jointer decision

I have a 6" Craftsman jointer. There I said it. I have had it for 25 years. I have been doing serious woodworking for 30+ years and decided in the last couple of days that I don't need a jointer. You can probably do with out one also. You should get a planer before you get a jointer and with the right jigs you can flatten and straighten a board with a table saw and a planer, that is what I do.

CC:

Just beware that the Quickset knives from Jet/Powermatic are unique. I found that no one else makes a replacement set and you have to order them from Jet/Powermatic.

I have the Powermatic version of this jointer and overall it's a good one. The table is NOT superflat and I have been trying, without a lot of push or success, to get them to tell me what their tolerances are. But from what my woodworker mentor tells me, it should be just fine.

If you could find one that was in the store and buy it off the floor, you'll be able to measure the flatness.

MJM

CC,

I have the earlier version of that Jet jointer and it's been a workhorse. In this class of equipment, nothing is ever perfect and you'll find something that will bug you but in the end, it works and you'll be happy with it. But.... If you look at Lowes (stores only) right now, you will find that they have the $650 DeWalt model 735 Planer marked down to $499.

Buy the Craftsman jointer if it's in decent shape, tune it up and use it with your new planer. On a budget... I can understand that so just cut off the wife's beer for a month and you'll probably have enough to get both. Haggle the Craftsman down another $75 if not....

Bob S.

Test the craftsman.. Edge-joint 2 boards about 3 feet long then hold the edges together if you get no light... it's keeper.

Actually, ask the owner if they will do that test for you. If you have never owned a jointer before, you may not your jointer technique together.

IMHO, jointers are really simple beasts... there's not that many parameters: Length, width, HP, handwheels vs. Levers and the only one that *really* matters "is it flat?"

I tend to agree.

-Steve

I agree with Leon that you can get by without a jointer. My delta has been sitting for three years now and have not had a need for one. If the tablesaw is in tune with a good blade, you can do without. A planer is a worthwhile investment.

I saw a new Delta 6" jointer on sale through the end of the month from Rockler for $200! It is not on their website but I got it in a mailer. You could call Rockler to see if it is still for sale.

Thanks guys for all the good input, I really want a good planer also, and have been looking close at the DeWalt 735, but if I bought the Jet jointer I'd probably have to buy one cheaper, Your input has helped me lots. I will check the Craftsman very closely and it if seems to be a in as good shape as claimed go with it and then be able to get the 735 planer too, Ill have to talk to wife about her x-stitch and see what kind of budget she'll agree too (Ahhhh thinking about it,,,, maybe not LOL) I think she agreed with the purchase's to get me out of the house and into the shop CC

IMHO, NO!

When it comes to a jointer, iron is iron.

If the tables are flat and parallel, the Craftsman is a winner.

At least mine was before it got legs.

If the seller will allow it take a couple of boards with you to joint. If the pieces butt up to a light tight joint, you have a winner.

Lew

Maybe that's more of a comment on the Craftsman than on mechanized jointing? :D I have a 6" Jet and hold the opposite opinion. The boards stick together from the vacuum between their faces when they're stacked next to each other on edge. My hat's off to you and your skills if you can do that reliably without a jointer.

On a fixed income, though, I'll concede the point. You don't need that level of precision for stuff that grows and shrinks with the seasons. Tell me more about your jigs.

I've contacted the seller and am going to try to see the jointer Tuesday I'm going to get him to run a couple pieces through it to see how well they will mate, Hopefully it will be in as good a shape as he says it is If it is, I will have a new tool in the shop, cc

Partly ;~)

I have a 6" Jet and hold the opposite opinion. The boards stick

I have never checked to see if the boards stick from the vvacuum however the joint pretty much disappears when the boards are slid up next to each other. Basically if you can rip a straight line on your TS you can straighten a board on your TS with a jig. Grain is typically the only indicator of where to look for the joint.

I use a piece of 3/4" x 14" x 8' long piece of plywood with a straight edge that runs along the rip fence of the TS. I clamp with two toggle clamps the board to be straightened with the crooked edge hanging off the opposite side of the plywood panel. The clamps hold the crooked board so that the crooked edge is cut off when the jig is run through the TS. This jig woks on the same principal as a taper jig for a TS except the board rides on top of the sled rather than beside the jig. I am using a cabinet saw with a Forrest WWII. I can actually straighten a board much faster than using a jointer with this jig. I only takes one pass to straighten any board up to 8' in length. Can you say that about most any common sized jointer? ;~)

I also have a sled jig for my 15" stationary planer that will flatten boards up to 13" wide. This is impossible with most common sized jointers unless you rip the board in half and flatten the two resulting pieces.

Yah. AOK on the rip part. Won't you need a bunch of shimming to plane the face on the sled? How does that work if not?

That's what I was wondering. Every planer flattening jig I've seen had provision for multiple shims/wedges to allow flattening a warped board. Since every board is different, rearranging all the shims for each board gets old quick.

I suppose the sled is an improvement over hand planing the entire face :-).

Yes, the jig featured in Fine Wood Working IIRC, and the one I built and use uses a shallow torsion box style sled with several anchored but adjustable wedge shims. For a wide and 8" long board it takes about 2-4 minutes to properly shim the board, the shims are on both sides of the sled and spaced about 12" apart along the length of the sled.

Typically most of the wood that I purchase is flat enough to let the planer mill with out the sled.

I built my sled when I had 200 bf of bandsaw milled oak ranging in 8"-13" width 8' long, to flatten.

In deed it does get old but not that quickly. It did get old when working over 200 bf of oak but really it was the only way to do the deed with the boards all being about 8.5' long and at least 8" wide. 85% of the rough cut lumber was too large for a 8" jointer.

Interesting discussion. I've used jigs similar to what you've described and I agree that a wooddorker can do without a jointer, but I wouldn't

Am I the only one who's done jointing on the router table? Should I be embarrassed? :-)

I've done that afore too, but it's kinda hard to face joint on a router.

'scuse the ignorance, because I'm on the other side of my brain today, but doesn't a planer do that?