SS Mounted Thickness Planer clamps

[reubenjames]

After a harrowing experience with my SS-mounted thickness planer years ago when I first picked it up (involving the Power Pro headstock that “conveniently” runs in reverse so you can mount the planer on the “wrong” side—a less than stellar feature if you have it mounted the way it was originally intended and don’t realize the machine’s intentions), I finally got around to repairing and calibrating everything on it.

I have the two clamps that mount under the way tubes and are supposed to screw into the bottom of the planer, except...I’m not sure where it screws in to. I have holes in the casting but is there supposed to be a nut on the other side that I’m missing? Or is that hole supposed to be threaded?

I’m not overly worried about the planer going anywhere during operation, but I put notches in the cart that I built (from PTWFE) to accommodate the clamps, so I might as well use them. I checked the exploded diagram on the mothership but I couldn’t really tell what the threaded rod on those clamps were going into.

Let me know if you need pics of what I’m looking at. Thanks in advance for the help.

[JPG]

IIRC there are two threaded holes for attaching the two clamps near each end.

[reubenjames]

Well, here are what my clamps look like and here are what my holes look like.

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[reubenjames]

Maybe I'm missing some kind of threaded insert in the holes?

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[mountainbreeze]

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Looks like you are missing the threaded inserts.

[reubenjames]

Yes, that looks like the ticket. Anyone know if that's a replacable part? Is that the unnumbered part above #81 in the exploded diagram?

If it's not sold as a service part, think I could press an appropriately sized nut into that hole, maybe having to widen it first? Not sure how'd I'd get enough force to press something like that. Or plug it and tap it? Or not worth any hassle unless it starts walking during operation?

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[mountainbreeze]

Keep in mind the direction of force when the wing nut it tightened. Don't enlarge the hole, put a nut 'above' the hole.

[reubenjames]

It is pretty close to the chain, I was concerned once I got a nut (and maybe a washer) in there, that it would end up hitting the chain. I feel like it will need a “low profile” nut. I’ll play around with it, though I fear a loose nut on top, while functional, is going to be cumbersome to take on and off. May require getting a wrench in there to keep it from spinning. Also, I’m very adept at dropping small objects that disappear into nowhere.

[br549]

The unidentified part you referred to in the Exploded Parts Diagram may be the retaining clip used to keep the threaded handle joined to the clamp body.

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To make a new insert, either the female half of a sex bolt or a coupling nut might could be used and then JB Welded in place. The threads should be 3/8"-16 (NC). The coupling nut may be easier to find, as the only sex bolts I found in a quick search online were all stainless steel and $$$.

[reubenjames]

Thanks, I ordered the coupling nuts noted. I’ll update you on how this progresses when they get in.