Thread: Problem with Carbatec jointer fence alignment

Photos below show the fence adjustment mechanism. I cannot see any that would permit the fence to be rotated very slightly in the vertical plane.

Fence mechanism_3.jpg

Fence mechanism_2.jpg

Fence mechanism_1.jpg

Wow Dengue, nice looking machine.
Shame about the problem, is there any way of unbolting the sliding mechanism and using some shim washers to level it up ?
I am sure there must be some way to rectify the problem

Cant actually see from the photos how it is attached

Thanks Mark for your comments. Yes, it certainly looks the goods, this 8" CTJ-350X jointer. But I have to be patient and set it up right before making sawdust.

The fence carriage and the fence itself both have the same mechanism of fitting the linkages. As you can see in the pics from a Grizzly G0490X manual below, a 25mm diameter rod with holes each end is used to slot into the V shaped casting, and the Allen key bolt ( Cap screw) is used to tighten them.

I think that shims would have to be about 5mm in thickness to adjust the alignment in the vertical plane for this machine.

Sorry about my photos above, the fence mechanism is all semigloss black and difficult to photograph. But if you have a look at the pics below, then go back to the three photos above, it will all become a lot clearer

Fence carriage.JPG

In the top pic, you can see the V shaped casting that takes the 25mm linkage rod that connects to the fence



Fence carriage_2.JPG

In this pic, just below the point of the lower arrow, you can see the rod that is bolted to the fence in the same way as the fence carriage

Hi Dengue, I can see the problem now.
You need to loosen the 2 fence carriage bolts and twist it until it is level.
If you cannot get the required angle you would need to elongate the holes (one or both) with a round file and this will solve you, problem.

Thanks Mark, that make sense. I initially went to a lot of trouble so that the fence carriage machined surface was exactly level with the outfeed and infeed tables (which are level with each other).

If I undo the two carriage bolts and rotate it clockwise, looking from the rear, the left side of the fence carriage will be above the tables and I will not be able to slide the fence back off the tables.

Will give it a go later today and see what happens - off to the eye doc now for my 6 month checkup - hope he doesn't dilate the pupils - takes many hours to recover

Dengy,

I think if adjusting the twist of the carriage wont work, i'd be on the phone to the supplier.
My fence went on square to the tables out of the box, but the fence itself is not square to the mounting points, so I had to do a bit of adjusting to get it all to be square. No files needed, just getting tables co planar, then careful adjustment of the fence. Getting a good straight edge was critical for getting it co planar.

I suspect though that something is awry with the casting of the actual fence, not the adjusting mechanism. Is the base of the fence straight?

Thanks Mark, I did as you suggested, loosened off the two cap screws under the fence carriage, and rotated it so the fence was level with the tables along its full length. Looking from the front, I made sure to keep the machined surface on the LHS of the fence carriage level with the outfeed table, so that the fence foot could easily slide on and off the table.

The RHS of the fence carriage was now raised above the level of the infeed table, but that did not matter as there was plenty of clearance when the fence was moved on and off the carriage. Normally this would be a rare event anyways.

Pics of the final fence setup shown below.

Measured the clearance between the inserts and the front part of the outfeed table adjacent to the cutters ( my reference surface ) and found they were spot on out of the factory, the cutters set just a tiny smidgeon higher than the outfeed table level. Just enough to move a straight steel rule a few mm. This setting is recommended by the Wood Whisperer too.

Then set the fence at 90 degrees to the outfeed table no problem, only to find the infeed table sloped 0.25mm down from front edge to back, so I could not get the fence and the infeed table at 90 degrees. That is a problem for tomorrow, getting the tables coplanar. Not looking forward to that one.

P1270485 (Large).jpgRear view of fence foot on table


P1270486 (Large).jpgRear view of fence parallel to the outfeed table


P1270487 (Large).jpgRear view of fence foot on table




P1270491 (Large).jpgFront view of properly aligned fence. Note the foot of the fence is the only part in contact with the tables



P1270489 (Large).jpgRear view of fence carriage. This part is above the level of the infeed table, but there is plenty of clearance for the fence

Glad you got it sorted

As expected of users on this forum, it is traditional that pictures of the equipment are posted.

I made a base for this 230kg jointer using full swivel 3" castor wheels so I could manouvre it in an out of tight corners. Made from 90 x 45 radiata pine timber and 18mm plywood base, with two swivel cast iron wheels rated at 150kg on the outfeed end and two swivel nylon wheels with brakes rated at 120kg on the infeed end.

To keep the whole unit from moving while it was working, I made a adjustable feet out of 200mm long 16mm threaded rod and a nut welded on the ends. This rod and nut winds up and down on a nut welded to a plate and screwed to the underside of the main frame. There are two washers inside the timber footing, either side of the welded nut, so there is no pressure on the timber when being raised and lowered.

There is also some non-slip rubber matting glue to the underside of this foot.

These feet are wound up and down with a socket attached to a battery operated drill, with small spirit levels screwed to the main frame to help avoid twisting of the main frame.


Attachment 342629

Attachment 342630

Attachment 342631

Hi Dengue,
Mark has got you all sorted with the fence alignment issue,
Hope there's no other dramas.


Pete

Any alignment and adjustment issues with this machine: download the manual for the Grizzly 0490 -- it's the same machine and that manual is wonderful and exhaustive unlike the little rag Carbatec ships with theirs. I don't have it on my laptop so I can take it into the workshop should I need it again.