Tools & Materials
General - 8-in. Jointer 80-200
The General has an almost perfectly flat table and pull-out roller extensions on both ends to add support for long boards.
Dec 01, 2005
The author selected 11 commonly available 8-in. jointers ranging in price from $650 to $1,350, all with either a 1-1/2-hp or 2-hp motor, and evaluated the beds, tables, fences, knives, and ease of making adjustments for each. The General has an almost perfectly flat table and pull-out roller extensions on both ends to add support for long boards. It has either handwheel or lever table adjustment and a rather small table-lock lever. The fence-locking lever, which is in back, had a tendency to slip and hang up the fence. The knives arrived knicked and had to be honed before using.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Ridgid EB4424 Oscillating Spindle/Belt Sander
With five spindles sized from 1/2 in. to 2 in. and a 4 X 24-in. belt, this sander has become a staple in many a shop Fine Woodworking visits.
Grizzly G0495X Industrial Helical Cutterhead 8-in. Jointer
Regardless of the board’s grain, this jointer produced excellent results. Its fence was totally flat, worked smoothly, and locked well, staying in place even after jointing multiple edges. Getting the fence to 90° was very easy, but the 90° stop was a little tricky to set and the fence did not go back to square when using it. For those who would use it, there is also a digital depth-of-cut scale.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in