Jointer and Grain Question

[Tattooed and Dusty]

Yesterday in a post I saw something indicating that if you try and joint pieces larger than the width of your jointer you run into problems with the grain direction. Can someone explain this to me? I have a newly aquired jointer and am trying to get it all dialed in, and running properly, but if I need to be careful of feed direction I would appreciate the help.

So if grain direction matters, which way should I feed and how do I tell which direction the grain is going in along the length of a plank? I know this is probably a very basic question, but I don't know the answer.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Rob Mitchell]

In order to joint a board wider than your jointer, you would have to remove the blade guard and run the board through (doing 6" or 8" of width) then flip the board around and do the rest. Either way, on one of the passes the grain will be in the wrong direction.

As for grain direction, there have been several articles recently posted to this forum, and also in FWW magazine (check your library). It's way too complicated to try to explain with words alone (at least for me).

Rob

[Steven and Gail Peterson]

If the grain intersects the edge you are jointing, go the direction that lets the grain "go down" toward the back. If you cut toward rising grain, you may get chipping. If the grain is parallel to the edge, it doesn't matter.

[bluemax1811-newsgroups]

"go down toward the back". Hmmm I'm afraid I just don't get that description. Which way is down? ...toward the floor? Which way is back? Back of what? the wood. The jointer?

I'm not trying to be a smartass here. I just really don't follow your description at all.

[Doug Winterburn]

You were doing OK up to the part about flipping the board aroud etc.

What you want to do after jointing the first pass is to fit a 1/4" ply sled to the partially jointed part and run the workpiece and sled through your thickness planer to flatten other side. Then, flip the board over and without the sled run it through the thickness planer to flatten the originially jointed side.

- Doug

[Stephen M]

Yes.

Yes, the infeed end of the jointer

[Leon]

To simplify grain direction, if the grain is not parallel with the edge that you are jointing it should high on the leading end of the board angled down towards the back end of the board.

[George]

Did'ja notice that if you take the fence off the 6" clones that the slide table is flush?

Not that it's a big deal. if the jointer's sharp, it can take some fairly steep uphill grain with out hacking it out so far that a final pass through the thicknesser can't recover a smooth surface.

[ks]

Can you please clarify the part about the 1/4 ply sled? I cannot visualize where and how it is attached, and precisely what it does Thanks

[Doug Winterburn]

It can be attached with a few dots of hot melt glue or a few short brads through the ply - just so lang as the brads don't approach the side to be planed. It is placed under the partially jointed area and raises the unjointed area of that side above the bed of the thickness planer so that the board will ride through the thickness planer as if one side were already completely flat. This assures that the unjointed side will be parallel to the partially jointed area and therefore will also be completely flat after planing.

In practice, you should be able to flatten an 8-9" wide board on a 6" jointer with the help of a thickness planer and plywood sled.

- Doug

[ks]

Thanks for that tip Kelly

[George E. Cawthon]

The first time I read this (in another comment) I was really confused. This time, all of a sudden, I realized (rather slow, I am) that this was about a jointer AND a planer.

The answer is ok, however, it doesn't answer the question, of how do you joint a board wider than your jointer, which to me assumes you don't have a planer. Maybe the answer is that you can get close but you can't truly joint the board.

[C.Groth]

Let's see if I can do some ascii...

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[Nova]

Think of the grain of the wood a cat fur. You don't want to "pet" it in the wrong direction.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)