Powermatic 209HH - Manual (Page 4)

Table and Adjustment
The main and extension cast iron table surfaces are precision ground for
precise planing. The main table surface is 25 ½”-long by 20”-wide and is
fully captured on four round, precision ground steel posts. Each corner of
the table is captured onto a lead screw within its post that controls the up
and down movement. The lead screws are driven by a single chain
through a gear drive. A large 7 ¾”-diameter cast iron handwheel with
spinner handle drives the height adjustment mechanism. Each full
revolution of the handwheel produces just over 1/16” of change to make
the ultra fine adjustments necessary to hit a specific thickness easy to
achieve. Though unlikely, the lead screws can be adjusted individually
should the table ever get out of alignment.
The table is locked in place by a pair of knobs each securing both lead
screws at that end. The locking handles can be moved to either side of the
POWERMATIC 209HH to make them more easily accessible if one side
of the machine has limited access.
A pair of rollers set into the main table surface below the cutterhead help
maintain smooth movement of rough stock through the POWERMATIC
209HH. The above table height of the rollers is easily adjustable.
The large cast iron
handwheel makes height
changes effortless. The
locking knobs (arrow)
secure the table to the lead
screws within the front and
rear columns. These knobs
can be moved to the other
side of the machine if
space is tight.
We also include a pair of 15”-long by 21 1/8”-wide cast iron extension tables rather than the
roller types. When
installed they extend the
overall support surface to
55 1/2” in length.
The smooth surface of
cast iron extension tables
makes it easier to
introduce wood into the
machine, particularly
when “training” one
piece against the end of
the one before it. They
also eliminate the
possibility of pinching a finger between the stock and a roller as the stock exits the machine.
The cast iron main and extension tables (left) provide lots of support for the long work
pieces. We even added a set of bed rollers (right) that make working with rough stock
easier. The bed rollers are easily adjustable without taking anything apart.
The cast iron extension tables mount to the primary table with bolts but have set screws below
each of them that allow fine tuning the angle of their surface to the primary table. This is a far
more efficient system than trying to shim the extension tables to bring them into alignment with
the primary table surface.