Craftsman 6″ jointer – Opinions please !
I have an opportunity to buy a Craftsman 6″ jointer for cheap. It’s the stationary model with a 1hp motor, cast iron bed etc. I was holding out for an 8″ Delta or Powermatic, but that’s just not in the financial cards right now. Is this Craftsman worth having, or would it be just spent money?
Replies
Chuck,
Given the fact that you know what you need..8" high quality machine..it seems to me you'd be very unhappy with an undersized underpowered machine...
If only you didn't know....lol
I've never lost money on buying used tools. If it's priced right and will do the job you can always trade up later.
Most Craftsman jointers don't have adjustable outfeed tables. Stay away from Craftsman jointers.
Don
Don
Most of the higher end Craftsman 6" jointers made within the last 6 - 8 years have adjustable infeed & out feed tables. They are like most of the 6" jointers in the same price range made today. Probably made on the same assembly line too.
Bart,
Totally agree with you when it comes to a jointer. If others were "serious" about jointers, they'd be talking this
http://www.northfieldwoodworking.com/jointers/medium.htm
and not PM, Delta, Jet, Grizz or whatever.
Don
NorthField makes nice jointer's I agree. But what is real funny about this to me is my Father made thousands of dollars on a fixed out-feed table Craftsman jointer he purchased new in the mid 50's for about $60. This is when the average little guy starting a cabinet shop part time couldn't just walk in & purchase a commercial type machine. Dad started & finished 35 years of business with a 10" Craftsman contractor saw he purchased in 1955. Next came the jointer & then the drill pres & band-saw which were Duro products. then the RAS & a Craftsman shaper & a Delta shaper later a Foley Bellsaw planer. Now people frown on Craftsman tools. I also have a Craftsman contractor saw made in 1997, to look at the construction (cast iron & mechanicals) the saw is identical to my Dad's 1955 saw accept the sheet metal lower case & the hand wheels & fence. In fact we just put a Ridgid TS 24/24 fence on his saw & it bolted right on. (We set it up to cut 36" the the right of the blade.) He started out in the garage & when he retired he owned a shop that was 5028 Sq. Ft.
Yes its nice to have just the perfect tool. I really get a charge out of people that purchase e$2000 cabinet saws for hobby shops not to mention all the other just perfect equipment & everything has to be just perfect before they can do anything.
If I had the money Dad made with his equipment I could purchase 3 - 4 times over all that just perfect equipment.
A couple of questions: How cheap is "cheap"? and "Does it have adjustable outfeed?" per DonC. If you really are going to need an 8" machine, a good 6" machine might keep you happy for awhile, but a dog-of-a-machine will just eat some of the money that should go to the better one.
Also, is the fence straight, adjustable to exactly 90 degrees and 45 degrees, flat bed and all that.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
It's $180, about 1 one tenth the cost of the 8" Powermatic. If I've cut and pasted properly, this URL should get you there. http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/productsummary.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1214987747.1046296685@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccggadchjfifglecehgcemgdffmdflk.0&vertical=SEARS&bidsite=&pid=00921706000
Chuck,
Craftsman sockets and wrenches are really a good value. Their stationary woodworking tools are crapola. Do yourself a favor and save a little longer for a reputable stationary woodworking machine. Older heavy cast iron machines, even in poor repair ,are better than modern Craftsman stuff.
Don
Chuck,
Don't listen to it. For the price it's a good deal. Make sure the tables are flat and can be lined up with each other. If they can't pass on it, but I've seen Delta, PM, Jet, etc., jointers that had crap tables also.
Mine does rabbiting, but I use a shaper, router or dado usually though.
Don
I guess I was assuming from your initial post that it was an older used jointer. I've read a little about this jointer, and my vote would be to go ahead and get it, assuming there's nothing wrong with it. At half-price, you're in the ballpark to always get your money back. And, you'll have the joy of being able to "joint" while you're saving money for that big 8" you want.
BTW, when you get to that point, take a look at the Grizzly 8".
Have fun!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Grab the 6 inch Craftsman, yes you hear a lot of Craftsman bashing But this jointer is no better or worse than any other one made in Taiwan..
if your looking for a great 8 inch jointer then check out the Delta 8 inch jointers..ps. there still made in the good old U.S.A..
ToolDoc
Doc,
Thought the DJ-20 was made in Brazil?
Don
Don; As Far as I can recall the 8 inch jointers as are the Uni-saws are made in Tuepelo,but then again some of there Bandsaws are now made in China..Ya I know its sad.. Guess I better order my new Uni & jointer before they move that mfg to China too...
ToolDoc
I have one, with adjustable outfeed table and it works fine. Just my opinion, but the jointer is the most over rated, "got to have the best" machine in a shop. If 1hp is under rated for a 6 inch jointer, I don't know! ;^)
Don
Edited 2/26/2003 4:15:31 PM ET by Don C.
If you have ever set jointer knives you will understand. It is quite easy to set all the knives at the same height but it is much harder to set them all at the exact height of the out feed table. If the outfeed table is adjustable you will take far less trouble and time adjusting the jointer. Sears jointers that I have seen cannot be used to cut a rabitt. I find this a useful feature on my Powermatic.
BJ
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You can be a Craftsman basher day after day. But I have one that is very much like the one you are looking at. It has consistently given me good service. In about 20 minutes I can change a set of blades & set them accurately. I use the jig that came with the jointer & a dial indicator. The dial indicator also helps with setting the out feed table too.
Take a square & a long straight edge with you & a feeler Gage. Check to see if the tables are flat, check to see if the fence can be set square to the table & will stay that way. Make sure the fence is square to the tables for the full length of the jointer. Make sure the fence will stay in adjustment at any point it is set at. Check to see if the adjustment work smoothly & af course check out does it run smoothly. A small amount of vibration can be eliminated with a link belt. If everything looks good you've probably found a good little jointer. You should be able to use it for several years & still get back most of the money you'll spend on it.
Chuck T,
I bought a 6" used Rockwell fixed outfeed table jointer about 25 years ago and paid $225.00 . I still own it and I will bet you I could sell it for close to what I paid for it .Not having The adjustable outfeed table has never caused me any problems . Sure bigger is usually better . Whether you are setting the knives flush to the outfeed table or not , they still should be set equally , so that is a moot point in my opinion.In conjunction with a thickness planer there is very few things you can't do to the edge of a board. Granted the longer the board to be jointed the longer the bed the better . By placing a portable stock roller on the out feed end you can do longer stock.
happy jointing
Chuck,
Dusty is correct. It is no more difficult to set the knives of a jointer with a fixed outfeed table than one with an adjustable table. The old Craftsman I used to use had jack screws which worked fine. That machine served me well for more than twenty years; it still could as it sits,unused, in a corner of my basement.
The size issue may be more important depending on your attitude. However we are on a slippery slope. I bought an 8" machine with which I am quite happy. But from time to time I wish I had a 12" jointer. Then again I fondly remember the 20" jointer in the patternmaker's shop next door to my father's foundry. At some point you have to stop drooling and do some work. You also have to be guided by budget and the type of work you expect to do. If you intend to work with rough lumber and dimension it yourself then bigger is better. If you use surfaced stock from the local lumber yard and need a jointer primarily to do edge jointing then the Craftsman is fine.
And by the way my old machine did have a rabbiting ledge but I don't recommend rabbiting on any jointer.
"but I don't recommend rabbiting on any jointer."
Boy, do I agree! Everyone want's to go for the longest jointer table they can get, but accept this for rabiting???????????? Go figure!
Don
One point everyone is missing is the cost/availability of parts and service. I've owned my share of Sears power tools - portable and stationary and in every case replacement parts cost a fortune. Part of the problem is that shipping/handling is not based on weight but the cost of the part. I've paid $20 for shipping/handling for cutters that were sent in a mailing envelope simply because the the cutter cost was $70 - which was double the replacement cost for all the competitive brands.
You also have to realize Sears doesn't make tools - they contract and once the contract finishes, you can be out of luck with parts and accessories. I have a small portable plane made by Ryobi for Sears - they no longer have the parts and Ryobi is not obligated to stock them. I have a wonderful Sears American made drill press (Emerson) but parts/accessories are spotty at best. Sears and Emerson parted company a few years ago.
And buying a tool from Sears means you take full responsibility for the knowledge/use of the machine - there are really no technical resources to help you. The repair station folks work on everything from vacuums to hair dryers so your arcane question about a power tool will draw dumb stares.
Stick with main line firms in for the long haul. I just bought a Delta lathe for a school shop from a local industrial supply house - probably paid about $25 more that I could have from web sources. Had a cam break on the tool rest (could have been an over zealous student bearing down too much) - called the supply house - they said no problem, they would have the part overnight shipped to me - part of the warranty and service provided by the vendor. You get what you pay for!
Don, etal -
Why do you need an adjustable outfeed table? In the 3 years I've had my Jet 6", I have never adjusted the outfeed table on it. I mostly do edge jointing and occasionally do the flat of a board. Don't recall ever doing a board over 6' long. The outfeed table is still parallel with the infeed table. I check that occasionally using the "double square" method.
When putting in new knives, I set them about .001" above the outfeed table, but don't actually adjust the outfeed table.
Why, or when, should one adjust the outfeed table? It seems to me that a fixed outfeed table would be preferable.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_KatyPlaneWood
I really can't see how you can go wrong for $180. It's a serviceable machine and, if something should happen that in a year or two you can no longer use it, you'll still have done well.
(Heck, 180 bucks isn't much more than the price of a boat anchor. If nothing else you'll have the most interesting anchor on the whole lake.)
Jeff
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