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Nice auction find, 16" jointer, convert from direct drive to belt? pics

Started by Kelvin, February 13, 2010, 08:28:43 AM

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Kelvin

 Howdy all,
Just got back with my new toy, a "famous line" 16" jointer.  Looks identical to all the porter jointers i've seen, so maybe they are the same, down to the motor.  I've been hating to rip down my nice 10"-12" wide 8/4 walnut and cherry boards so i can face joint, so when i saw this come up for sale at auction near by i thought, it might go cheap.  $550 for all you dying to know.  Now i need to see about that 3 phase direct drive motor.  Anyone switch these over to a belt drive?  I hate to start up my rotary converter if i don't have to and i have a couple nice 3 and 5 hp single phase motors in the shop.  I'll have to take the motor off and see what kind of arrangement is under there.  Thought crossed my mind of a byrd head, but $1800?  Now i gotta also buy a new knife grinder, sold mine when i went with the byrd head on my planer.  Any thoughts to a nice knife grinder?  I think the makita water type only does 15"?  Maybe i could sneak 16" on it though.  I had that, it was nice.  I've seen grinders that grind jointer knives in the head from on top of the table, but probably expensive new and hard to find used.

one big question is jointing the knives in the head with the machine running.  anyone know about this?  I've read about it in old fine woodworking mags.  You apparently set the stone on the outfeed table turn on the jointer and hone the knives while they are running by moving the stone side to side?????  Sounds scary, but would make the knives all equal, and flat to the table.  Anyone????

thanks all,
kelvin







LOGDOG

Nice find Kelvin. Is that the electric LT40 that you switched over to a while back in the background? How's that working out for you?

LOGDOG

Kelvin

Hey logdog,
Yes thats the electric mill in the background.  It was a good decision.  Glad i found it.  In fact just yesterday i got sick and tired of my main drive belt falling off as it was coming apart in two pieces and installed the new one i had bought.  Had to take off a couple of things to get at was why i was being lazy, but man, it gained a whole new level of respect for me.  I was thinking it was going to be too slow for long term use for me.  Acted like about 15hp gas, but now its up to the speed of my previous 25hp gas.  I think the phase converter has something to do with loss of power so its not as good as it could be on pure 3phase.
KP

beenthere

Kelvin
Nice find on the jointer.
Honing, if I recall correctly, was done after the blades were sharpened and inserted....but done carefully with the machine stopped. Doesn't take the place of grinding the knives however. Just puts a very small land on the edge.

With the machine running, you may find your honing stone flying off in different directions, as it would take some pounding. Just approach the idea carefully.  :)

When I hand file my circular table saw blades and dado sets, I put them in the table saw backwards and run a stone over the tips while it is running. That evens up all the teeth so filing to just remove that flat spot makes all the teeth the same length. Most important with the dado sets.

Wish you well converting to single phase power.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

LeeB

The only time I tried sharpening with the knives on I found out real quick that they weren't set real well. Ruined my stone and chewed up the knives pretty bad. Apparently I had them set a little high. I never had the nerve to try it again.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

Larry

Nice find and looks to be in good condition.  Check the head style...square is bad.  I was also told there is concern for the clam style heads but I have no experience with them.

Years ago...maybe in the 30's 40's every jointer instruction manual had instructions on how to joint the knifes.  Purpose was to get all the knifes to cut and maybe extend the time between sharpenings.  One of the things in life I've never tried and have no desire to learn.

Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Ironwood

Kelvin,

Good find on the jointer, as you know it wont be a square head. I had a 12" here just like that one. Fine old machine. I have converted several other direct drives to belts. No a huge deal, just get a machinist to slot the shaft after you take off the armature. Sometimes the "new" outboard bearing is not sufficently heavy/big enough to handle the new torque FYI. Those are nice old machines. I dont know for sure, but it is likely that Lightening was bought by Porter and the design then labeled a Porter. That unit was built during the "heyday" of merger/ aquistion/ consolidation of the woodworking industry in the late 1940's- early 1950's. I have Porters and Lightenings and they are nearly exact, and given that it is unlikely it was just copied as the Henry Ford/ Ferguson lawsuit set some precedent for those blatent copying other work.

          Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

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