Looking at a 6" jointer to add to my shop (tired of gaps in my panels) and have settled on one of these two. Both are ~$550 at Amazon with free shipping, though the Delta includes a "freebie" with it (router, jointer stand, cordless drill or a brad nailer).
The Jet has the wheel adjustment vs. the levers on the Delta (wheels look like they might provide more precision), but the Delta fence provides for finer adjustments with the carriage assembly. Having never used a jointer, I'm not sure which setting I would fiddle with more when using this? The reviews I've read about the Jet and the Delta don't really show one radically different or better than the other.
Any personal experience with the "levers vs. wheels" or fence adjustments on either of these?
I have the Jet and love it. I have only one complaint: I keep forgetting the depth change limitor on the back of the jointer. And it is a greenback tool from Jet. I picked up a extra set of knives for it and they ended up being 3 or 4 dollars after the rebate. I when to a jointer class at the local woodworking shop and found that I like make adjustments with wheels alot more than with levers. My dad swears by levers and I swear at them.
Tom - Just to put my opinion in perspective, I'm a newbie to ww. I'm sure there's others that can give you more comfort on the Jet. The Jet 6CSX was my second "large" machine that I bought (TS first). I sort of fell into it by accident. I was looking for a jointer and had done a fair amount of research on it by the time I found it at an estate auction. It was nearly new - still had the box, and probably hadn't had 30 bf put through it. Got it for a great price....
I really like it - I had been looking at Delta, Powermatic, and Bridgewood. The price I got this one at was a big factor in my decision. But, after doing the research, I was already leaning toward the Jet. Anyway, it's a really great tool - does everything I ask of it. The only two negatives I have, is it's a bit touchy to adjust the knives. However, I think that is mainly because I'm a newbie and not really experienced. The knives are easy to access and remove, etc. I'm just a little slow to learn the fine points of setting it all up. The second is that after doing several projects and planning several others, buying wood from a local mill, I wish I'd have found an 8". Not sure I could have afforded it, and given how much I wanted one, I'm not sure I'd have waited to find a used 8" anyway.
The other big factor after price was the wheels vs levers issue. After doing my homework on Google and this newsgroup, I was set on wheels. MUCH easier for me, given my level of experience, to make those fine adjustments. I have to echo Chef's advice about the limitor - I've ran afoul of it once, even though I read about it in the instructions and had come across it in my research before buying it.
Bottom line, IMH(newbie)O, it's a great machine. If I had to do it over again, I'd definitely buy another one, only maybe I'd get the 8".
Look at the Powermatic 6" jointer - I went and bought a DJ20 due to the long beds. IF Powermatic had their 6" long bed jointer at the time that I bought, I'd have a Powermatic AND an extra $800!
I just fased the same decision. I bought the Jet. I was NOT impressed with Delta's lever table adjustment, it seemed flimsy. There is a small cable that unlocks the lever, did not like it. The fence on the Delta protrudes WAY out the back of the machine and seems to me to be over kill.
The handwheels on the Jet work nicely. The fence works smoothly, no need for the extra BS that comes with the Delata.
This all said, I had my mind made up to buy the Delta, then I took the time to look them both over in person. Then I bought the Jet. Greg
I had more or less the same conclusion when I bought my Jet 6" jointer a couple of years ago. Now that I've had it for a couple of years, I still like the machine, but have come to the realization that I obsessed over a lot of stuff I really shouldn't have.
Sure, the handwheels work great, but so what? I havn't moved the outfeed table since I set the machine up, and the infeed table rarely moves either. It's set for about a 1/32" bite and stays there. So what if it takes a few more passes on something that's really warped? If it's a face, I don't want to take a big bite anyway. If it's an edge and it's really bad, I could clean it up a bit on the bandsaw first, or just be patient and take a lot of small passes (probably better on the blades anyway).
All that really matters about the fence is that it's square. I can't remember the last time I touched the in-out adjustment on the fence. I guess if I did a lot of rabbeting on it, I might, but I don't, so I don't :-)
If I had to do it all over again, I think I'd get something with longer beds. That's the one thing I miss on a regular basis.
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