# Belsaw Planer Knife Adjust ???



## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

So today I decided it was high time to swap out the planer knives.
...new dance for me.. Belsaw machine.
So I dig out the manual & read all applicable info to be had & go for it.
Now this planer has set for umpteen years in an unheated shop. It was cutting fine when I started out with it 6-8 months ago but the knives have a few nicks and I have a set of sharp ones.. so I go for it.

After some penetrating oil, time and patience I got the gibs slacked off. A few taps with a hardwood block loosened things up and with care I was able to get the knives out.

I numbered all the slots, gibs & other parts to keep them where they came from.

I wire brushed out the slots & wiped them with a light coat of 3 in 1 oil. Cleaned up the gibs (lotta resin buildup) and shined them up a bit with 400 grit then a light coat of oil.

Started re-assembling and here's where I got questions...

I have the adjustment gauge set and get the knives to their proper height but as I tighten the gibs it drags the knife upwards with it.
I tried holding the knife down with a block of hardwood as I tightened but it still raised a bit.

What am I missing here?? How do I keep that knife where it should be..:huh:

Thanks gang.
..Jon..


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Are there any "jack" screws?*

They are on the bottom of the cutterhead and are adjustable to set the knife's base on. Once the knives are resting on the jack screws evenly and the gib screws are snug enough to hold them in place, start to tighten them gradually. If necessary tap them down with a plastic mallet or a block of wood to keep them resting on the jack screws.
I have the same planer possibly, a 12" Belsaw 9103 model. It has 2 jack screws per blade. The gib screws are vertical to the cutterhead and draw the gib downward as you tighten them. Your planer may be different. Post a picture of the cutterhead and details.

Jack screws are part no. 53 here on 910 parts diagram:
http://www.belsaw.com/MiscPDFs/910_Dia_PL.PDF


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## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

It's the same machine woodnthings. I've tried tapping them a bit with a block of hardwood as I tighten the gibs but in the end they seem to ride up a bit.
Would it be reasonable to get them all in place, protect them with a strip of hardwood and wrap the whole head with about 4 hose clamps to hold them down on the jack screws whilst I tighten the gibs??
They could come up by a 32nd or so before there's any clearance problem & if they all would come up the same amount.. no problem.
I have a glued up table top started and need to have the plane before I glue up the three sections. (kinda like a bench build laminated hardwood top)
So I figured this would be a good time to get the plane tuned up, oiled, new knives etc.
Any & all advice is much appreciated.
..Jon..


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*OK, this belies physics...*

It's against gravity and the wedge shaped gibs being drawn down as they are tightened. Are the blades dry and clean and the wedges and slots dry and clean? That's the first thing I would try.

The next question I have which type of height adjustment gauge are you using? Factory supplied? I have several including a micrometer style. I just don't recall this being an issue as I have changed out my blades.....hmmmm. :blink:
I have this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WP0452-Wood...753?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b29e2a21

here are the factory types:
http://www.belsaw.com/bellcat_pdf/Blitz_p3.pdf

If I remember, the procedure is drop the blade onto the jack screw insert the 2 gibs and then center them on the screw holes using a small Phillips screw driver in the hole. Drop the screws into the holes and snug them first, then tighten them up. I don't know what else would cause the blades to raise as you tighten the gibs down.... anti-gravity 

Don't ask me how I ended up with so many planer knife setting guages, and I have already given one set away. The red one at the bottom doesn't have enough offset for this planer, about 1/8" off the cutter head, maybe up to 3/6".


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## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

I have the one in the second photo.. the little three legged gizmodo. It seems fine to get the height with but still the gibs drag the blade upwards slightly.
I did clean all the crap out of the slots & wirebrushed the surfaces. The sharpened blades were very clean and I cleaned the resin from the gib faces so should be good to go.
What are the white rings?? They look like what I'd use to hold the blades in place.. Only I was going to go with some big hose clamps and some hardwood to protect the edge.
..Jon..


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*the white rings*

They are clamps that go around the cutterhead and have notches for the blade to fit in. Your hose clamp idea isn't all bad and the rings perform the same function. They are what I used the last time I changes out the blades if I recall. Now I also recall sanding the surfaces of the gibs on some 320 wet dry paper to remove any hints of imperfection or crud. The blades could also be "polished" in the same way. It shouldn't be this difficult. :no:


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## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

Well thanx a bunch wood... I'll see what I can come up with for a clamp and & may shine the gibs up to 320--400 we'll see.
Onw final ?? do your jack screws eat into the bottom of the gibs? Mine do by about a 64th..just a little nick.. I filed it down.
I'm sure these blades have been sharpened a few times so aren't as wide as a new one..& so ride up past the gib base a bit.

Thanx again..Jon..


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*sharpening*

Sharpening doesn't not change the thickness of the blade. It does reduce the width, the amount of height that protrudes over the cutterhead. Your blades may have reached that optimum width and are being squeezed up a bit when they get tightened. New blades are the best solution for several reasons...they will be sharpened correctly and will be the correct width.
I get mine here: http://www.holbren.com/jointer-planer-knives/ 
Use the online discount code BT310. :yes:

You'll need to establish the correct amount of blade exposure from the cutterhead. I don't know how to give you a measurement for that. Maybe there is info online or a call to Belsaw will work, I donno? The jack screws may be to high now if the blades have been "oversharpened" . I could give you that number from my cutterhead.

OK for what it's worth... 5/32" to the bevel, not the tip of the blade. OR 1/4" from the blade tip to the gib surface which is below the cutterhead. I noticed that the jack scews had backed away from the blade in the thightened position for some reason. Could have been just vibration, I donno?


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