Hello, I'm looking to buy a jointer and, having never used one, I'm not sure what size to buy. I make a lot of shelves and so I'd like to be able to flatten 12" boards. I have read two conflicting sources, one of which said you can remove the blade guard (or whatever you call the spring-loaded piece that pushes the stock against the fence) and work with boards up to nearly twice as large as the blade length. Other sources (several) state that the jointer will only handle stock that is as wide as its knives are long.
It would be nice to get an 8-inch model if it will do what I need, but if not, I'll wait until I can afford a 12-inch. Any guidance will be appreciated.