]

Hey Marty,

Delta has a great customer service line. I had problems with my variable speed drill press, and they were extremely patient with me as they walked me through the fix needed. I would give them a call.

Tom

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"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

If you have your tables parallel, the problem must be with the cutting head position relative to the outfeed table. The cutting edges should be at the same height as the outfeed table or you will always get poor results.

ted

After many tedious hours working on it, I have gotten it really close, not perfect, but it will do for now. I ended up almost taking it all apart, that the only way to get all the dust out, removed the gibs, filed them flat again, reset the knives to flush with the outfeed table, and spend many more hours adjusting until it was workable. I have no idea why after all these years it just went weird. it wasn't hit or bumped hard, no one else is ever in the shop without me. Please respect your jointers people, fixing them after getting them out of wack is the most frustrating job you will ever have.

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When I don't get to fish for a few weeks I start to have nightmares, But its the daydreams that bother me the most!
Marty

I purcshased a used DJ 20, the tables had some rust and were not co-planer. So I, in my infinate wisdom decided to send the jointer to a machine shop that had the capacity to grind the full length of the tables. I figured once and for all I would have a jointer with flat, true, and co-planer tables. What a disapiointment! The butchers ground the top so much that the cast iron was ground through to the webs.
So I guess the lesson I learned was to take the time and tune your equipment the best you can or, even hire someone to adjust your machines to your satisfaction.
As the ending, the court system had the shop refund only their charge. I got lucky though, 'bought two tables on ebay, it's working great now

Ed