Jointer Gib Adjustments
harkand
to gibs and gib adjustment on jointers. What are gibs and what are the
adjustments? Also, can anyone make any recommendations on books on this
subject.
Thank you
Harry Horlings
Doug Stowe
<har...@teleport.com> wrote:
Here is a quote directly from a Delta Jointer Manual--copyright 1974
Adjusting the table gibs
"Gibs" are provided to take up all play between the mating dovetailed ways
of the base and the front and rear tables of your jointer. The "gib" for
the front table is located between the dovetailed ways of the front table
and base. Proper gib adjustment is necessary for the correct functioning
of the jointer. The "gibs" on your machine were "adjusted"(quotes mine)
at the factory and should require no further adjustment, however, if it
ever becomes necessary to adjust the "gibs" proceed as follows:
1. Loosen all three gib adjusting screws.
2. Proceed to retighten the three gib adjusting screws and as you proceed
toward the top, raise up gently on the outboard edge of the table being
adjusted. This will offset any tendency of the table casting to "droop"
or "sag" and permit the gib to be brought up to a secure fit.
Important: Do not leave the screws too loose. It should take a little
bit of effot to crank the table up and down. Your Jointer is a finishing
machine and yoou can't expect to get a good jointer finish if the table is
set loose and sloppy.
These instructions may help you to understand "gibs". I don't know how
your Jet is adjusted, but you should check in your manual, as it will
certainly have some similar means for correcting "droop" or "sag".
You can check whether the "gibs" need to be adjusted by raising the infeed
table to the same height as the outfeed table, and with a long straight
edge, check to see that the tables are perfectly flat in relation to each
other.
Best wishes, Doug
--
"Creating Beautiful Boxes With Inlay Techniques"
Fine furnishings from American Hardwoods since 1976
visit http://www.DougStowe.com
Doug Stowe
rayh...@aol.com (RayHobbes) wrote:
>
> The infeed table on my Delta jointer sagged inward fairly badly. Read the
> instructions that you cited above and tried to adjust the gibs but no luck.
> Couldn't shim it either. Called Delta and they shipped me a new jointer.
> Checked the tables out my handy-dandy 4 foot precison straight edge and this
> one is perfectly level.
>
> According to Delta, the gibs won't adjust sag so I'm kinda confused as to the
> purpose of the gib instructions. Seems to me that all the gibs do is to
> tighten the table.
Yes, the gibs tighten the table. Adjusting them may not compensate for
sag that results from faulty machining, which is probably why you had to
return the first one. But adjusting them should allow you to compensate
for normal wear. The instructions I quoted were for the 1974 model 4"
jointer(pulled from my equipment file) and may not directly apply to other
delta models or jointers by other manufacturers. I quoted them to help
with knowlege of what is meant by a "gib". I'm glad your second delta
jointer is straight! Yours, Doug