Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 14, 2006 10:02pm | #1

   All other things being equal, a longer bed will, in theory, make it easier to get straight edges on longer stock.  So the question is " Are you having problems getting straight edges on the boards you typically joint."  A second question would be "If you are having problems, is the machine properly tuned up?"

   John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine 

1. 
   chaseford | Feb 14, 2006 10:38pm | #2

   Thanks for the response John.  Actually, I am getting very good results from the Rojek.  So far however, I have only been jointing 4/4 material, mostly cherry, approximately 7'-8' in length.  It takes a good amount of stength to keep the longer boards flat on the bed when I get to the last third or so of board passing over the cutter.

   I am about to start a new project, where I will need to joint 8/4 and 12/4 oak boards approximately 7'-8' in length.  The weight of these boards will be substantially more than the 4/4 boards I have been working with.  I know I could build/use an outfeed support to help manage these boards.  I am afraid however, that establishing the proper height for the outfeed support will be rather fussy. This is a problem only because I work in a very small shop, and thus cannot leave the outfeed support set up continously. 

   Most of the boards I work with are 6-8" wide.  I have actually never had to face joint a board 12' wide.  Thus, the dilemma.

   Thanks.

   Michael

1. 
   JohnWW | Feb 15, 2006 01:17am | #4

   With the length of the wood you are handling, I can appreciate your interest in a jointer with a longer bed.  It would seem that a long bed 8" jointer would serve your needs better than the Rojek. 

   Infeed and outfeed supports will work but they have to be very carefully aligned.  Unfortunately, most of the commercially made stands don't have a fine adjustment feature.

   John

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 20, 2006 05:46pm | #14

   I don't understand jointing 7' to 8' boards.  To me that would be a rare occurance.  I was taught to first lay out the furniture parts on the rough lumber with allowance for tenons and a bit of error.  Only after rough cutting to length on the miter saw would any jointing or thicknessing be done.  This makes the most of using rough lumber and generally allows getting thicker boards from 4/4 lumber.  It also makes for much easier handling. 

   Occassionally I would want to rip a board before crosscutting shorter pieces.  That's about the only occassion for jointing long boards, and that jointing only needs to get the board straight enough and flat enough to be ripped safely on the table saw. 

1. 
   UnclePablo | Feb 22, 2006 12:28am | #15

   Totally depends on what the project requires. You've never built anything that required long straight boards? For furniture I agree with you. For casework and millwork you would joint long stock all the time. 

   -Paul 

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 22, 2006 02:22am | #16

   True, you want to joint longer boards if you do lots of millwork, but Chaseford didn't say he was doing that, and since he also did say he was mostly jointing cherry, I assumed he was doing furniture.  Perhaps a bad assumption, I don't know. 

2. 
   RickL | Feb 14, 2006 11:40pm | #3

   I would add an extension table. I would find it hard to go to an 8"  jointer after having a 12". One of our jointers is 20" with a 9' table. You can easily have an adjustable foot to align it with the outfeed table. It could be set up and adjusted quite quickly.

3. 
   Knotscott | Feb 15, 2006 02:39am | #5

   I rarely joint a board over 5' long, but often work in 6-10" widths, so the width would be more valuable to me. If you do alot of long boards maybe the 8" is the way to go.

4. 
   philip | Feb 15, 2006 11:57am | #6

   Am I missing something here?.....Have you another machine to do your thickness planing with? If not, then replacing it with a mere jointer is not a good plan.
   The combination you have is a useful size-you can surface boards to the maximum width that you can thickness plane. Combinations do not have comparatively long beds because a) long jointer type tables would inhibit accessability to the thicknesser and b) that length of table is meant for Surfacing , with only limited capabilty for jointing-it is a compromise typical of the combination concept.
   So to answer your question (eventually), I would KEEP the combo, and depending on the make and condition of the 8" , just may buy it as well-depends on what you are getting for $1000 .I repeat-the type and condition would be the deciding factors-otherwise the right match is a 12" surfacer/jointer.

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   chaseford | Feb 15, 2006 07:57pm | #7

   Philip:

   First off, thanks for the reply.  Yes, I have a dedicated planer.  I purchased a Delta 13" two speed plaber, which sits on a roll around cart with permanent infeed and out feed support wings.  When not in use, it is rolled up against the wall for storage.

   After reading the responses thus far, I think I will stick with the Rojek for the time being.  Sometimes writing out your problem helps to come up with possible solutions.  I think I will attempt to build "permanent" out feed support extensions.  If I take two lengths, of say 1/4" thick angle iron, and attach these to the outfeed table with a section extending beyond the table, I should be able to "fill" in the gap between the extended angle iron with MDF, or another suitable filler, thereby extending my outfeed table.

   Any thoughts?  Has anyone tried this?

   Thanks.

   Michael

1. 
   RickL | Feb 15, 2006 08:19pm | #8

   We have extensions on our 9' RGA jointer. Basically the extension table hooks on the end of the respective tables and  folding legs with quick adjustment screw levelers. Takes a bout a minute to attach both tables and a nearby straight edge ready to fine tune the extension tables. Add another few minutes tops. Rockler and others sell a nice hinged, latch type leg hinge so the table quickly folds and is hung on the wall ready for use in a moments notice. Really simple.

   http://www.martin-usa.com/t_aigner.asp

   Check out the Martin/Aigner accessories catalog for ideas on tables and other great stuff. We made other extension tables similar to the Aigner for other machines in our shop. Great simple concept of the universal mounting bracket.

2. 
   philip | Feb 15, 2006 09:52pm | #9

   Michael, as Rick has said, an extension is easy enough. If you don't want to buy , then using aluminium angle instead of angle iron looks better and is easier to work.Philip Marcou

3. 
   hammer1 | Feb 16, 2006 08:43am | #10

   I don't know how a Rojek is set up but I made wooden extensions for my 6" jointer. I just drilled some mounting holes in the end of the tables and bolted on a block with some adjustment. Two screws hold the extension tables to the blocks. It only takes a second to remove them. Make them any length you want, just make sure they are flat and straight and in line with their respective tables.Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

   
1. 
   chaseford | Feb 16, 2006 01:04pm | #11

   Thanks to everyone for their replys.  Hammer, that is similar to what I was thinking, only adding a section of angle iron (or aluminium) to the side to help ensure constant alignment.

   This is a great site to mine for knowledge and experience.

   Thanks.

   Michael

4. 
   Napie | Feb 18, 2006 06:50pm | #13

   Laguna offered just such an extension for the older 12" Robland J/P some years ago.  It had angle iron type rails with an adjustable radiused plate that fit over them. It was s slick design, the curved surface made for easy alignment with the tables.

5. 
   RodWolfy | Feb 16, 2006 08:53pm | #12

   Chase,

   I have a Felder with a 12" combo jointer/planer. I love having the 12" jointer because I have bought rough wood at 10" to 12", or I can joint two 6", then plane them flat. My tables are short too. However, Felder offers the option of adding onto the table with infeed and outfeed accessory tables. They have aluminum or cast iron extensions (I have both - (2) aluminum 10" x 20" and a 6" x 20" cast iron). I can add them onto the jointer bed (either end), planer bed (either end) and the sliding tablesaw/shaper (either end).

   You might want to purchase a couple of them for your machine. They have a metal bracket that you can bolt onto either end of your machine and then you can add the extensions to it. The extensions have the ability to be leveled to the table surface and only take about a minute to put on or remove. You can buy the bracket and actually mount it to any cast iron table. I was thinking of buying another bracket for my bandsaw so that I could add the extension tables for resawing....

   Go to: http://www.felderusa.com/ then click on "shop" and then "accessories", then on "table extensions and additional supports".

   I think in the long run, you'd be more happy with this workaround. If you ever went to another machine, you could remove the brackets and put them on the new ones, too. Hope this helps,

   Rod