Jointer: Help me Understand

[Mark Stiegel]

I replaced my Crapsman Jointer a little bit ago with a Powermatic 6-inch jointer.....which has adjustable in-feed and out-feed tables.

Why is the out-feed table adjustable? When would one need to adjust the out-feed table.....can't figure out when I would ever need to do this? Can someone please shed some light on this.....thanx in advance.

Mark

[Duane Bozarth]

A) When you replace/sharpen/reset knives...makes alignment much easier B) Tapers C) When you think of / come across other reasons... :)

[Mike]

needs to be level with the knives

[Slowhand]

You will know when you have to set your knives. SH

[Frank Ketchum]

You don't adjust it during regular operations. You just adjust it when you set new knives in or resharpen. It should be tweaked just so it's level with the top of the knives and then you leave it alone for normal use.

Frank

[LRod]

Hmmm. I don't think I want to try tapers by adjusting the outfeed table. I mean, how do you start it?

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

[Groggy]

Normally it is level with the dlades. I can only think of tapers and to create 'feet' on a bench support.

Greg

[Ba r r y]

• Blades get smaller as they are resharpened.

• Sometimes you WANT to joint a slight curve (It keeps the pressure on the ends)

Barry

[Matthew]

If the outfeed table is a bit higher than the knives, a long jointed edge will be convex (high in the middle). If the outfeed table is a bit lower than the knives, a long jointed edge will be concave (low in the middle).

Try it and you will be amazed at how well it works.

Matthew

[Bob G.]

==================================== I have been using the same 6 in Rockwell Jointer for darn close to 40 years now... and it has a fixed outfeed table....

Now I will admit that when I am replacing the blades I usually have a hell of a frustrating time ...lol...adjusting esch blade to the table...And I correct to assume if my outfeed table were adjustable I could have a slightly less frustrating time... ????

I do not know the "real" reason for an adjustable outfeed table either... what I do know is that I have never Needed the outfeed table to be adjustable for anything I was attempting..

Bob Griffiths

Anyway....

[Mark Stiegel]

Mike,

Why not leave the out-feed table fixed and adjust each knife level to the out-feed table....that's what I do now.

Mark

[Mark Stiegel]

Don't understand......I always just set each knife level with the out-feed table and it works...not sure what the adjustment would do for me????

Mark

"Slowhand" > Can someone please shed some light on this.....thanx in advance.

[George]

It would allow you to set your knives at the same height with a straddle gage and then move your outfeed to proper exposure. Gets there faster.

[Mike]

Mark, well you do have a point, since my out-feed table is ajustable it seems easier to adjust it than the knives, at least to me :-) but I guess if you adjust each knife to the out-feed table, we get the same result....

[Slowhand]

I also have a rockwell jointer albeit with an adjustable outfeed. My strategy for setting the knives involves setting the outfeed table so each knife bumps my "adjustable outfeed table jig" (which is a piece of scrap with two pencil marks a quarter inch apart) a quarter inch. Once all my knives are singing to the same tune, I then move my outfeed table up so it barrrrrrrely moves the "adjustable outfeed table jig".

Now, admittedly, I used to set the knives with the table. What used to take me 10 minutes per knife, now takes about 3 minutes. And I think my method is more exact than how I used to do it. SH