Jointer Recommendation ...

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socdad

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I'm looking to add a jointer to my shop & do not have a bunch of space. I recently changed out the cutter-head on my Dewalt planner with the Shelix head with carbide cutters & love it … Looking for a 6" or 8" bench top, possibly with carbide cutters. Any thoughts / suggestions would be helpful.
 
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PatrickR

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I have a modern small Craftsman 5.5" and an old 7" Craftsman. Night and day difference, the modern small units (they all seem the same) are only useful for the smallest things. The old one I have is okay and I use it. Having used large commercial units, a jointer is one of those tools that bigger is better applies. Not necessarily wider, but heavier. It takes a lot of down and forward pressure to use one effectively with a board of any size. Also they need to be lower than most power tools. I find a large hand plane combined with proper vices and bench much more useful.
if you go with a small bench top unit get the heaviest one, mount it to a rock solid, immobile bench that is lower than normal, so that you can maintain the downward pressure necessary.
 

PatrickR

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I was in the shop and my old joiner is actually 4" and is about 3x as long. Length is a big factor.
More so than cutter width. You can face a wide board on the planer with a sled easier than on a joiner.
 

jttheclockman

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I have a modern small Craftsman 5.5" and an old 7" Craftsman. Night and day difference, the modern small units (they all seem the same) are only useful for the smallest things. The old one I have is okay and I use it. Having used large commercial units, a jointer is one of those tools that bigger is better applies. Not necessarily wider, but heavier. It takes a lot of down and forward pressure to use one effectively with a board of any size. Also they need to be lower than most power tools. I find a large hand plane combined with proper vices and bench much more useful.
if you go with a small bench top unit get the heaviest one, mount it to a rock solid, immobile bench that is lower than normal, so that you can maintain the downward pressure necessary.
These words are very true and those bench top units in my opinion are accidents waiting to happen. Need to be able to put doward force on the board while maintaining a constant feed rate and also a smooth feed. Put those on top of a bench and all that goes away. Not sure why you need a jointer for pen turning.
 

jttheclockman

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Cutting boards ...
So you have plans to use for other things. My opinion and it is just my opinion if you have a tablesaw you will get good cuts with a good blade that are glue joint ready. If you use a jointer and use woods that have grains going different direction due to segmenting to get different looks you can run into alot of tearout. If you have a router you can clean edges with a good sharp router bit. I have no suggestions on brands because as I mentioned I do not feel they are worth the money and can be unsafe. But if you do get one, be sure to secure it well to a bench that is firm and is a good height to work comfortably. These things can tip easily because of the motion needed to pass boards through. That is why a floor model is better but understand if you do not have room. Work safe.
 

Curly

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A longish time ago both Makita and Hitachi made planer/jointer combination machines. 6" jointer and 12" planer side by side with a common motor. My buddy has a Makita (about 1978) and I the Hitachi (1982). The jointers are 5' long with the Hitachi being able to fold the ends down to shorten it to 42" or so. They are solid machines in the 300+ pound range and you can get carbide insert heads for them from aftermarket makers. They occasionally come up for sale on the used market and if you can find one it would more than serve your needs. You can put them on wheels and roll them out of the way, maybe shortening a bench if you had to put it somewhere.
 

Curly

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A little hint if it suits your style and you have good wood, is to glue 5 to 7+ foot long lengths to make up to 12" wide boards, plane to thickness, joint and then glue the single joint to make the board wider. Then you can crosscut to the lengths you like. Less lost to snipe and it is a little faster when making multiples. You do need some working space and enough clamps for the bigger glue ups though.
 

PatrickR

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I have seen examples of the smaller ones built into a bench giving you the in-feed and out-feed length needed but you really need it to be lower than standard bench height and totally immobile so that you can use your body weight, not just arm strength. I find joiners to be the most physically demanding tool in the shop.
look for the largest, longest, heaviest one that you can fit and afford. I have not used the little one since getting the larger one.
 

Mortalis

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Aug 19, 2013
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Bardstown, Ky
Here's two methods to joint edges with your tablesaw.
FWIW, I do have a jointer Ridgid JP0610 and I use it once in a blue moon. In fact, every time I need to use it I have to de-rust it with some steel wool and yes I use furniture polish to help resist rusting.
Joint without a jointer
 

PatrickR

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I had seen that before and he does a good job of laying it out. I watched it again and noticed a shot of someone running a large board over a joiner with apparently no effort at all. It had to be a staged shot with the joiner set to zero.
 

mmayo

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Tehachapi, CA
I'm looking to add a jointer to my shop & do not have a bunch of space. I recently changed out the cutter-head on my Dewalt planner with the Shelix head with carbide cutters & love it … Looking for a 6" or 8" bench top, possibly with carbide cutters. Any thoughts / suggestions would be helpful.
I make lots of cutting boards so a jointer has been helpful. I have a small 6" Rikon with helical Carbide cutters, it rocks. Start with zeroing your table saw to exactly 90 degrees. Use a magnetic digital angle finder. Buy a Frued glueline rip blade, not a copy. Cut slowly. Dryfit your cutting board and look for gaps. Plane all or the ones that bother you. Dryfit to see if it helped. Once satisfied, use good glue ie. Titebond three. Use good clamps like Bessey parallel clamps and full length cauls. Let dry overnight.

Remove excess glue, plane with your Shelix planer and drum sand or palm sand. Done
 

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socdad

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Dayton, Ohio
I make lots of cutting boards so a jointer has been helpful. I have a small 6" Rikon with helical Carbide cutters, it rocks. Start with zeroing your table saw to exactly 90 degrees. Use a magnetic digital angle finder. Buy a Frued glueline rip blade, not a copy. Cut slowly. Dryfit your cutting board and look for gaps. Plane all or the ones that bother you. Dryfit to see if it helped. Once satisfied, use good glue ie. Titebond three. Use good clamps like Bessey parallel clamps and full length cauls. Let dry overnight.

Remove excess glue, plane with your Shelix planer and drum sand or palm sand. Done

Thanks, the Rikon is the jointer I was considering.
 

mmayo

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Tehachapi, CA
The larger one (6") has outfeed and infeed metal supports which I like.

Joint the boards that don't look tight is what I meant to say.
 
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