Joiner 6" or 8"

[Keith]

I'm ready to get a jointer now as the table top joiner I have been using is way to smallfor most projects. Everyone tells me to try and get the 8" but the price is really up there compared to 6" joiners. I'm now looking at the powermatic 6" joiner with the long table. I'm not really committed to it but I do know a long table is import for long boards. I have been only using the table top joiner to prepare the edges for joining so I haven't seen the need to prepare the surface of the boards yet. I'm open to spending more if I can convince myself the 8" is more useful. I'm trying to buy the right equipment the first time and have been very happy with my Delta unisaw so far. Thanks

[David]

If you find a burning need to mill boards greater than 6" but less than

8", then I'd suggest the 8". Otherwise, what's the point of buying the bigger unit, other than bragging rights?

Dave

Keith wrote:

[Duane Bozarth]

...

Width is somewhat less important the the length in general, but you'll never regret the larger if you have room and budget...I predict as you continue (assuming you do) you'll wonder how you got along w/o the 8" and be pining for a 12 or 16...

I like the old-style Delta's and Powermatics--but, as you note there's a price to be paid for the name.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

When I finally get one, it will be 6". I just have not been able to justify larger. OTOH, if you have a riser block in your bandsaw, sometime resaw 7 or 8" material, you will be PO'd when you finally need that 8".

The reality is that we are not talking practicality, but we are doing mental gymnastics. If you can justify the larger equipment, are able to pay for it, and will be satisfied, go for it. The last thing you want to do is by a $750 piece of equipment and know you should have gone the extra mile (or is that dollar?)

If you have the money, the DJ-30 is nice too.

[Larry Blanchard]

I find I resaw most wider boards to minimize the amount I have to remove to get a flat face. My 6" (Jet) works fine, but a longer table would be an improvement. I'd got for the Powermatic over the big bucks for an

8".

And I don't understand why you've only jointed edges. How do you prepare a board for the planer?

[George]

Got money? Spend it, don't try to justify the expense based on number of

8" boards which you can't fix by any number of other methods. Personally, I'd rather have an iron planer with bed rollers and a serrated infeed so I could get boards to feed with almost no downward pressure. Having had the opportunity for both - 12" jointer at the university vs. the JET 6" I have at home - I think the number of boards which will _need_ 8" diminishes to nil with the addition of hand planes.

Technique is more important than long tables, BTW.

[Duane Bozarth]

George wrote: ...

Up to a point...depends on what one is doing. I'm in "it's better to have some excess capacity rather than not" camp...

[C & S]

OK I'll give the counter point to most. I upgraded from a 6 to an 8. With an

8 to get *both* length and width and my yorkcraft 8 was $750 delivered (very close in price to the long-bed powermatic)

If you don't face-joint boards then don't waste your time. If you use rough-cut stock you *have to* face joint your stock (maybe with hand planes, but that is still face jointing). I will assume that you purchase the vast majority of your stock surfaced.

I use almost exclusively rough-cut stock. Rough stock (from my guy) comes in random widths between 4 and 12 inches. Around half of the boards that I get are in that 6-8 range, so yes, I do find the extra width useful often.

If you plan on continuing to use surfaced stock most of the time, don't bother. With rough stock I think that it's an upgrade that you'll find worthwhile.

-Steve

[Tattooed and Dusty]

It seems everyone talks about the 2" difference between the 6" and 8". What seems to me to be more important is the horsepower of the motor, the speed the cutterhead spins etc.

Also, is the hype associated with spiral cutterhead worth it? For the same price of a powermatic 8" you can get a 8" Grizzly with spiral head.

Any thoughts

[Duane Bozarth]

No, what we were talking about was that the extra bed length associated w/ the 8" machine is more significant than the width...although there are times that's useful, too.

You can set the cutterhead speed as you wish. I've never seen a jointer come under-powered. Some of the really cheap Chinese/imports have a problem, but that class didn't seem to be in the mix here...

I've not had the opportunity to actually use a Grizzly so can't really comment...the "spiral" head has some advantages but personally I'm not missing not having one...

If I get a new larger planer, however, it most likely will have the spiral head--there's where I think they have a real advantage.

[George]

What percentage of the boards you join are > 8' long?

Unless you're talking 8/4 by 10", that's a piece of cake on a standard 46" long jointer. If you're careful, you can even do 'em on an old 4" Rockwell, because the business is done within a foot either side of the cutters. The rest is keeping the board in contact within that spread.

Of course I have my jointer lowered so that boards passing over my tablesaw at the standard 34 1/2" pass over it, so I probably get more effective control than folks holding above waist level. I'm of the "better to be better than the tool camp."

[joeD]

Try to flatten and joint 8' x 6" rough cut board with bow in it and you will have problems with a 6" jointer. Get yourself an 8" jointer and have it for life with no regrets.

[Bob G]

====================================== I have owned AND used a Rockwell 6 in joiner for almost 40 years and I can tell you that I have wished for a longer bed 100's of times wheras I never needed (but could have used) an 8 in wide joiner on a few occasions..

I work with rough cut lumber, and yes, I do have boards that are wider then 6 inches many times...BUT any larger then 8 would require ripping down to size anyway....I also prefer to glue up a tabletop with boards between 4 and 5 inches wide...not 7-8 inches...

GIVE ME a LONGER BED...anyday...

That powermatic long bed jointer would be my choice IF I were 30 years younger and just setting up shop...

Bob Griffiths

[Phisherman]

When I was in the market for a jointer, I looked for a large bed. I ended up buying the Delta DJ-20, an eight inch jointer. No regrets, but this jointer is very heavy and awkward to move around. Having the extra 2" has been a blessing several times over the last 10 years and the jointer itself seems to produce excellent results with little maintenance.

[Keith]

[Ba r r y]

Unless we're talking about a PM54A, length over 6" machines.

A longer machine is much easier for longer board edges.

Aside from that, most of the lumber I buy is 6-8" wide, which makes an

8" machine just about perfect for face jointing.

Barry

[Ba r r y]

For me, a lot! I do plenty of finish work were I'm installing hardwood baseboards, and tall bookcases. The bookcases require long, straight, face frame parts.

Barry

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I've survived a few year with no jointer, but I'd never give up my planer. It gets a lot of use for thicknessing, cleanup when resawing, clean up after a glue up (up to 13" anyway). Both my wood suppliers will joint and plane for me (included in the price) but I still have need to plane.

I also just came across about 1,000 bd. ft. of rough cut pine (free) that is about 11" wide that I've planed down to use.

Just some more to think about. In either case, a dust collector should be part of the package.

[bob]

The Grizzly 8" jointer is only marginally more expensive than a 6" Jet or Powermatic. Got good reviews.

[Michael Hearn Anna Houpt]

If you are not preping one side before running the other side through a planer don't get the 8"! A six inch is more than enough!!! However, consider the jointability router system for a cheaper (less expensive) and likely more accurate way for squaring and straightening a board for glueup.