donaldburgess
New Member
Removing Fitchburg blades/knives
The middle short bolt is installed as a plug to keep debris from fouling the threads and entering into the cavity behind the clamp block. The center hole in the clamp/wedge block is the only one with threads in the removable clamp/wedge block itself and is used to "jack the block out" as they usually stick after all 4 clamping allens are removed. Just remove the short "plug" allen and thread in a long one in the middle and it will hit bottom on the rotor, it takes some torque to pop them loose some times. If rust is present and more than 90 foot pounds of torque doesn't pop it soak the hell out of it with KROIL for a couple hour, or WD 40 for 3 days.
Make sure the bolt you use has plenty of thread so the bolt shoulder doesn't bind into the hole b4 bottoms against the rotor!!
Precautions;
Clean all allen heads thoroughly so the wrench inserts ALL the way. I've had guys shot cut this and round out the bolts!!! Try drilling out grade 8 socket head cap screws !!
Number the blades and rotor cavities as some blade sets are not sharpened evenly and you'll save time not mixing them in the wrong positions!
I welded an extra long allen wrench for the little adjusting allens that set the blade to anvil clearance. be sure to clean those also so the wrench inserts and removes fully and easily.
I ALWAYS CLEAN EVERY SURFACE of blades, clamp/wedge blocks and rotor cavities down to bare metal (wire wheel on pedestal grinderor the blades can fret loose and cause serious injury and destroy Parts!
Blades can loosen while chipping and (I set my clearance to .007" min./ .009 max with a feeler guage) and because the design uses no bolts through the blade they can throw chunks and did in a bad accident in Fresno,ca! (Not My crews)
I chase the threads with proper taps and torque clamp/ wedge blocks evenly just like an engine head .
I use the Fitchberg still today but blades take me 3 hrs to do right, I've never had a problem but I know why "they don't make 'em like that anymore"!!!!
(the disc chippers took me abot 45 minutes to install new blades, set clearances and on larger capacity chippers!!)
The middle short bolt is installed as a plug to keep debris from fouling the threads and entering into the cavity behind the clamp block. The center hole in the clamp/wedge block is the only one with threads in the removable clamp/wedge block itself and is used to "jack the block out" as they usually stick after all 4 clamping allens are removed. Just remove the short "plug" allen and thread in a long one in the middle and it will hit bottom on the rotor, it takes some torque to pop them loose some times. If rust is present and more than 90 foot pounds of torque doesn't pop it soak the hell out of it with KROIL for a couple hour, or WD 40 for 3 days.
Make sure the bolt you use has plenty of thread so the bolt shoulder doesn't bind into the hole b4 bottoms against the rotor!!
Precautions;
Clean all allen heads thoroughly so the wrench inserts ALL the way. I've had guys shot cut this and round out the bolts!!! Try drilling out grade 8 socket head cap screws !!
Number the blades and rotor cavities as some blade sets are not sharpened evenly and you'll save time not mixing them in the wrong positions!
I welded an extra long allen wrench for the little adjusting allens that set the blade to anvil clearance. be sure to clean those also so the wrench inserts and removes fully and easily.
I ALWAYS CLEAN EVERY SURFACE of blades, clamp/wedge blocks and rotor cavities down to bare metal (wire wheel on pedestal grinderor the blades can fret loose and cause serious injury and destroy Parts!
Blades can loosen while chipping and (I set my clearance to .007" min./ .009 max with a feeler guage) and because the design uses no bolts through the blade they can throw chunks and did in a bad accident in Fresno,ca! (Not My crews)
I chase the threads with proper taps and torque clamp/ wedge blocks evenly just like an engine head .
I use the Fitchberg still today but blades take me 3 hrs to do right, I've never had a problem but I know why "they don't make 'em like that anymore"!!!!
(the disc chippers took me abot 45 minutes to install new blades, set clearances and on larger capacity chippers!!)
