Setting knives on a grizzly

[jonnyfontaine]

I got a grizzly jointer and it has straight knives. I ordered a Byrd shelix head but it won't get her for over a week and I was gonna adjust the knives, but the wrench supplied is has an 8mm on it which fits the guns but trying to turn then feels like they are gonna strip them. Does any one have any advice on loosening these gibs without stripping them? It seems Godzilla tightened them

 

[ehpoole]

I assume you mean it fits the lockbar/gib bolt that secures the knife in place (I ask as I am unsure as to what "guns" would refer to)? If you are having difficulty turning a nut or bolt, it often helps to double-check that you are turning in the correct direction. What you are actually turning is typically a bolt head (double-check your manual to verify such), rather than a nut, which threads into the lockbar/gib. To loosen you must actually rotate the bolt back into the lockbar (which is logically 'tightening" the bolt if things were reversed as you might be thinking).

Rather than risk stripping the bolt head you have been experimenting on, try the other direction on one you have not yet tried and see if things go a little more smoothly.

 

[jonnyfontaine]

Thanks yeah stupid auto correct I meant the gibs that hold the knives in place I followed the rotation in the manual and the "gibs" didn't budge. I even sprayed a tiny amount of wd-40 to try and loosen them with no luck. Any advice, the Grizzly video made it so easy looking.

 

[Charlie]

Jonny,
Unless you know for sure that they need adjusting, I wouldn't mess with them. It can be a nightmare. They are usually set correct from the factory. You may need to adjust the height of the outfeed table level with the blades.
If the Byrd head will be here soon I would wait on it and spend the time installing it.
If you need help swapping out the heads, let me know.