Wife Gloat and question

[Dave Miller]

My wife, gotta love her. She gets a bonus at work, and wants a new kitchen table and chairs (I'd build them but I'm just getting started and she can't wait that long...). OK, so we order them this past weekend. She also wants to send some money to a friend who needs help. That's cool with me. Also wants to put some into savings. No problem. Finally, she says there's about $800 left, and why don't I get myself a jointer. SWMBO, must be obeyed, I guess.

Seems like a lot of folks get a 6" and trade up or wish they got an 8" in the first place. I'm interested in an 8" Yorkcraft, but am open to other options if this isn't a good choice. However, I've also been thinking about a drill press, so maybe a 6" Yorkcraft would leave me enough room for one of those. Space-wise, I have room for either the 6 or 8.

I guess it comes down to whether its better to get two toys, er, tools, or one, but I'd value input in case there's something I haven't considered.

Also, saw a Woodworks show where David Marks said it's a good idea to have jointer knives back-beveled, it gives more of a scraping effect. I'm interested to hear if anyone's tried this.

Thanks, appreciate all your good advice. And by the way, she does have a sister...

[Todd Fatheree]

I have an 8" Delta DJ-20 that I bought used for about what you're looking to spend. While I like it a lot, I'd say there's a lot of work that could be done on a 6" unit as well. Using grizzly.com as a guide, you could either spend about $450 on a 6" unit or $765 on an 8" unit. I'd give serious thought to the 6" unit and putting the other $300+ towards a drill press.

todd

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Get that great big giant assed jointer and be done with it. You can make do drilling holes until you find a drill press that suits you. I'm the guy they're talking about when they discuss buying for current needs and then having to upsize later. I'm sick of it. Better to buy something that will take care of your conceivable needs now... the shipping is going to be hefty in any case... why pay twice?

As for your wife: would she consider fooling around? I find myself with a little free time these days and still have some room in the garage.

[diyguy]

[mac davis]

besides, you might take up the RC airplane hobby and need a landing field....

*g*

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[TeamCasa]

Dave, You have a wonderful bride!

I would suggest you pick either the big jointer or a quality drill press. If you have any money left, take her out for a nice meal as a thank you.

David Marks is correct, back beveling the knives helps with highly figured woods.

Dave

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[TeamCasa]

Dave, You have a wonderful bride!

I would suggest you pick either the big jointer or a quality drill press. If you have any money left, take her out for a nice meal as a thank you.

David Marks is correct, back beveling the knives helps with highly figured woods.

Dave

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[Pat Barber]

Go to a Woodcraft store or other woodworking store that has a 6" and 8" jointer(Delta is good example).

You need to see the difference between the two side by side.

The difference between a 37-195(6") and a DJ-20(8") can be measured in miles.

Dave Miller wrote:

[Steven and Gail Peterson]

The answer to this question depends on what you want to do, and what other tools you have. There is usually more than one way to do something. I made a jointer fence for my router table and used it successfully before I got my jointer. And even though I now have the jointer, I use my drill press more often, as a sander and a mortiser as well as drilling holes.

Treat that wife well, she's a gem.

Steve

[Patriarch]

Dave Miller wrote in news:42085FED.60605 @insightbb.com:

In the SF Bay area, $800 is about the going price for a redone vintage 8" Delta, with new everything that it needs, from a reliable source. If I had the room, that's what I would purchase. And if I had more room yet, I'd get an even larger one. For now, a Stanley #8 does all right.

I would not buy a new drill press, unless I could spend at least $350, to get that kind of capacity. Again, used might be a good option.

Patriarch

[Mike Marlow]

left, and why don't I get

You suck Dave. BTW, any chance of sending your wife over for a few days?

[AAvK]

Frankly I would spring for the best 8" jointer I could find for the money with a long table, because it is easy enough to save up for a $400 DP any time. Question, what is so great about Yorkcraft?

[Nick Bozovich]

Dave -

My $.02 is to get the best 8" jointer you can afford, and look for a DP on sale at one of the Borgs or at an estate auction. I bought a Jet 6" at an auction, and it's been a great tool - but I'm now finding that an 8" would be nice. If you can afford the 8" now, I'd get it right from the start.

I picked up a Delta 12" DP (I think it's DP350) at Lowes on sale for $120 last year. It does everything I need it to. I know what people have said about them here before, but for me it's great. I don't have a production shop - I'm just a hobby woodworker. I don't have the need for a huge floor model, nor do I have the space.

FWIW, I'm really starting to evaluate my tool needs in this way now - yeah, it's cool to have the biggest, baddest, fire breathing monster that you can buy, but do I REALLY need all that? How much will I use it? I'd like to have a dovetail jig - I saw the Akeda (sp?) at the WW show here last month, and really liked it. But, would I do enough dovetails of variable spacing in up to 16" stock to justify a $500 expenditure? I don't think so right now. So, I'm really looking at that new PC jig for $150 (back of the latest Woodcraft catalogue). Besides if I find I really need the Akeda, I can always Ebay the PC.

Sorry for the rant, but it helped clarify my decision on the dt jig. Oh yeah, like previous replies said, treat that wife really good, she IS a gem!

Nick B

[Duane Bozarth]

They're essentially the Delta...come (or at least at time of last review I saw) from same Chinese factory and fit/finish was nearly as good...

[Dave Miller]

Thanks for all the replies! You've helped push me towards getting a bigger jointer. I like what I've read about the Yorkcraft, and the price is right. Grizzly has an 8" in my price range, too, but one consideration is I don't have 220 service. I may decide to do something about that, but will want to use the jointer before I get around to that. I understand the Yorkcraft will run on 110. Seems to be one of the few 8" jointers that is dual voltage. Too bad all this good luck came after Wilke's shipping deal ended.

Of course, if I could find one of those used DJ-20's I read about in here, I'd find a way to get 220 wired in the next two hours. Priorities...

Thanks again, all!

Dave (who is making reservations at a fancy restaurant for his bride!)

Dave Miller wrote:

[John Grossbohlin]

You could always add, out of your pocket, the price of a 6" jointer to the $800 and get a new DJ-20. Why limit yourself. ;-)

I did the upgrade thing on pretty much my whole shop... I've never regretted having the bigger tools but cursed the smaller ones, more times than I care to think about, because they weren't up to the task. Of course what you work on influences how big the tools should be... if you are making small jewelry boxes you probably don't need big tools, but if you are doing built-ins, cabinets, and architectural woodworking the big tools open up your range of possibilities.

John

[Silvan]

Yeahbut is her sister married?

You suck, BTW.

I'd probably get the most jointer for the $800 and save the DP for another day. It's a lot easier to scrape up $300 than $800.

[AAvK]

...I'll respect your marriage, dude. That other way of commenting is low-life, IMAO.

[Mike Marlow]

Not necessarily Alex - I know my comment had a hidden "maybe some of this will rub off on my wife" thing in it. Sometimes the lead-ins are put out there expecting further comment and they aren't as low life or disrespecting as you think.

[Mutt]

Dave, don't sweat it on the 220 service as that issue should not be allowed to drive your purchase decision. If you've got space for a breaker in your box, putting in a 220v line is really not all that difficult, I've wired two shops (relocated twice) with 110v and 220v, both 20amp service and all GFI protected, and I'm no electrical genius. Get the right breakers for your box, a roll of 12ga romex and some 20a "commercial" grade outlets and just do it. Go to Borders or Barnes & Noble and take a look at this book: "Wiring a House" by Rex Caulfield (Taunton, the FWW folks, publish it). I found it to be quite informative and used it as a guide with much success. good luck

Mutt