A couple of questions on the generic ML-392 combo

[DaveInOz]

So this about the ML-392 that various companies sell in various colours.
373002
What does the lever to the left of the thicknesser infeed actually do?
373003

and
Which digital and accurate scale/gauge works with this model?
My first choice doesn't (digimag) according to the seller.

Thanks in advance
Dave

[BobR]

In thickness mode the lever engages/disengages the feed rollers. Can't help you with your other question.

[elanjacobs]

I'm not sold on digital scales for thicknessers. A good steel ruler with 0.5mm markings glued over the rubbish scale provided will never break, need batteries or cost much more than $10. If you need to get more precise than 0.5mm, you should probably be using a sander anyway.

[Kuffy]

I don't like the digital gauges either. At school, they had a SCM thicknesser with auto rise/fall. Had to reset the digiset every morning as it was hard wired to the machine and lost memory when the power was shut off at the switchboxes. Was an incredibly good thicknesser though.

Analog gauges are brilliant. You can accurately make adjustments 0.02mm which is pretty damn good. quite handy when your bottom heads in a 4 sider are sitting low and you need to bump them up a thou or two while the cutters are spinning. My JET combo has an analog gauge, I am confident of winding the head up to a measurement of 18.8mm for example and hitting it everytime. But I will always check with calipers anyways...seems like good practice.

[DaveInOz]

2 problems with the analogue (by which I assume you mean ruler) are 1, getting the right angle to read it accurately, and 2, finding my reading goggles so I can see it. Perhaps I need an improved ruler and a smaller pointer that sits closer to the ruler so there is less room for angular error, that and prescription safety glasses.

[Kuffy]

I'm talking about a mechanical digital readout. Took me 10 minutes to search for one online, but eventually after pulling out the parts list for my Jet combo and plugging the part number into google, i found the exact gauge that is on my machine.

Jet Digital Thickness Display - Planer Accessories - Planing - Machinery Accessories - Accessories | Axminster Tools & Machinery (http://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-digital-thickness-display-600672)

Its been a while since I have had one of these off any machinery. if i recall correctly, its just a case of sliding the gauge over the winder shaft and tightening locking grub screws to the shaft. Then there needs to be a pin or something on the machine body which sticks into the back of the gauge so the gauge doesn't spin when you turn the winder handle. Just need the hole in the gauge to match the winder shaft diameter.

for reference, my winder shaft is 19.9mm diameter. Its probably the same as the sherwood machine in your image, but check to be sure.

[DaveInOz]

OIC :doh: I will do some research on those. Thanks :2tsup: