Refurbishing an Old Tenoner

Tips on tuning up (and souping up) a high-quality vintage machine. December 11, 2006

Question
I just purchased an ex-school machine that probably hasn't been used in years. Since it needs paint (I don't recall PM selling any dark blue brush painted machinery), I figured I'd replace all belts and head bearings at the same time and do it right. I’d greatly appreciate any tips on areas to look out for in the rebuild and set up. It has both tenon and cope heads plus the saw.

Forum Responses
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor D:
Check the thrust bearings on the threaded rods that raise and lower the tenon heads. You can also zero the slop out of the rods by readjusting the locking collars - ditto for the copes. We are talking about adding an air actuated work piece clamp. We replaced the original heads with aluminum heads with inserts and love them.



From contributor K:
I agree with Contributor D's comments for the collars. I hope you got the chain mortiser to go with it as I did. They make a great combo for the small custom shop. I do have an air hold-down on mine. It is only a small cylinder back by the fence and it would be better if it were out on some gantry type system that spanned the whole width of the bed when doing wide rails etc. but it is fine on narrower parts.


From contributor D:
When "one of these days" does come around, we'll mount the air cylinder (or two) on the same sleeve that currently holds the eccentric clamp, so the air cylinder can be moved close to the fence for narrow parts and out further for wider parts.