Odd jointer problem, perhaps? Help!

[john moorhead]

Folks -

Ripped, jointed and fitted boards for a panel, but the edges were NOT square to the face of the board. I did adjust the jointer fence with a known accurate square before I started, but I have a gap on one edge (~

1/64+) I reverse jointed every other board in the panel, and that did help, but it's still not as tight as I'd like, tho' the joinery isn't terribly critical for this project.

If the fence is square to the bed, what the heck is going on and how could my boards be out of square on the edge? No odd noises or anything like a loose bearing, so... and yes, I am holding the boards against the fence whilst jointing.

Thanks for any insight...

John Moorhead Lakeport, CA

[Bob S.]

John,

I seriously doubt that the full length of your jointer fence is 90-deg to the bed if you own a typical ($500 version) jointer. Consider that the fence is not perfectly flat so when you do check it for square, you should be placing the square just behind the cutter head on the outfeed table. That's your reference point.

Very light pressure is needed to use the jointer and any pressure applied is on the outfeed side, not the infeed side.

Joint a face flat, run the piece thru the planer to make the other face parallel to the one you jointed, then joint an edge square. Use that edge as the reference to rip the other edge parallel to the jointed edge.

When you "reverse joint" every other board, were you accidentally flipping the boards end for end too? In effect, canceling out what you were trying to do and cancel out the fence not being perfectly at 90-deg.

I suspect that your jointer fence is slightly warped/twisted/bent or otherwise distorted....

Bob S.

[Nova]

If the fence is square to the fence the only thing that can be wrong if the blades are not parallel to the table. Is there any play in the cutter head?

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[WoodTurner]

Check the blades are parallel to the table, and that all blades on your machine are set evenly and parallel. I had to reset mine when I first used the machine as the factory setting was terrible :(

-- Regards,

Dean Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews

5 Reviews:

- Delta Universal Tenoning Jig

- Ryobi Reciprocating Saw

- Infinity Router Bits

- Incra Wonder Fence

- Veritas Jointer Blade Sharpener

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[bob]

Why pressure only on the outfeed and not the infeed?

[Doug Miller]

Pressure on the infeed side forces the wood down into the knives.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

[Bob S.]

Exactly and since it is the outfeed side that the knives are aligned against - its the outfeed side that is used for all the reference points. The weight of the board alone is usually all that's needed on the infeed side, and only enough pressure on the outfeed side to keep the board referenced against the bed or fence or both, depending on what operation you're doing (face, edge or beveling).

Bob S.