I new to joiners, and am thinking I would like one. I have one question. From theoretical point of view should I look for a joiner with a longer bed or a wider blade. In other words would a joiner with 24 inch bed and a 7 in blade be better, than a joiner with a 36 inch bed on a 4 blade.
check the prices on wide jointers. generally you get the best bang for the buck with a 6" wide jointer. I've got the Powermatic long bed --
66" long. I'd not be happy with anything shorter, but perhaps your needs are different. I'd like one wider, once in a blue moon, but the long bed is reasonably priced ($750) and the wider ones are substantially more costly.dave
keith nuttle wrote:
Longer is better.
Bill
Longer bed is best. In practice, I don't know of any 7" jointers (usually
4, 6, 8, 12) and the wider jointers all have fairly long beds. In the 6" calls, Powermatic has the longest, but is a couple of hundred $ more than most other brands. Worth it if you are building larger projects, questionable if all you do is short stuff like small boxes. . Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net
I do now. I wonder if this is really an 8" that has been "value engineered"? Ed
Edwin Pawlowski responds:
Doesn't look like it. It looks more like a light duty 6" that has had the head and tables slightly widened. Same HP, etc. I'd wonder about durability, especially at that price point.
Charlie Self If God had wanted me to touch my toes he would have put them higher on my body.
So if the total bed length is 60", I can make a perfect flat piece of a 120" length?
(Sadly) I own one. It was dirt cheap ($169? a long time ago) and it way better than nothing. The 7"knives from HF were useless, and I have not been able to locate any other supplier of 7's. I am currently running it with 6" freud knives.
So, It's really a 6. :-(
-Steve
You, two extra pairs of experienced hands, a couple or three outfeed tables/rollers, and sufficient luck to go to Vegas to make the rent.
You might want to consider the Shop Fox. Their tools seem to be very good and support is excellent,
WC Addison
Rule of thumb for board length to bed length is a jointer will correctly and easily joint a board up to one and one half times the length of it's table. They will do longer but it takes some dicking around.
There is no rule of thumb for width of blade/bed. If you can't figure out by yourself whether a 6" or 8" jointer will meet your needs you probably shouldn't be playing with sharp instruments anyway.
Yes - over the weekend I assembled my Powermatic. I'd been saving for this specific jointer for years.
Holy smokes!
I've tried all the other methods for preparing wood - Router table, tuned saw and Forrest blade, "Jointability," etc.... But, holy smokes, this jointer is a great piece of gear. Nearly every piece of hardwood now gets a few passes! Results better that I ever hoped for.
Can't wait till I really learn how to use it -
Regards, jbd
What the hell are you talking about?
Are you saying it's not possible?
If the majority of my boards are < 6', how long of a jointer bed do I need?
I am not sure what he is talking about either, but will try to answer your question. Most beginners look at a jointer as a tool that is easy to use and that doesn't require much skill. It isn't like hand cutting dovetails, but does require following a process to get great results. I think that is what Swingman is hinting at.
To help decide what size jointer you need look to your current project and try to guess what you will be doing in the future. If you don't think that you will face boards wider that 6", then get a 6" jointer. If you need wider then look at an 8", 12". Most hobbyists find that a 6" jointer is the best value for them. Once you decide on a width look at the other features of the different brands. Length of the table will be one feature but I think that you will find that most bed lengths are in the same range. You should be able to join 6' boards with any "name brand" 6" jointer. If you are worried, then put bed length at the top of your feature list.
I started with a 6" jet. Less than two years later I moved to an 8" Delta and now am investigating a 12".
Bob McBreen - Yarrow Point, WA
Larry Bud responds:
If the majority of your boards are 6' long and about 6" wide or less, get a 6" jointer of almost any brand. That's what he's talking about. But don't expect to be able to take the 44-48" bed combination on those jointers and easily joint 8' long boards. Even worse, your example of 10' long boards ona 60" bed. That's a tiy SOB when it starts and when it gets near the end of the pass.
In other words, it's possible, with help, extra equipment and a lot of luck.
Charlie Self If God had wanted me to touch my toes he would have put them higher on my body.
Just what it says ... experience, the proper equipment, and with little or no experience, a hell of a lot of luck.
Not to be snide, but if you have to ask the question, chances of you going out and buying a jointer and coming home and edge jointing and facing 10' stock right away is pretty unlikely.
Sure it's possible ... but it takes more than just the jointer to "make a perfect flat piece of a 120" length". The next question is "Do you really need to joint 6' to10' stock?"
A 6" jointer will probably be sufficient for your needs. How many of your projects use 6' boards?
Jointing a warp, cup, or bow out of long stock takes a good deal of practice and understanding of wood and each is attacked differently. It often makes more sense to cut your material to rough dimensions required for the project BEFORE you joint, rather than trying to joint 6' or 10' stock.
Changing the length and/or width of the stock can take out a good deal of warp, cup, or bow before you even fire up the jointer. It then becomes easier, requires less equipment, and, as you gain experience with the tool, you will get better results with a whole lot less luck.
HTH ..
I have my hand on a brand new DJ-_30_, 12 incher today. If only I had the money and space!
Barry
Ah man, don't even talk about it! If I had the space, I could find the money ... or is it the other way around? ;>) Either way, the PowerMatic seems to be earning its keep.
I could have used David J Marks' aircraft carrier today. I had a 12" wide table top that was just thick and heavy enough to keep getting a trace of snipe in the planer, no matter what I did. I was sure eyeballing the Powermatic trying see if it could somehow stretch another 6" out of it without spending half the day making a jig..
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