I currently possess no jointer and only miss it occasionally.
I'm on and off as a woodworker, and mainly seem to do kitchen cabinets and such (i.e. plywood, w/solid trim out). (The never ending kitchen... pics coming soon - I hope).
I keep thinking I'll find time (and one day I will!) to expand my horizons.
So, whadya think about acquiring an 8" jointer, used, made in usa? I fear these might become a rarity, and I'm not too happy with the chinese crap i've gotten - even delta's x5 line.
Idea being, I _might_ need it one day (right?) and it may not be available except as chinese junk.
If it's in good shape, and you have the money to buy it and the space to store it, snap that puppy right up. You'll be surprised at how useful it turns out to be.
Yep, once you've got it, like so many things, you'll wonder how you could have been boneheaded enough to use the workarounds and make-dos.
Heck, I just got one of the Veritas edge planes, and it's almost indifferent to climbing grain in use. Wonder how I muddled through without it for trimming and adjusting. Then there's the shoulder plane....
8" has been the sweet size for me, based on the fact that most of the lumber I get is 6-8" wide. Most wide stock is either seriously upcharged or limited availablity. On the rare occasions that I buy wide stock, I'll have the dealer face joint me a reference for my planer, or the wood will be cut into narrower parts before jointing with a hand, band, or jigsaw.
I also like my DJ-20's fence height, which is taller than most smaller machines, but not as tall as the DJ-30's. I felt the DJ-30 fence bordered on too tall the few times that I've used a DJ-30.
me a reference for my planer, or the wood will be cut into narrower parts before jointing with a hand, band, or jigsaw.
There is a less expensive and relatively easy way --- Use a scrub plane and winding sticks. You only have to level one side fairly close and then run it through a surface planer.
If you start with rough cut wood from the saw mill or your own resawn wood, you will use it constantly, if not, it will probably take up space.
You will have to go way back to get a made in USA jointer, most went to Taiwan and then China some time age.
IMHO The best big jointers are the type that use the parallagram table height adjustment design with eccentrics for coplaner tuning. The Delta DJ's are excellent, however, they were made in Brazil at Invicta and badged Delta. They were moved to Taiwan about 10 years ago, still maintaining very good quality, but Invicta still makes the same unit. I don't think that design was ever made in the USA.
You should avoid the chinese wedge beds unless you are just looking for low price.
Curious, most X5 units are made in the USA, what X5 unit were you dissatisfied with?
I have a 6" Jet (made in China) that I'm happy with. If you have shop space an 8" would be nice. A friend has the 6" Rigid jointer from Home Depot and he likes it. They are priced around $350 (I think).
I often buy my wood milled 2 sides and 1 edge. I think the charge is 55 cents per board foot. It's cheaper than buying a larger jointer, and it saves me a lot of work.
The yard I buy from will do it while I wait and there is no set up fee.
Usually Made in the USA (or Canada) is good when it comes to heavy machines. A used jointer needs to be examined for flatness. Some tables can acquire a bend due to abuse, etc. An 8" jointer is nice and a useful table saw companion, I have one and used it several times today.
Frankly, they are over rated. You've gotten along this far so why spend the money that can be used on beer and women instead?
Just curious though, where is this jointer? Address or telephone? I just want to rib the seller about his high price and see how long it takes to sell it. We'll show him.
joint me a reference for my planer, or the wood will be cut into narrower parts before jointing with a hand, band, or jigsaw.
That's the way I did it for a few years before I was finally couldn't justify spending the day getting the lumber milled and couldn't resist the introductory offer on the Griz G0586. I used a jointer plane and a Sargent 6, but that was the only difference.
It worked, I just never could get the hang of getting it done fast. Some boards just wouldn't cooperate. I thought I'd get faster over time but I never did. Finally the projects were piling up and I just gave up on the planes for that particular task. Now it takes me an hour or less to square up all the stock and I realize that with the planes I was getting the stock pretty close to flat and square, but not quite true. Since I got that jointer, everything in the project goes faster because the stock's all square up from the getgo.
I'm not saying Joel's way is the wrong way. Just that although I enjoy using hand planes - those long days I spent prepping the stock were actually fun - but for some reason I was never able to get the hang of squaring up stock properly and quickly. I'm okay at it and if the jointer's down I can do it, but I now know that I'm one of the reasons they invented those things.
But when there's only one or two pieces I prefer to slap 'em on the bench and do 'em by hand. It's still fun and it's faster than getting the jointer station ready. Small shop, y'know.
Hmm. That's interesting. So, you're saying the Delta DJs aren't made in the USA, but Brazil, now Taiwan for the last 10 years?
Bought the X5 drill press. DELTA service was really really BAD to the point that I will NEVER (NEVER!) buy a new Delta stationary tool again. They basically took that attitude - well, if you don't like it, return it. Before which they tried to convince me it was perfectly acceptable to have it wobble that much. Before which the person answering the phone said, "what's a drill press".
The drill bit wobbled noticeably. The local vendor, Skarie in Baltimore, replaced the entire head. To tell you the truth, I haven't had the opportunity to really test the new head yet.
But, I did have the opportunity to deal with the holes the old one drilled. My kitchen cabinets' shelf holes all are oversized from the wobble. I'm taping the shelf pins so they stay in place. This, from a unit that is their top of the line, and rather pricey.
And, yes - "Made in China" right on the head. Bee-u-ti-ful. I'm so happy that they're getting such a bargain making the top of the line models in China so their brilliant MBA (or whatever) CEO has more $ in his pockets... Problem is, most stuff is made there now.
Yes, the unit itself. The stands, motors and controls were supplied from the U.S. factory until about 2004, now they are coming from China, I think.
Those invicta made units were/are great and there is a big difference in quality comparing Taiwan to mainland China. Those are still good units, unless the've been moved to China.
You're preaching to the choir here. It is unfortunate. You used to have a choice not so long ago. The good Delta drill presses were made by Lindquist Machine Company (LMC) in the USA, but I think that relationship may be over also.
You can edge joint on a router table so pick it up if you will be face jointing boards.I couldnt do without one, but unless you ("I keep thinking I'll find time (and one day I will!) to expand my horizons") expand your horizon you dont need it, for sheet stock.
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