Replies

1. 
   Gene_Kasper | Dec 14, 2001 09:21am | #1

   *
   Steve: I have aJet 6" joiner sells for about $450.00 I almost never use it. I have found that using a Systi-Matic joint finish blade on my jet table saw with a Biesmier T squre rip fence produces a Great joint edege. The cost of the blade is about $75.00 10", Save your money, hope this helps.
   Gene

1. 
   Matthew_Schenker | Dec 14, 2001 11:01pm | #2

   *After a futile effort on my part to use a Jet 6" jointer successfully, I am feeling the same way as Mr. Kasper. Of course, in my case, it may be user inexperience. However, I am learning that there are several ways to achieve the results you get with a jointer.

1. 
   davamoore_ | Dec 14, 2001 11:39pm | #3

   *At risk of opening up the "big box" debate, I've been perfectly happy with my Ridgid 6" jointer from Home Depot. Set up was fairly easy, the adjustments were quick, and the performance has met all of my expectations/requirements.David

1. 
   Steve_Greenberg | Dec 15, 2001 10:11pm | #4

   *This sounds very interesting! ( and cheaper!) Where can I find the blade? Catalog or web? Can I use it to mill a lot of stock up in batches? Thanks again.StevePlease respond to [email protected]

1. 
   Rocky_Rothrock | Dec 16, 2001 07:02pm | #5

   *Steve,Don't hesitate to look at jointer planes. I have found that it can be tricky to run long, or extra wide stock thru my 6" jet. I have had great results with my jet, but with some practice I have found the hand plane to be very handy an a joy to use. Just a couple of cents.Rocky

2. 
   Kurt_Krueger | Dec 20, 2001 11:07pm | #6

   *I have a Systi-Matic glue joint rip blade too, and use it where straight cuts are critical. Most of the time, however, I go to the jointer before I make a cut on the table saw. The jointer is a very useful machine and is indispensable for creating a straight edge on a piece of lumber prior to a ripping operation, or flattening a warped board prior to a surfacing operation. Attempting to rip a piece of crooked lumber is very hazardous. Unless you have a gang rip saw, the jointer is the best way to straighten one edge.

3. 
   Matthew_Schenker | Dec 23, 2001 04:33pm | #7

   *The Woodworking Shows are coming to Western Massachusetts, to the Eastern States Exposition. I am planning to attend the seminar on hand-planing. After my experience with a jointer, and after some of the comments I've read on Knots as well as opinions of older woodworkers whose opinions I respect, I feel that hand-planing is a skill I'd like to master.Plus, those Lie-Nielsen jointer planes are so much more lovable than any electric jointer!

4. 
   David_Heinlein | Dec 23, 2001 05:24pm | #8

   *Matthew,Why waste good money on a fancy-schmancy jointer plane when there are thousands of older Stanley and Bedrock jointer planes out there to be had for minimal cost? With a good tune up, and if needed, a better quality cutter these planes work as good as any other.

5. 
   Matthew_Schenker | Dec 24, 2001 03:53am | #9

   *David,I will definitely keep this advice in mind. I am not yet in the market for a really good jointer plane, since I am only beginning to practice this skill (or should I say art). But soon, I hope, I'll be ready.Please feel free to share any other advice you have oon hand-planing. But maybe under a different thread (I don't want to take over Mr. Greenberg's post).Thanks for your help!

6. 
   Greg_Alexander | Dec 31, 2001 04:48pm | #10

   *I agree with David Heinlein. I currently have a Jet 6" jointer and use it with very good results. The only problem I have is that I sometimes see very small wavy cut marks, (could this be from the blades set incorrectly?) I just make slower passes to aleviate this tho. For 6 years I used my Record jointer plane (22") very successfully, joining up to 5' boards. Got mine at a yard sale for $35. but can be had for about $100. through some catalogs. Have fun...Greg...

7. 
   R._Pelrine | Jan 26, 2002 06:11pm | #11

   *Steve-Jointers are not sexy but I think you will find over time that having one makes all your work less full of headaches. A good well tuned ts can make pretty staight edges, but not always and not nery well on long rough stock. Tha said, I have the Sunhill 6" jointer. It was $408.00 delivered. I picked it based upon two things: Review in American Woodworker a couple years ago and the longer bed length. Its bed is 52" as opposed to 46" or 47" for Jet/Delta/Ridgid.Ray

8. 
   Alex_Higgins | Feb 01, 2002 09:05pm | #12

   *I just bought the Jet 6". I would have gone for an 8" if I had the money but.... So far, so good. Setup was quick, came with 2 extra sets of knives, and I'm getting cuts like butter. Fit and finish are excellent, and it's quiet and low vibration. I had one minor question, had no trouble getting through to Jet tech support. I had a faulty drive belt, which they replaced within 3 days. I chose it over the Delta and all the Taiwanese clones because of the handwheel adjustments for infeed and outfeed table. The lever adjusters on some models just seem clunky and imprecise. The Delta has a bit beefier fence adjuster, but how often do you need to move the fence around? I got it from Tool Crib for $499. The Jet has screw jack lifters, rather than springs. I use a dial indicator to get the knives parallel to the cutter head (which they were right out of the box) and then adjust the outfeed table dead level with the knives.

9. 
   Smaug | Feb 06, 2002 05:25am | #13

   *I have to agree with Alex on this one. Planes are very artful and romantic, but they take more time and effort that I would rather spend on finishing the project. Once you align the jointer properly, you won't even have to think about it to get perfect edges every time. I think the people that are having problems just don't have them aligned well. There's a reason jointer are standard equipment in production shops; and it's not because they *don't* work.Also, by the time you buy a few good quality planes, you could have had a jointer. I just got a Jet 6" open stand 3/4" HP jointer and I love it. With this, my planer, and a tablesaw, you can make almost any lumber usable. It cost me $400 at Menards. That's about the same cost as 2-3 Lie-Nielson planes.Maybe when I'm older and have more time to do woodworking, I will use planes, scrapers, and handsaws. There's some charm in working in a quiet shop, and probably more pride when you can tell people you built something entirely with hand tools. In the end, I don't think it really saves money, because time is money too.

10. 
    Keith_C | Feb 25, 2002 03:37am | #14

    *I second(or third) the nomination for the 6" Jet. I got one a few days ago at Hartville Hardwares big tool sale. It was 469.00 with 3 sets of knives. Mine came out of the box adjusted to go. I checked the fence, 90 and 45 were dead nuts, as were the knives. Fit and finish are real good, and I felt better getting it than a Delta, cause they both aren't from here anyway. Smooth and cuts like a dream.(for now)

11. 
    IAM_ | Feb 26, 2002 01:22pm | #15

    *FWIW I just got my 8" jointer from Bridgewood. Sell for $895. Perfect out of the box. Thanks to this discussion group I had purchased the 40" straight edge from Lee Valley ($28) to checkout my investment. The beds are beautifully finished. They were plane indivdually and also in the same plane with each other. Fence angle is consistent along its entire length.I planed 2' long 2x4 to try it out and the only problem I have is that the board has a slightly deeper cut in the middle. I cannot push a paper thru (so it is less that 0.004" max) but can see light. I have just sent bridgewood an emial and it could very well be operator error since this is my first time with a jointer.The only improvement can be an easier belt tensioning mechanism, perhaps with the addition of a tensioner pulley, but as it is you have to pivot the table which the motor sits on up or down. This does not sound bad but the catch is that the 4 bolts are underneath the table with enough space for 1 click on the ratchet plus not enough space to apply torque. I am 5' 8" with medium frame I am not sure if a larger person can do this function. Not a big deal hopefully I will not be doing this for a long time.Anyhow, I will recommend checking their 6" jointer it sells for $399. BTW, both tables come with hand wheel adjustments on both models.Good Luck

12. 
    John_Adams | Mar 04, 2002 10:36pm | #16

    *IAM;With the new jointer, you have accidentally discovered the machine method of producing a "sprung-joint". The outfeed table is very likely several thousandths low. If you raise it .002" or .003". the test board will likely come out perfectly straight. In the process, You'll learn that every threaded adjustment has "some" clearance within the threads, and your "last" table adjustment should always be one which supports the weight, or eventually vibration will cause a shift in that adjustment. Another example would be lowering a table saw, where you lower it below your target setting, and approach it from below, thus "loading" the adjusting screw.As for the belt adjustment, it may need retensioning after 5-10 hours of operation, and possibly never again. Use caution when tensioning a belt with jack-screws, as it's very easy to overtighten one, ruining both belt and bearings in the process.Good luck with your new machine.John

13. 
    Tom_Ferreira | Mar 07, 2002 01:31am | #17

    *Steve,I too used a tablesaw for years with a rip blade and touched up with a hand plane. This works fine and has the advantage of getting some hand tool skills. I bought a 6" jointer a year ago, and I got to tell you it is a time saver. It has to be tuned right, but this is easy. It would be tough to imagine not having it.TDF

14. 
    Jim_Markle | Mar 08, 2002 10:49pm | #18

    *I've had a Grizzly 6" for over 8 years now and have never had a problem with it....runs square and flat, all I have ever had to do is change blades. After all these years the only thing I wish, is that I would have gotten an 8" instead of the 6".

15. 
    IAM_ | Mar 14, 2002 03:08am | #19

    *John,I have been making sure that the last adjustment is "loaded" mostly because I was not sure that the typical bed locking mechanism on jointers, a threaded pin, is trustworthy.I have not been able to take the shallow middle out with height adjustment of the out feed table but the problem could be my straight edge which has a tolerance of 0.005" across its full length. I have been so eager to use it that I have not yet edged 2 boards to see how they meet. That would be a better test.Imran Malik

16. 
    chairmake1 | Apr 26, 2002 04:48pm | #21

    I just do not think the blade thingie will do in the long run for you. The need for the jointer is not just an edge - you could do that with a #5 Stanley plane - the real reason for the jointer is to make one face grain side of the board flat and then place that edge against the fence and run an edge that will be 90 degrees to the wide flat face of the board.

    You then go to the planer to bring the board to the thickness you will need for your project. The jointer is used to give you the true edges on a board so you will start out with a referenced face and edge to work with.

    I would check into the Grizzly line - I do not own one of their jointers, but have not heard any problems and they do have a great customer relations department. The tilting arbor saw I bought from them 5 years ago is a work horse and I'm very happy with it.

    Robert

2. 
   TJinFL | Apr 26, 2002 04:30pm | #20

   Steve,

   I too have just recently purchased a JET 6" jointer.  What a pleasure!  Fit/finish were perfect, setup was simple, and the results are outstanding.  Since I buy S2S lumber, a jointer is absolutely necessary to have to straighen one edge before ripping to the proper width on the tablesaw.  From my experience, you can't go wrong with a JET.  I will buy more from them in the future.

   Terry