Installing a planer

[Herb W]

After much determined effort, I've cleared enough shop floor space for the planer.

If you're wondering what planer I'm talking about, see "very old metal planer" - third hand forum.

I have no previous planer experience so I'm looking for advice re setting it up.

To avoid doing harm to the machine and to do accurate work, I presume it's quite important to level it properly.

Dug through my books and did find some procedures for levelling planers, but I'd still like to ask for opinions here re preferred methods...

This looks to be a typical old line shaft planer. 15" x 50" (work area) table. Four cast legs...weighs probably about 2500lbs.

edit: Forgot to mention, the shop has a decent concrete floor - there won't be any cracks within the machine's footprint.



[This message has been edited by Herb W (edited 11-06-2003).]

[Al Messer]

I would say to treat it like leveling a lathe: level it lengthwise, crosswise and diagonally, shimming under the legs where necessary. You will send us some pictures later when you have time?

[Herb W]

Thanks Al,
The important thing, I presume, is to make sure that there's no twist in the bed. Shouldn't be too hard seeing that it only has 4 legs. The hulking big planers must be much more of a challenge to set up.

I will post some pictures...just have to take the time to learn how

[metal mite]

What's it have?
Vee ways?
Most of that era are built that way.

If so, put precision machined cylinders in the vees, a ground bar across the cylinders and a precision level on the bar/parallel.
Don't mix up the pins and bar position, end to end, or you may chase your tail.
Place them in the same relitive positions end to end on the planer.

Try to use a less worn area of the ways for the leveling op. if you can.
Get us pictures.

mite

[Lou]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Herb W:
After much determined effort, I've cleared enough shop floor space for the planer.

If you're wondering what planer I'm talking about, see "very old metal planer" - third hand forum.

I have no previous planer experience so I'm looking for advice re setting it up.

To avoid doing harm to the machine and to do accurate work, I presume it's quite important to level it properly.

Dug through my books and did find some procedures for levelling planers, but I'd still like to ask for opinions here re preferred methods...

This looks to be a typical old line shaft planer. 15" x 50" (work area) table. Four cast legs...weighs probably about 2500lbs.

edit: Forgot to mention, the shop has a decent concrete floor - there won't be any cracks within the machine's footprint.

[This message has been edited by Herb W (edited 11-06-2003).]</font>

[Lou]

This is my first time and I'm having some trouble in replying.
I've used piston pin from diesel engines that approx. 2" in dia. to suport the level. Once the bed has been leveled, as stated in the previous post, place the level at one end of the table and then move the table while observing the level, note any defelections. Move the level to the other end of the table, and again move the table full travel while observing the level for any deflection. Make corrections by shimming the planer legs.

[Herb W]

Thanks Guys,

mite, yes V ways - what you've suggested is about what I expect I'll be doing. Good point about not mixing up the components.

Lou, first off, welcome to 'the board'.
Yeah wrist pins would work...not sure what I'll use, I'll have to see what I can find.

Been thinking about what you've said about cycling the table with the level on it. I could be wrong, but I think that would apply to a longer planer (with more that 4 legs).

In Colvin & Stanley's 'Drilling & Surfacing Practice', they suggest levelling the bed and then taking a cut off the table surface.
Don't think I'll do that unless it really needs it.

[Oso]

Seems that checking level with the table would be doubtful.

If the table were to measure out, and one corner were high, it would not necessarily reflect reality, it might just be a warped table. Shimming wouldn't take that out.

If the bed is level, it is level. Then the table needs to be accurate as a separate issue. If both are not true, the planer won't work right.

But you could use a level and true bed to spot-in a table...A mighty lot of lifting though.

[DBW]

I had an old Hendy 16"x16"x48" pat.1874 planer but had to sell it cause we were retiring to FL. Moving it in and out of the basement was a whole different story. With no room overhead for a belt drive, I used 2 motors, one for cutting & one for return mounted under the planer. It had a clutch drive so so shifting the belt was not a problem.
DBW

[docsteve66]

Problem with "leveling" old equipment is that it may have been aligned with a twist, or some other defect.

I'd advise installing it as best you can, spin things though by hand, then cut some air and let every thing move under power. THEN put in some soft stuff, and take some light cuts and measure. If it works "good nuff" for you at that time try USING it.

When it won't meet your minimums start fine tuning. with luck, you will do some parts that please you before you demand more. And in a few years years you will have a better machine than now (due to your work) and it still won't do every thing you want. But no machine ever will when your expectations increase as fast as your abilities.

[Herb W]

DBW,
Big part of the reason that I want to set up the planer with it's original overhead belt drive system is curiosity. I've seen pictures of line shaft shops but haven't actually seen one in action.
I do wonder just how well the belt shifting mechanism works...tend to think that control of stroke length must be somewhat 'iffy'.

I may eventually want to set it up with a more sophisticated drive.

A planer in a basement...now there's something you don't see every day!

doc,
Yes, hard to say what conditions an old machine has been run in...guess I'll find out more as I get it set up.

[Bill Cook]

Herb

Congratulations!

Here's a couple of free downloads from that era.

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/onlinecolls/collection.cfm?CID=10

Modern Machine Shop Practice, Vol 1, 1887-88 has two chapters with cutaway drawings and explanations of planer drives, feeds, and much more.

The Advanced Machinist 1903 isn't as extensive, but worth the effort.

bc

[gvasale]

I just found my book "Treatise on Planers" by the Cincinnati Planer Co. It does have a section on installation. I also found inside a paper titled "Directions for the setting up the _______Inch Gray Planer.

I am plagued with computer problems right now, and am unable to scan. If you provide me with a mailing address, I will copy and forward to you. This is a first edition book. I know this because I have seen another from the '20s marked second edition.

[Herb W]

Bill,
Thanks, I've had that site bookmarked for a while, so when I got the planer, I printed out the shaper & planer chapters.
The Joshua Rose books are quite interesting...think I'll download all of both of them eventually. I haven't looked at Advanced Machinist much yet.

gvasale,
I acquired that book shortly after I got the planer. I'd seen it mentioned somewhere - probably the shaper group. Mine is the 1st edition as well...1912 I think.

Is there any additional information (besides what's in the book) in that paper re setting up the gray planer? Thanks!