Jointer table very difficult to raise /lower

[Dengue]

I have found the outfeed table on my new 8" jointer very difficult to raise and lower, requires two hands on the adjusting wheel, and sometimes a lever in the wheel to make it turn. I have totally loosened the gib screws and the locking handle, no improvement - no worries about this table sliding down the dovetail ways and crashing on to the floor, eh? You can see the ends of the gib bars in the keyways of both tables when looking underneath and from the top. I am assuming it is a single bar in each way.

The infeed table winds up and down nicely with one hand, with the gib screws set to eliminate play.

I hit the outfeed table with WD40 and sewing machine oil, and between my mechanic son-in-law with powerful wrists, and a powerful battery drill with Allen key hex bit, we raised and lowered this table about 50 times over the full range of travel, all the while keeping it well lubricated. Not much improvement, except that with two hands on the wheel I can now raise and lower it. There is no more paint on the raise/lower threads behind the wheel, so that is not the problem, although it may have been initially.

Can anyone please suggest the cause and how to fix it?

[Xanthorrhoeas]

As I am far from expert I would most probably be unable to help in any case but may I suggest that you mention the brand and maybe add some photos? It could help someone to understand and advise you.

Regards

David

[Dengue]

Hi David, have deliberately avoided mentioning the brand and model number. It would scare people off buying one when the cause may have been the result of my actions e.g possible over-tensioning the gibs initially, or something like that. If it turns out to be a faulty table, then I may name it, and advise how the suppliers looked after me. Then again it might be a common problem with a simple fix ( I hope)

With regards to pics, it is an ordinary 8" garden variety type of jointer with HSS blades and raise/lower turning handles underneath, and two gib screws on each table to tighten any play in the keyway as the table slides up and down.

[Xanthorrhoeas]

I quite understand. I am hesitant to name some of my gear too when I have problems - for the same reason, as I know that the problems are probably of my own making much of the time, or else one-offs that should not affect other people. I saw that you said "new" but wasn't sure if that was in "brand new" or just "new to you". If it were the latter and a second hand machine most people would not necessarily think badly of the make and supplier.

Good luck with it.

david

[mark david]

Hi Dengue, I don't see this as a major problem as once the outfeed table is set correctly you shouldn't need to alter it until you resharpen and reset your knives.
The infeed table is another matter and needs to move freely to adjust depth of cut.

[Dengue]

Hi Mark, thanks for your input. There is something wrong, something jammming, whatever. This is causing the front side of the outfeed table to be 12 thou (0.3mm) higher than the infeed table, measured across the cutter head opening. This is unacceptable and I would like to get it right. I don't think shimming the corner of the outfeed table nearest the pulley by this amount would be the right way to go, not just yet.

Agree about rarely needing to raise or lower this table once it is set, that's why we shim that table and not the infeed, which is moved more frequently. But despite that, I do tend to set the infeed table at 0.5mm and do multiple passes. I am using the infeed table as a reference throughout this setup process.

[Dengue]

Does anyone know how to properly remove the gib on the outfeed table? Can it be easily done without removing the table?