Jointer assembly/Setup Help

Hi Chris—

Thanks for the time and trouble to take the pictures. However, I am not sure what you are meaning by “parallel to the table.” The fence needs only to be at right angles, or the angle you choose, from the table.

If you mean touching both the infeed and the outfeed table simultaneously, that can’t be because those tables are adjustable and in practice, the infeed table will be slightly lower than the outfeed table.

1. I don’t know the “notch” you’re talking about here.

2. When the fence is set at any position, you should be able to lock it at any position on the table. You’ll be learning soon to “hoard” a little sweet spot on the table and use it just for challenging and gnarly wood because the knives will be sharpest there.

3. What matters is that the fence locks snugly in place. What it does when it is released to move one way or the other isn’t important.

4. I don’t know about that fence touching the table. It’s true on many, though. It would be like metals touching, so there would be no gouging, just perhaps some marking. Not to worry.

Kindly,

Lee

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

“You can see from my two photos that the infeed side of the fence to the outfeed side of the fence is more than 1/2 inch different. Is this common? “

It is not uncommon. Often the back half of the fence is relieved to
assist in rabbeting cuts where cuts as deep a 1/2” deep are taken.

Look at the pictures on the Grizzly website. I just did. There is
a gap shown between the fence and the outfeed table. This
is intentional to the design I am sure.

I think he is talking about he distance between the back of the bed and the face of the fence.

-- San Diego, CA

He is talking about the fence not being lined up with the table as in this example diagram. This is a view if you were looking down from above the table. Correct me if I am wrong about what you are seeing.

And I would agree that isn’t correct and there has to be a way to correct the alignment of the fence in relation to the tables. If the fence is not parallel to the tables it isn’t going to flatten a piece of wood squarely across the width that you are trying to joint. I am not familiar with the Grizzly jointer but if you call them they are very good on the phone at helping with issues on their equipment.

-- "I work so I can fish"!

There must be any way to align them properly of the fence. I think we need to think from the scratch for alignment.
granite countertops miami

Thanks for the insights. I see now, and it is clearly illustrated in the images.

I looked at my PM and that whole cast iron fence assembly is bolted to the side of the outfeed table. If I had an adjustment to be made, it would be accomplished by shimming at one of the attachment bolts.

I’m thinking a half inch is too much though; it suggests something isn’t right either in the way the fence is attached or perhaps from a manufacturing defect that put a hole in the wrong place.

Can we help him some more?

Kindly,

Lee

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

Here’s a shot of the effect of years of professional use of my PM jointer, where the fence rides on the table. I had to delete several images which didn’t reveal it at all; it is only visible when the light strikes it just right.

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

Thanks everyone for your help. I have since found that even though the back side of the fence is off 1/2 inch from end to end, the front of the fence is square to the cutting blade. And I would think that is what is most important. Square up and down 90 degress to the table and 90 degrees to the blade.

Again, thanks… oh and by the way, I’m a “she” not a “he”. :)

Chris

Nobody could tell that from your user name. At any rate, you got it worked out and found what a great, helpful bunch of people inhabit this site. Welcome to the club and please work safely.

Steve

-- Steve in KY. 44 years so far with my lovely bride. Think I'll keep her.