Aligning jointer tables and shelix cutter head

No, it can be done but it’s very difficult esp if you don’t have precision straight edges.
Shim up the head on it’s low side. Don’t mess with the coplane of the tables.

Good Luck

-- Aj

Putting one in you needed to drop the tables, both in and out feed. I raised both up after it was in, so a straightedge laying on both tables, just touched the cutter where the straightedge went across.

Then I dropped the outfeed side about 1/8”, not a lot. I used a piece of fairly flat stock 24” that I had already jointed, and ran it in till it cut maybe 6” onto the outfeed table.

Then I just moved the infeed, so it totally supported the portion on it, and it still was just making contact with the outfeed.

Got another piece of stock, and ran it across like I would to joint it, and it was fine. One of the small things you don’t want to forget is you took off the fence. Now I just hardly ever tilt a jointer fence, so you have to resquare it to the deck. Either that or I about guarantee you’ll be jointing a bevel on everything.

That was at first, then I went back and redid the entire thing, just dropping the outfeed around 1/16. After that I was much happier with the results.

-- Think safe, be safe

Okay so I guess it does not affect safety aspect about raising cutterhead a couple thousand or so if tables are already coplanar. Which mine are not since I did have to drop both tables for removal and installation.
Since I have to redo coplanar and align cutter head I guess I will simply reference outfeed to cutterhead and lower outfeed table the suggested depth (will have to revisit the suggested depth for outfeed table being lower than cutters). And then using outfeed as reference to the infeed table to make all coplanar

-- The Carpenter Bee is derived from the Ancient Greek word wood-cutter "xylokopos/ξυλοκὀπος"

Let’s be clear on alignment of tables. Almost all jointers have table that will adjust up or down with a hand wheels or lever.
Using them is perfectly ok and should not affect the coplaner of the tables. One might be higher or lower but still in the same or very close plane.
Jointers with Dt ways are not really meant to be adjusted with shims but can be as a last resort.
The Dj jointers with cams in the corners can be adjusted if they need but only if you have a good straight edge and clear picture of what going on.
What type of jointer do you have Holbs.

-- Aj

2001 clone era. 8” geetech dovetail way jointer.

-- The Carpenter Bee is derived from the Ancient Greek word wood-cutter "xylokopos/ξυλοκὀπος"

Ok I know exactly what that is. I had one about ten years ago with a helical Head it had six rows of nine total 54 inserts.
What you want to do is to just snug up the gib screw with the jam nut. It should be tight but not so tight you cannot move the table up or down.
That should bring the tables back into alignment just like they were set up at the factory.If it doesn’t you might have gotten some crud in the ways it doesn’t take much to goof up the fit.
If that goes well raise up the outfeed so it just barely touches the bottom of a ruler on the heads highest side.
Then shim up the lowest side of the heads bearing block.
The jointer I had there was a nut that I could loosen and slip shims under.
Here’s a pic that shows gib screws with jam nut adjust both carefully.
Good Luck

-- Aj

Also in the pic it shows place shims here on both sides. Disregard this until you absolutely have to .
Your shims should go under the bearing block.
Good Luck

-- Aj

I too am installing a shelix cutterhead on my 8” jointer with dovetail ways. I was going to shim the cutterhead to the infeed table to align the cutterhead with the infeed table and then shim the outfeed table to the infeed table to align the two tables. Am I correct in thinking that I don’t want to shim the infeed table because it moves up and down. This makes sense to me to do it this way. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you in advance.

-- Russ Mitchell

I wouldn’t shim the infeed.
Or the outfeed unless I was absolutely sure it would help.
Mr Bear what brand of machine do you have.

-- Aj

sorry for not replying, Aj2, back in 2019 :) Once I reset my infeed/outfeed tables with gib screws and jam nut, the thing came to be 99.9% coplaner by default. Must of had one of the screws too tight or something.

-- The Carpenter Bee is derived from the Ancient Greek word wood-cutter "xylokopos/ξυλοκὀπος"

sorry for not replying, Aj2, back in 2019 :) Once I reset my infeed/outfeed tables with gib screws and jam nut, the thing came to be 99.9% coplaner by default. Must of had one of the screws too tight or something.

- Holbs

Excellent Mr Holbs :) sometimes just cleaning out years of dust and gunk is all ones needs to do. If it’s a new jointer and the tables are out of alignment well that’s a drag.:(

Good Luck

-- Aj

I’m hoping I have the same result as Mr. Holbs, just planning for the worst case where nothing aligns. I have an 8” Delta model 37-380 and previously I had to shim the outfeed table to get it to align with the infeed table. I sure hope that is all I need to do.

-- Russ Mitchell

It doesn’t take much to throw off the alignment on a newer style dovetail jointer. Esp if it’s used & some handling of the jointer from the ends of the tables will do it.
Might just need cleaning of the ways you want any dirt of wood chips in there. Keep that in mind if properly tightened gibs doesn’t do it.
Shims are very last resort.

Good Luck

-- Aj

It doesn’t take much to throw off the alignment on a newer style dovetail jointer. Esp if it’s used & some handling of the jointer from the ends of the tables will do it.
Might just need cleaning of the ways you want any dirt of wood chips in there. Keep that in mind if properly tightened gibs doesn’t do it.
Shims are very last resort.

Good Luck

Thanks Aj

- Aj2

-- Russ Mitchell