Thanks, good point. In fact, since I have access to a machine shop I
probably could have made a nice flat aluminum bar with cuttouts for my
wrench, but ah well -- I only spent $30. I'll have to try removing the
springs and see if that makes it easier.

Although, if one blade is more proud than the others, technically speaking
it should wear faster and eventually be in line with the other 2 anyway...

Mike

"T Clapp" wrote in message
...
I think you didn't need to buy the magnet. The springs do the same
thing...keep the blade pushed up against an object that is flush with the
outfeed table. You put a straight steel rule on the outfeed table and let
the blade touch it at specified distance from the edge of the outfeed
table
which represents TDC. You're probably right, though...since ya already
spent those bucks, can remove the springs if you want.

Did you plane a board yet? I can usually tell if the blades are alligned
just by the nice smooth sound of the machine. Unalligned blades make more
noise and vibration even when newly sharp.
The board test is not always accurate since the blade can slip on the
board
a bit .

"Mike in Idaho" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I spent the weekend tuning up my shop and I purchased a the polycarb
jointer
jig with magnets from Woodcraft to reset my knives. I have a Sunhill
jointer (like Jet/Grizzly, etc) and the knives are held in place with a
magnet piece that has screws that bind the knives/magnet into place in
the
cutterhead. The two pieces sit on a couple of springs (I assume to help
align the knife).

One thing I noticed is that the springs were so strong that the knife
assembly pushed up on my magnet jig. So I ended up lining up the jig
first
(on TDC - true dead center) and then putting a block on top of the jig
to
hold it down, sliding the knife assembly underneath so the tip of the
knife
lined up with the mark on the jig and then secured it.

Once I installed all 3 knives I did the board slide test (as described
in
the archives). I put a mark on the board, set the board on the outfeed
table, over the cutterhead as well, and lined the mark up to the end of
the
table. As I rotated the cutterhead (using the belt) I found that one
knife
moved it about 1/8", the 2nd knife about 1/16" and the third just barely
touched it. Oh, I should probably point out that I aligned the outfeed
table to the first knife before checking the other three (hoping they
would
match). So at this point I do get nice flat boards when run through the
jointer, but logic says one of my knives is working harder than the
other
2.

So, since I'm not really using the magnets to set the knives (I have to
push
down on the jig to keep the springs from pushing the jig up), it's
acting
as
more of a flat hold down. Ugh.

Here's my question: Is it possible to remove the springs without
affecting
the performance of the jointer? By removing the springs it seems that
the
jig would perform as it was designed -- to hold the knife assembly UP
not
push it down -- thus I would be exerting less pressure on the knives and
I
assume I would be able to align them more precisely.

Or do I just keep aligning them over and over until they match with the
push
test? I'm I dreaming that that's possible?

Thanks,
Mike