My first GLOAT(s)

Apr 27, 2006 41 Replies

I've been in great need of a jointer, and since I've been working mainly with small projects lately, boxes and cutting boards mostly, I was willing to settle for a cheap, used tabletop jointer.



Since they're heavy, and shipping costs are high, I've been perusing the Denver Craigslist. As usual with Craigslist, the few jointers I found were way overpriced.



Then on Monday I saw an ad for a "Planer" for $75, but the guy's ad had a picture of the Woodtek tabletop jointer copied from the Woodworker's Supply web site. The guy said it wasn't a picture of the actual "planer," and that the actual machine looked about the same except it was on an enclosed stand. (!?)



I figured that even if it was the tabletop unit it would be worth $75, as long as it was in OK shape.



Gloat #1: When I got to his place, it turned out to be a regular full-sized 6" Woodtek jointer! Old, but in pretty good shape. He said that it had been give to him by a friend. He had intended to use it to build a bunch of oak furniture but never got around to it and had sold his house and was moving to Norfolk VA on Friday. I did explain to him that it was actually a jointer not a planer, and what it was used for.



Gloat #2: He said I also had to take the OAK that he was going to use, because he didn't want to pay to have it hauled off. 65+ bd ft of s4s



1x6 and 1x8 white and red oak boards and 8 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 s4s oak table leg blanks.

Some days you eat the bear...


No doubt about it, you suck.

Don't you wonder where these guys come from?

"Vince Heuring" babbles about some kinda obscenely good deal

Did he have to twist your arm behind your back to force you to take the oak?

It just goes to show you that the best deals are from folks who have to leave town and need to dispose of this stuff before they go.

There is truly a GREAT whooshing sound here - must be a huge dust collector running in the background.

I know I sure wonder where they come from, 'cuz I never can find them! Last "deal" I saw on wood was a bunch some guy had for sale in the local rag. It was mostly cut offs, with a few 8 foot lengths of oak, plus a couple of lengths of walnut. Plus about 1/2 of it was construction grade pine. He was asking pretty darned close to retail price for the full sized pieces. I offered him around 1/4th of his asking price and never heard from him again. I suppose somebody got sucked in on the "deal"! Any used power tools I see get sold for darned near retail, or more too. Greg

Do you own a commerrcial shop? You must if you have a great need of a jointer. I have never felt the need for one myself as I only do this as a hobby.

So your shop consists of a few hand saws and some planes? Maybe a brace for drilling holes?

todd

I do this as a hobby too. I also felt the need for a jointer, so I bought an 8" bohemoth. You could land a small aircraft on its deck.

I've got those and more. A jointer though, is way, way down on my list of needed tools.

No aircraft in mine either, though I like having the ability to land one there. Seriously, having a jointer has allowed me to buy rough wood in the species I want and then mill it to the finished size I want (in conjunction with a power planer). No longer am I at the mercy of the Borg and their limited selection.

If you only buy s4s lumber from the Borg or have your local lumber dealer surface it "s1s1e," surfaced on one side and one edge, you will never need a jointer, it's ready for planing as is.

But buy some unsurfaced wood and try to make, say, a tabletop after using just a planer to surface the wood, and you'll feel the need.

In my case I had some 1x4x18 purpleheart, padauk, and cocobolo boards to surface for a cutting board. The padauk and purpleheart were both cupped and twisted. Just enough to make them unusable unless jointed.

Oh, and while I think of it, does anybody have a manual for an old-style 6" Woodtek jointer. :-)

I do the same. I do have a planer. No jointer. Not needed.

I do, I have and I don't have a jointer. What's the problem? The jointer in the home shop is a relativlely recent thing. So many put it on the "must have" list these days. It is far down the list as far as I'm concerned.

You must my pretty surfaced and consistant thickness stock. OR you build small stuff. My aircraft carrier is used on EVERY project and I often use the handplanes as well after the jointer does the heavy work.

If a piece has a crook, then I will take the scrub to even it out a bit, or use the scrub to clean up the edge before those blades see it.

Alan

You must buy surfaced and consistant thickness stock. OR you build small stuff. My aircraft carrier is used on EVERY project and I often use the handplanes as well after the jointer does the heavy work. I did make my son's bed only with a table saw, hand planes, router, and a jitterbug sander. Solid beech with three drawers underneath. 3x3 beech posts a bit higher than the sides/ends.

If a piece has a crook, then I will take the scrub to even it out a bit, or use the scrub to clean up the edge before those blades see it.

Alan

Maybe he uses hand planes and a belt sander.

He can ride the tail wind from your suckage to Norfolk!

Mac

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Or a black helicopter.. *lol*

Mac

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