Powermatic PM15, Operating Instructions And Parts Manual

Page: 9 / 40

9
Belt Tension
To adjust tension of the belts, open the rear
panel and use the nuts (A) on the threaded
shaft, shown in Figure 4, to either raise or lower
the motor. Re-tighten nuts when satisfied.
Proper tension is achieved when there is
approximately 1/4” deflection in the belt using
moderate finger pressure.
Planer Knife Replacement
1. The planer knives are held in position by
wedge action. The set screws press against
the bottom of the cutterhead slot forcing the
gibs into a wedge type seal. To break this
seal and remove the knife, simply loosen
the gib set screws until they are flush with
the top of the gibs. See Figure 5.
2. Tap the gibs down using either a wood
block or a soft piece of aluminum or brass.
Once the gibs are free, remove the knife
first, then the gibs can be easily removed.
Mark all gibs and matching slots to be sure
they are replaced in their original position.
3. Clean the knives and cutterhead slot with a
non-flammable solvent to remove all pitch
and gum residue.
4. Install the gibs back into their original slots,
then install the planer knives.
5. Place the knife-setting gauge on the
cutterhead, centered over the knife. See
Figure 6. Check the height of the knife at
several locations along the length of the
knife. At all points, it should just contact the
center of the gauge.
6. Tighten the gib set screws, beginning with
the center one first. This will lessen the
tendency of the knife to creep upward.
Sharpening Knives
Your Planer/Molder is a high precision machine,
and the knives are an integral part of that
precision. For the Planer-Molder to work most
effectively, the knives must be ground on a
machine that will produce a high quality
professional edge.
Knives should be sharpened promptly when the
edge is lost rather than letting them get to the
chipping and tearing out stage. A regular
schedule of sharpening should be arranged.
Always sharpen knives at the recommended
levels and angles. Figure 7 shows the proper
bevel for the planer knives.
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7