# DIY-  Planer-Jointer Blade Sharpening Fixture



## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

It sure is nice to dream up an idea, go out into the shop and whip it up in less than an hour.
I found this 4" Rockwell planer-jointer on Craigslist.
I'm going through it to get it ready to use and hand over to my son. He's a starving teacher in the California school system. (proud PaPa)
I like to help him where I can.
This is just a block of hot rolled steel, I put it in vinegar for 3 days to remove the thick layer of mill scale.  Used the horizontal saw to cut a block a bit longer than the blades.
I then placed the block at a 35 degree angle in the Kurt vise. Used a 7/8" end mill to seat the blade into the block for a secure and repeatable position.
 This will allow for the planer blades to be sharpened on my surface grinder.
I'm using a CBN wheel that puts a mirror finish on parts.
I'll just drill and tap 10-32 to hold the blades to the block.
I don't know if this is the only one in existence or if this is a common idea?? It just came to me one day.


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## jwmelvin (Mar 25, 2021)

Looks like a good approach to me. Did you relieve the inside corner on the block? It looks like it, and that seems good if possible (depending on the cutter’s edge radius).


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## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

jwmelvin said:


> Looks like a good approach to me. Did you relieve the inside corner on the block? It looks like it, and that seems good if possible (depending on the cutter’s edge radius).


No I didn't, good idea.
Would you set up the cut with a slitting saw?


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## jwmelvin (Mar 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> No I didn't, good idea.
> Would you set it up the cut with a slitting saw?



I was thinking about how I’d do it and decided that a slitting saw would be better than a tiny end mill. So at least the two of us have that inclination.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 25, 2021)

Good work Jeff. 
This is super timely as I was thinking about how to do this for my planer blades. 
Thanks for saving me some trouble!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ErichKeane (Mar 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> No I didn't, good idea.
> Would you set up the cut with a slitting saw?


Use a shaper with a pointed tool


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## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

ErichKeane said:


> Use a shaper with a pointed tool


That could work.
Not everyone has a shaper.


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## ErichKeane (Mar 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> That could work.
> Not everyone has a shaper.


It seems like they should!


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## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

DavidR8 said:


> Good work Jeff.
> This is super timely as I was thinking about how to do this for my planer blades.
> Thanks for saving me some trouble!
> 
> ...


David, 
The chips in your Avatar look like you've been using a sharp parting tool.
Am I close?


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## DavidR8 (Mar 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> David,
> The chips in your Avatar look like you've been using a sharp parting tool.
> Am I close?


Pretty close, those are 12L14 chips made with a freshly ground HSS tool  a la @mikey.
I was pushing my poor SB 10K to see how deep a cut it would take. On a 1" diameter workpiece I was able to manage about .07" DoC at about a .005 feed rate. 
That instantly made me a believer in a sharp HSS tool!


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## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

DavidR8 said:


> Pretty close, those are 12L14 chips made with a freshly ground HSS tool  a la @mikey.
> I was pushing my poor SB 10K to see how deep a cut it would take. On a 1" diameter workpiece I was able to manage about .07" DoC at about a .005 feed rate.
> That instantly made me a believer in a sharp HSS tool!


I was visiting Ulma Doc's shop, I actually touched a HSS tool ground for a shaper a la Mikey.
I've haven't been the same since


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## benmychree (Mar 25, 2021)

I made a similar fixture to sharpen up to 12" planer blades; my approach was a bit different, in that I used 3/4" square steel and machined a slot at an angle the full length leaving a projecting lip with drilled and tapped holes for setscrews to clamp the knives in, this way, it is not specific to any hole spacing or length of knife with or without holes.


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## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

benmychree said:


> I made a similar fixture to sharpen up to 12" planer blades; my approach was a bit different, in that I used 3/4" square steel and machined a slot at an angle the full length leaving a projecting lip with drilled and tapped holes for setscrews to clamp the knives in, this way, it is not specific to any hole spacing or length of knife with or without holes.


12"!! That's the real deal.
I'm looking at an old Craftsman 6" planer. It will need to be in good shape. I'm done with projects for a while.


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## benmychree (Mar 25, 2021)

The 12" length is for planer blades, also works for 6" jointer blades..


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## benmychree (Mar 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> 12"!! That's the real deal.
> I'm looking at an old Craftsman 6" planer. It will need to be in good shape. I'm done with projects for a while.


YOU done with projects????


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## Janderso (Mar 25, 2021)

benmychree said:


> YOU done with projects????


I have so much on my to do list, I've got three machine tools tore down in the rebuild process.
Just for a while 
In less than a year I'll have much more time.
 Plus, mid summer, I'm going to 4 day weeks-I hope.


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## benmychree (Mar 25, 2021)

Janderso said:


> I have so much on my to do list, I've got three machine tools tore down in the rebuild process.
> Just for a while
> In less than a year I'll have much more time.
> Plus, mid summer, I'm going to 4 day weeks-I hope.


There is a lot to recommend retirement!


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## yendor (Mar 26, 2021)

I'm thinking you wouldn't have to have a surface grinder you could mount a Cup Stone in a Drill Chuck and mount the fixture on a Mill Table.


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## Janderso (Mar 26, 2021)

yendor said:


> I'm thinking you wouldn't have to have a surface grinder you could mount a Cup Stone in a Drill Chuck and mount the fixture on a Mill Table.


That could work. Dress the wheel and run at a high rate of speed.


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## benmychree (Mar 26, 2021)

Yes, that would be possible, for optimum grinding conditions, the stone would have to be harder than normal, as using a stone at slower speeds that would be available on a mill would act to make the stone act softer and not hold up as well.  Personally, I think that grinding jobs belong on a grinding machine that is better adapted and equipped to deal with grit and grinding swarf.
toolroom grinding wheels generally need to run at about 3600 RPM plus, depending on diameter, faster than most mills.


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