# Ryobi AP-10 question



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Does anyone have any idea where I could get a blade gauge for a Ryobi Ap-10 planer?


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Here's one with a new set of knives. https://www.amazon.com/RYOBI-AP-10-PLANER-SETTING-KNIVES/dp/B000JG1P72


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## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Thanks for the link, Charles.
Mine came with a new set and I'd like to change them. I'd hate to pay $67.88 for the guide to do that when I only paid $50 for the planer. I hope there's another way to get one, or a way to do it without the guide.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Maybe you could make one Ken. All the planer/jointer knife setters I've used looked like a horseshoe with a tongue sticking down from the middle on either end of a round bar to contact the knife edge like this example from ebay. Planer knife setting gage for the Delta 15 inch planers Since you already have a working set installed on the head at proper working height all you have to do is fabricate something that does the same thing. The feet on each end piece bridge the gap on the head. The tang sticking down sets blade height. 

Take two small square or rectangular blocks as needed and drill out the center of one edge with a wide Forstner bit to make the feet. Join the two blocks with a wooden bar to span the length of the cutter head. Wood can be drilled and tapped just like metal can be so you'll need to drill a hole through the wooden bar near each end and thread them for a common sized bolt (I recommend 3/8 x 16 thread). You'll also need to drill and thread two small blocks that will be just big enough to hold together when threaded onto the ends of the bolts you use and they should be hardwood. This is so that when you screw the bolts down to make contact with the existing cutter (and the new cutter) that you don't have metal to metal contact and instead have wood to metal contact. When all three pieces have been threaded (the bar and two small blocks), thread the bolts through the bar and then the small blocks onto the bolts shy of having the ends of the bolts showing through. Now put the jig on the existing setup and screw the bolts down until the blocks make contact with the knives. Now you are ready to replace the old ones.

I'm not sure that all of that is clear so if it isn't let me know and I can try and draft a drawing and take a picture and post it but be warned that I am not a great draftsman.


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## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Indeed I have been thinking that I should try to make my own gauge. I will take a better look at it to see if I could perhaps do that. I'll also read your idea again when I've been up longer than an hour and my mind is awake.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

*home made jig*

Ken I decided it would quicker to just make one and show you instead of trying to draw it. This maybe took 20 minutes to cobble together just to show you. I would spend maybe twice that long to make a permanent one. The carriage bolts I used had the longest threaded portion of anything I had on hand. You may have to use reddi-rod depending on a few factors. I thought there would be more friction on the bolt threads than there is so when you are ready to set it you might want to put glue in the threaded holes to lock the bolts in place because once it's set you don't ever want it changing again. The small wooden blocks on the ends of the bolts are to prevent metal to metal contact. Use a drill press to drill all the holes if possible. Nothing much on this jig is critical except when it comes to setting it to just make contact with the existing knives. Not much else matters which makes the rest of the build simple.


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## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

Very nice, and greatly appreciated! I'll set about making one during my time off this week (I went back to work part time so I could have more spending money for things like used planers. LOL) Thanks again.


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## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

I thought I'd bring this back up to say that the planer finally got to the point where it wasn't really planing so much as it was scraping so I decided I needed to replace the blades or sell the thing. I did not make a gauge to do it, I just carefully used my digital calipers and did it. It's night and day different now.


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