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Thread: Shelix install issues: Concave after planing and snipe

  1. #1

    Shelix install issues: Concave after planing and snipe

    I just installed the Shelix head in my Grizzly G1021 planer and I am experiencing concavity on over the length of the planed face. I lowered the extension rollers because I found that I was getting a 0.010" concavity on the planed face of a 48" board. The test board was jointed and checked with a 40" long precision straight edge. It is jointed flat within 0.0015' (my smallest feeler gauge) over the length of the straight edge. I thought that I would eliminate the extension rollers as a factor and lowering them did solve the concavity issue but then a snipe issue resulted. I tried adjusting the extension rollers to reduce the snipe but the concavity is beginning to reoccur. I am adjusting them according to the manual which advises:

    1. Lower the table and position a flat board, so it lays on the table and suspends over one of the extension rollers.

    2. Adjust the tightness of the mounting bolts and the depth of the setscrews on the extension roller body. Various combinations of loosening and/or tightening the setscrews and bolts will level the extension rollers with the table. When the outermost extension roller touches the bottom of the board, stop adjusting and secure the extension roller to the body.

    3. Repeat steps 1-3 for the other extension
    Prior to swapping out the original cutter head with the Shelix head, I checked to see that the original planer head was parallel to the table, set the in feed roller, out feed roller, and chip breaker 0.040” below the cutting arc of the original cutter head and set the table rollers to 0.002” above the table.

    I found another posting for a issue relating to snipe that suggested that the new cutters are a little lower than before and that it may be necessary to lower the in feed and out feed rollers to compensate.

    Further searching regarding extension rollers, I found:

    My 15" Bridgewood planer has infeed and out feed tables with 3 steel rollers each. I have them adjusted so the innermost roller is just a hair above the rollers that are under the pressure rollers inside the machine. The second roller out is about 1/16" higher and the third is another 1/16" higher. This helps reduce snipe on heavy cuts but to completely get rid of it, my last pass or two are just heavy enough to remove the marks from the grooved infeed pressure roller.


    Has anyone experienced these issues with installing a Shelix cutter head on a 15” planer with extension rollers?

    I would suggest that anyone considering this swap purchase the gasket and seals new and replace them when you install the cutter head. From Grizzly, the cost for all three was approximately $3.00. The old gasket would not seal and I had to disassemble the planer a second time to install a new gasket. I went ahead and put new seals in to make sure it was the last time I had to open the gearbox. $3.00, $3.00, $3.00

    Thanks in advance for your help.

    Kelly

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,247
    Kelly, pardon my ignorance, however does your planer have rollers in the bed of the machine?

    (Not infeed/outfeed rollers).

    Try adjusting them below the planer bed and repeat the test run. If the result is good, you're OK. If not then.........

    I would then re-check all the adjustments for feed/outfeed roller, chipbreaker and pressure bar adjustments.

    Regards, Rod

  3. #3
    I cannot see how a planer could convex a board unless the cutter was somehow rising then falling as the board passed through. Check your jointer, and the lumber after it is jointed. It isn't uncommon for lumber to move due to resurfacing.

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