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1st September 2020, 12:15 PM #1Apprentice Cabinet Maker
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 9
16" Thicknesser Sprockets not aligned
Hi All,
I just purchased a Jet 16" thicknesser second hand. When I picked it up the height adjustment was working smoothly, but after all the jostling around its a bit jerky/clunky.
It looks like the freewheeling sprocket used to tension the chain under the bed is slightly out of alignment with the sprockets on the posts. Every couple of turns the chain gets caught on the tooth of the sprocket and then jumps back into place. The manual says if the chain is jumping to align the sprockets, but there's no information on how to align them. I've checked that it's level and its pretty close.
Does anyone have one of these machines and know how to align the chain sprockets? It seems to be a similar mechanism to the Carbatec and Hafco thicknessers so maybe somebody has had the problem on one of their machines?
Andy
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1st September 2020, 12:45 PM #2GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
- Location
- Helensburgh
- Posts
- 7,696
The chain might have stretched or the sprockets worn but the latter seems unlikely on a manual mechanism. Have a look at this link for a service manual. JET Tools | Manuals
CHRIS
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1st September 2020, 01:16 PM #3SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Feb 2016
- Location
- Perth WA Australia
- Posts
- 828
When i picked up my thicknesser the tables was slightly out of alignment, adjusting the sprockets was a complete pain. Took me probably a days work over two days to get it aligned and chain back on it again.
Honestly knowing what i know now, if i was to encounter another thicknesser with the same issues i'd call a technician out who knows what they are doing.
The general idea is open lower cabinets if you need to, loosen the sproket that that adjusts the chain tension, find the offending sprocket, fix and then do he reverse to get everything back to how it's supposed to be. The frustrating part is when you go to re-tighten the tension sprocket if you're not careful it'll just undo your adjustments and you're back to square one.
The mechanism isn't a high torque application so stretched chain/worn sprockets isn't something i would consider unless the thicknesser was used in an industrial setting with more than a decade of a hard life. I suspect either someone has tried to make the adjustments themselves and has made it worse or has been lifting the thicknesser by the tables potentially bending the mechanics.
Hope you get it sorted soon.
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2nd September 2020, 07:43 AM #4SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Feb 2018
- Location
- Shepparton
- Posts
- 508
Be wary of mucking around with the chain and sprockets I purchased a thickener and noticed that it was cutting more on one entry point which gave different depths of timber ,a pain if trying to join two pieces together at the very least careful observation of existing setup is critical.
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2nd September 2020, 09:19 AM #5Apprentice Cabinet Maker
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 9
Thanks Chris, I couldn't find a service manual there but I might email them and see if they have any archives, as it looks like the 16" isn't being produced any more.
tonzeyd and mature_one I'm pretty wary of going down the path of loosening the chain and playing around individually with the sprockets. It's not so much that my table is out of alignment as the sprockets themselves are out of plane with each other, causing one of them to want to jump. Now that I look closer it seems like the slotted steel that the tensioner sprocket is mounted to may be a little bent. I might see if I can remove it and straighten or replace it.
Does anyone know where to go for Jet spare parts in Australia these days?
Andy
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2nd September 2020, 10:24 AM #6
Is this a similar manual even though it is for the 15" model? On pages 16, 17 & 19 there is some info on alignment and troubleshooting the sprockets.
Dallas
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3rd September 2020, 09:55 PM #7
Based on the info that the chain seems to bind about every couple of turns of the height adjuster, and the fact that the thicknesser was secondhand, I wonder if there might be rust around the chain pins, causing them to jam in the sleeves they rotate in normally. This may be an issue if the thicky has been left at the same height for some time, particularly near a coastal area with a salty atmosphere. The result of a single rusty link in the chain would be that the height winder would operate reasonably normally while the stiff link is between two of the sprockets, but lock up as soon as the links need to flex as the stiff link reaches the sprockets.
I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.
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