Help setting up a spiral head in planer?

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

I installed a helix head in my PM 100 today, but I'm having trouble setting it up.

I'm getting snipe at both ends but am slowly getting that down but have found a more difficult problem (I think) to address:

It appears that the bed isn't aligned properly to the head. On the previous head, this was easy to address, as one blade went the full length of the head.

I dont have that luxury on this head.

Can anyone tell me how to figure out which pair of cutters I should use to set it up?

On a positive note: The PM 100 is much quieter than a lunch box planer, but hearing protection was still needed. Not so with this one. It's quiet wiry to talk to another person across the room without yelling.

I love it already.

[JGrout]

you adjust the planer bed to the head  I believe that shims are adjusted to make the necessary adjustments

here is a manual with descriptions starting on page 5

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

Oh yeah, I got that.

My problem us trying to figure out which pair of cutters on this head are coplaner to use as my base line.

[JGrout]

Oh yeah, I got that.

My problem us trying to figure out which pair of cutters on this head are coplaner to use as my base line.

use the head not the cutters.
 then it does not matter

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

The rollers, hold down bar, and chip breaker are all set to the cutting arc, not the roller diameter.

[JGrout]

The rollers, hold down bar, and chip breaker are all set to the cutting arc, not the roller diameter.

Is your head out of plane with the bed? if yes then what I suggest is perfectly acceptable 

If everything else is out once you have the head set parallel you can use any single chip to determine the measurement you need to set all the rest of the components.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

No, I need a cutter at each end of the head because each adjustment is based on two points.

I think I may have figured it out. I'll report later.

[JGrout]

No, I need a cutter at each end of the head because each adjustment is based on two points.

I think I may have figured it out.  I'll report later.

I hope so because you are making this too hard. 

The head is static, the chips fit in the head statically and you only need one measurement to make the head and the bed parallel. if you have to spin the head to get at your point of measurement from both sides so what. The head is static so it will not be in a condition where it changes.

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

The problem I'm running into is measuring off one cutter then having to rotate the head to get the opposite side cutter into place...

...and trying to find *its* bottom dead center point before continuing. I might need to set up one dial indicator for finding BDC and then another to set to zero.

[JGrout]

The problem I'm running into is measuring off one cutter then having to rotate the head to get the opposite side cutter into place...

...and trying to find *its* bottom dead center point before continuing.  I might need to set up one dial indicator for finding BDC and then another to set to zero.

you are missing the point

once the head _and_ the table are parallel every single one of the chips will be operating in the same exact plane no matter what chip you measure off of.

So you find the bottom of one chip _after the two are in plane_ and use that single number to set the chip breakers, the feed drives off of that less the spec for clearance. I would never attempt to set a table in plane from the chips, it is too hard.

IOW it is only a matter of logical progression;  the head (not the chips) can easily be referenced to determine the two the head and the table) are in the same place across the entire width of the table then one measurement will find you the solutions for the rest of the adjustable components