Help with new to me tecnomax scm fs41 elite planer jointer table alignment

[Erik Loza]

To Jim’s point, the only time I suggest casters at each “foot” of a jointer-planer is if your shop has a dead-flat concrete floor. Otherwise, it will rock and otherwise unbalance the machine, allow lots of vibration, etc. Also, I seem to recall that the feet on that particular machine are just hollow square tubing. In other words, there is not really anything to thread casters into. Hence why the OEM solution involves cutouts in the walls of the legs. The OEM mobility kit is indeed a bit awkward but actually works quite well.

OP, this is just my 2-cents, which might be worth half that: Everything you’re mentioning so far is falling into the “new owner getting used to the machine” bucket from what I can see. I would focus on getting that machine firmly settled onto the floor, wax the jointer tables and planer bed, verify that the fence is square, etc. before worrying about cast iron tolerances. Here is a DIY for calibrating a Robland X-31, which has an identical jointer table design to your machine:

http://www.hypersurf.com/~charlie2/X...ructions0.html

Again, good luck and hope this all helps.

Erik

[David Bryan West]

Hey thanks for all the advice on my fs41 elite. I’ve got another question, while I’m planing, can I change speeds while it’s on or shut off first? I’ve had two planets and they each had different requirements. Thanks.

[Erik Loza]

Hey thanks for all the advice on my fs41 elite. I’ve got another question, while I’m planing, can I change speeds while it’s on or shut off first? I’ve had two planets and they each had different requirements. Thanks.

I always shut the machine off before changing speeds and most everyone uses theirs on the higher speed. One important note: Always put the gear selector back into NEUTRAL when not using the machine. That helps prevent creating a divot in the polyurethane drive wheel.

Erik

[David Bryan West]

Oh okay. Great. Thanks. Good to know and I appreciate it

[Jim Becker]

My mobility kit has the wheels in the back always down touching the floor. Is this correct or should they somehow retract so the steel frame touches the floor?

There should be locking handles that permit you to lower and raise the fixed wheels so your machine is flat on the floor. There should be a lever for each wheel separately. To make it mobile, lift that end with the Johnson bar, let the wheels drop and then tighten the, um...tighteners. Then move the Johnson bar to the other end to lift it and be the third wheel, as it were, that is steerable. I cannot imagine your FS41 is different than my FS350 in that respect.

[David Bryan West]

Interesting. So the mobility kit is temporary in that very time you want to move the machine, it has to be lifted and the wheels loosened up so they fall down into position and then tightened up again. And then when you’re done with machine for the day, repeat the process to put back? This seams crazy. I must not be understating you correctly.

[Jim Becker]

Interesting. So the mobility kit is temporary in that very time you want to move the machine, it has to be lifted and the wheels loosened up so they fall down into position and then tightened up again. And then when you’re done with machine for the day, repeat the process to put back? This seams crazy. I must not be understating you correctly.

That's correct. Keep in mind that the majority of owners are not moving these machines very often. I had to move mine a few times in the temporary gara-shop in order to fit some longer material through, but otherwise, mine is set in a position and doesn't move unless there's a change to the shop orientation. That was true at my previous shop, too. That said, it's not as arduous as it seems at first. In fact, if you're not going to use the machine when it's tucked up to your wall for space considerations, leave it on the wheels. Just be sure it's on the floor when you are actually processing material. Once you do it a number of times, it gets easier and more automatic and you also get a feel for how you need to maneuver things with the Johnson bar to put it exactly where you want it without a lot of fiddling around and back/forth movement.

[David Bryan West]

Thank you very much for all the insight. I have just discovered that I really miss my bird head on my Delta, DJ 20. As I have put in brand new M 42+ blades and have only run a few boards through planer , maple, there are 1/2” wide or so lines all over the place. very disappointing results from brand new blades. I guess I’ll have to get carbine if I can’t do six boards from three-quarter inch down to 5/8 inch without getting lines everywhere. Does anyone have any experience with these Tersa m42+ knives abd how quickly they don’t give a good result right away?

[Warren Lake]

where was the material stored.

[David Bryan West]

They are 10 inch wide 3/4” s4s from my supplier. They are ready for using for the most part. I don’t use them from the factory but some I’m sure would. They are clean except the paint on the ends of the boards.

[Robert LaPlaca]

I use m42+ Tersa knives in my MM FS41E, they leave a lovely finish, obviously they will not last as long a carbide Tersa’s. The knives will get minor nicks if the stock has dirt embedded in it, or if the stock has lots of embedded silica, sounds like that maybe your case..

[David Bryan West]

I’m going to take a picture of the wood. Keep in mind this is after just using them for one pass on the planer. Do you know how to insert a photo?

[Kevin Jenness]

They are 10 inch wide 3/4” s4s from my supplier. They are ready for using for the most part. I don’t use them from the factory but some I’m sure would. They are clean except the paint on the ends of the boards.

Paint explains the knife nicks- the pigment is abrasive. Trim the ends before milling.

My impression is Tersa M42 does not hold up as well as good quality HSS conventional knives, but all bets are off if you run painted material through the machine.

[David Bryan West]

See I never new that. I always run the boards through my old planers and jointers. So basically the hss and m42+ knives are not up to the task. If this little bit of paint on the ends of the boards caused this, then the steel is too soft for me. I need my byrd head back.

[Kevin Jenness]

Tersa M42 knives are fine if you don't abuse them. If you need to mill abrasive material buy a set of carbide knives. I guess you could replace your Tersa head with a helical one but I wouldn't think it worthwhile unless regularly using highly figured wood. I run conventional carbide tipped knives in my jointer and they work well.