Thread: Bent Fence!

Originally Posted by 5teve

So you went with the MDF you were talking about? i'd like to see some pics when your finished... mine wasnt too bad and i suspect the height of the cutter vs the outfeed may have caused me some issues... but that is resolved now..

No real reason for the ends except that its the only other place you can run a full width sliding fence without interrupting the table (if that makes sense) if the fence i am planning on using is strong enough it shouldnt bend at all. It was also inspiration from i think a hako... or what looked like a fence mount on a hako...

Thats also the test i use... well i started using yesterday... not a 100% test but pretty good indication of it being flat.. the guys at work use this method to slide 3600x1800 sheets of board lift one corner to flap air under and then slide as the air seeps out.

I think the machines have some capability once the crappy cost cutting corners have been resolved! oh and when the guy that is using it (me) gets some skill in using the thing!

Steve

No I used Al in the end. 70*25 RHS. 2.5mm wall. I will post some shots soon.

I get you on the clean sliding fence idea.

I once dropped a large piece of laminated board (8*4) onto a flat, clean concrete floor, or at least let it fall from standing on one edge. No need to push: it was OFF! The shed was pretty much empty and this thing traveled quite well. But anyone in the way would have been in serious foot pain, I reckon.

I have my dial gauge now and I am going to get that table set up GOOD. I am also interested in testing wood with it, just to see what happens when, like you, I iron out the bugs in the machine and (now I have honest company) me.

....and the thing I really remember about that laminated board was that the whole process was almost silent. When it hit the floor it went "wuff" and then just slid away.

I do have to say one thing about having to set up a machine, whether new or old. IT makes you learn more about how the machine operates, and that can only help you use it and respect it more (or in some cases just to hate it!

HAH! I am still looking hopefully at the manual.

I was reading through the the blade setting section. I had to read one passage twice before I realised what I was reading.

"Changing the blades
Locate the 5.5mm x 7mm A/F spanner in the tool kit. Turn the cutter block until one of the slots is uppermost, (between the tables). Using the spanner drive the 5 No. bolts into the chipbreaker/wedge, thus removing the clamping effect. This should allow the blade to ‘spring’ up (not like a jack in a box!) to protrude clear of the edge of the cutter block.
Carefully remove the blade, lay aside. Remove the chipbreaker/wedge, lay aside, finally remove the springs from the slot and lay them aside. Repeat the process for the other two blades. If the block becomes difficult to hold located, being out of balance with the blade/s removed; use a thin wedge of material to jam the cutter block in position.
Now is a very good time to clean the slot housings thoroughly, remove the resin build-up, sawdust, chips and any old joiners/carpenters etc., that have recently disappeared without trace. Ensure the circumference of the cutter block is likewise cleaned thoroughly. Remove the clamping bolts from the chipbreaker/wedges, clean the bolts and the threaded holes, clean the springs and the chipbreaker .............."

First a tale against myself.

Having set the blades up all nice and sweet, I was playing about with the outfeed table, and left it set maybe 4-5mm lower than the blades, maybe not even that much. I forgot and tried some planing....... well....snipe of the most extraordinary level, and my practice piece of pine shot out the shop door and across the back yard....8-10 metres and hit a tree. I was standing nice and out of the way and using push sticks, so no harm except to my nerves and pride.

HOWEVER.....
I set the knives to be exactly level with the outfeed, or not quite, just so a straight edged piece of wood was twitched as I sent the blade past TDC. However this caused the planer to cut a curve in the wood....say .25-.5mm along a 450mm length. With some trepidation I lowered that outfeed about .025mm at a time...just a nudge of the adjuster. With TDC at about .1mm above the outfeed, using the dial gauge, the cut became dead straight.

Can somebody explain why? I did read that the knives should maybe be a bit proud of the outfeed, but as I have seen, too much can be fun.