Replies

1. 
   SLOSapo | Jun 23, 2010 11:33am | #1

   Edge Jointing

   A jointer can straighten an edge and make it square to the face of the board.  It can't ensure a consistent width.  For that you have to take the board to the table saw and rip it to width.

1. 
   jsmorgan1 | Jun 23, 2010 01:18pm | #4

   Jointer Issue

   Thanks, I don't know where I came up with the idea it would make the width consistant. Perhaps I had a dream or in this case a nightmare!

   Thanks,

   Jerry

2. 
   bones | Jun 23, 2010 12:35pm | #2

   strait edge only

   The previous response is right.   The sole purpose of the jointer (i don't count the rabbit option) is to put a flat edge on a face and to make an adjoining edge perpendicular (at 90degrees) to that face.   To make the two edges parallel (same width) place the true edge to the fence and run through the TS or BS to get that final parallel cut.   Then you can square the piece by cutting both ends 90 degrees to the two parallel edge.  

   I was taught to use a jointer by

   1  flatten  a face

   2 joint an edge to that face

   3 rip oposing edge parallel to the true edge created with the jointer

   4 cross cut the ends 90 degrees to the parallel sides

1. 
   jsmorgan1 | Jun 23, 2010 01:16pm | #3

   Jointer Issue

   So, if my workpiece is 3" on one end and 3 1/8 (1/8" difference) running it through the jointer will make the edge parallel but not the same width? Is that correct? I guess somewhere I got off track and thought it would make the piece the same witdth much like a planner. Well, guess that is what I get for thinking!

   No wonder I was taking 4" pieces and jointing them down to 3" and everything was still off.

   Thanks,

   Jerry

1. 
   gdblake | Jun 23, 2010 03:23pm | #5

   Jointers do not make the edges parallel to each other

   Jerry:

   Think of the jointer as being a huge up side down handplane.  The fence on a jointer is set at a range of 90 to 45 degrees to the bed.  If set to 90 degrees, it will allow you to square an edge to the face (the wide side) of a board.  There is no mechanism on a jointer for making the edges parallel to each other.  In power tools that job is handled by a tablesaw (a planer can be used to make the faces parallel to each other assuming the board fits within the capacity of the planer). 

   A jointer will aid you in flatten the reference face of a board up to the width of the cutterhead (6", 8", or 12" typically depending on the model of jointer) and then joint (straighten) one of the long grain edges.  Once the face is flattened you can then push that face against the fence of the jointer and square one of the long grain edges to the reference face.  By taking multiple passes, the edge will also be straightened (check with a straight edge).  Then take the piece to the tablesaw, with the reference face down on the tablesaw and the jointed edge pressed against the rip fence and rip the board to width.  By ripping the board slightly fat (say a 1/16 to 1/8 inch) you can then take the board back to the jointer and run the sawn edge through the cutters to plane away the saw marks.  Just make sure the depth of cut on the jointer matches how fat you left the width of the board.

   gdblake

2. 
   bones | Jun 23, 2010 06:53pm | #6

   get away from parallel

   You won't in general get two parallel sides with a jointer.   Think flat with a jointer.   It's function to get a flat  face to reference from.   The added bennefit with the vertical fence is the ability to get a second face 90 degree's to the flat face you first created.  When you get that first face flat, and then stand it on edge (against the vertical fence), you will get to flat faces 90 degree's to one another.   It may be 3" at one end and 3 1/8" at the other heck it could be 6" at one end and 3" at the other.  You then can take it to the TS or BS and put that flat edge face against the fence put it through the TS or BS and the other face (assuming your TS or BS is set up properly) and the TS blade will cut that edge parallel to the edge you created with the jointer.   Now you will have to cut the ends 90 and you are almost there.   You also need to make sure you have uniform thickness (actually I do that prior to squaring the ends so to deal with any possible snipe).  A planer will do that.   Remember a planer will not make two surfaces flat only parallel to one another.  So when you created that first face flat and run that face down through the planer you will achieve thickness.   

   In my example below I started with a board 6" x 7 3/8" x 1"  thick.  I would flatten face 1 stand on edge and joint face 2 with face 1 against the verticle fence on the jointer.   I would then take it to the TS and place face 2 against the fence with face 1 down on the ts surface and set my fence to 5" (desired width in my example) then run it through.  At that point I now have board that is 5" wide uniformly down the lengh of the board and if my blade was 90 to the table that edge is good now.   The only thing left would be to trim both ends square and if the board is not uniformly thick run it through the planer.