I recently got a flat bed jointer and I have not been able to perfect pushing stock from the infeed to the outfeed bed….each time I end with small ridges on the stock because I did not apply constant, even downward pressure.
I am thinking about installing a featherboard in the vertical position on the jointer fence so that it will keep the stock flat against the infeed bed.
However, I have not seen this particular configuration in any catalogs or instructional material. Putting safety first, I want to be sure that placing a featherboard on the jointer fence in a vertical position would not be risky.
Can anyone give me guidance regarding the question of safety?
Thanks,
Burt 4
Replies
I'm a little confused on the "little ridges". If the ridges are constant from one end of the board to the other,than the knives have a knick in them. As far as technique in jointing an edge or flat face goes try this. Start with a board that is a comfortable length for you,maybe four feet long.Take a lightcut 1/32" or so. When edge jointing,make sure at least one side is flat,this side goes against the fence.Keep moderate pressure against the fence and at the same time you are pushing the board over the cutterhead.The down ward pressure is on the infeed table until the board is at least halfway thru,then the downward pressure switches to the outfeed table.Remember to keep the board against the fence all the time while pushing forward.
As far as a feather board goes, I have not used one with a jointer. Seems to me that it may be a hazzard unless it is well forward of the cutterhead. You need room to finish pushing the board thru, feather board might be a constraint here.
mike
The featherboard isn't likely to be a good idea since for the first few passes you quite often want to make sure that pressure stays on one corner or another in order to finesse out a twist from the board.
You may want to try lighter cuts. It shouldn't be hard to keep the board pressed against the outfeed table. That's where almost all the downward pressure belongs. Over the infeed table the pressure should almost entirely be pushing forward not down.
Are the small ridges parallel with the cutter knives ? If so you may be trying to feed too fast. Or trying to hog off too much at one time or getting bounce chatter caused by dull knives I hog 1/8" on occasions but my jointer is usually set for 1/32". Try a lighter cut and slower feed rate and see what happens. Also check knives for sharpness.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Burt,
I would not recommend using the feather board. The whole skill in using the jointer is how you apply pressure at various points, and how you shift that pressure from infeed to outfeed table during the cut. I don't know of any featherboard that could get it right. If your stock is already perfectly flat it would work, but then again you don't need the jointer for stock that is perfectly flat. Proper jointing is a hand skill that needs to be worked at until it becomes second nature.
It goes without saying that your machine must be sharp and set up correctly if there is any hope of getting the desired results. Take your time to go through it from the beginning, and the technique will gradually come.
DR
You want the control of using your hands and a feather board wouldn't really be of any use. Tage Frid had a good jointer tutor in his first book I recall. I'd look for a decent book or find someone to give you a lesson. Basically you want to get the board across the cutterhead then keep both hands on the outfeed. Ian Kirby's out of print first book had the best jointer primer I've seen.
Some folks use a powerfeed in a production setting but it's still not as good as using your hands. To see a real production power facer check out this. Spring loaded fingers feed the board across the jointer tables. A friend whohas a custom flooring business has a 30" wide powerface in his shop to mill the wood. Something like the link shows but more modern.
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=926
I'd be hesitant to put a featherboard. Your technique will improve with time, and you'll learn how much pressure to put on the board before and after the cutterhead.
There are two reasons I'd not use a featherboard as a hold-down (I do use them with my router and TS).
First, safety. When you're pushing stock over that cutterhead, you should be moving it along with safety blocks. If there is a featherboard in the way, it may make it more difficult for you to correctly push the board along, and possibly even "catch" the block so your hand slips off the handle. This is of course the very worst thing that could happen with your hands in the danger zone.
Second, results. A hold-down applies pressure at a specific height. If you put a piece through that is bowed, you should put it so the ends touch the bed with the middle up and off (until you joint the excess away). So let's say the board is an inch thick and has 1/8" of bow. However you set the featherboard, it will press harder on the middle of the board (where it will be up off the infeed table) than it will at either end, so you'll end up having to cut away more stock before you approach flatness.
The jointer's not hard to get to know. Some practice and you'll get rid of those ridges (assuming they're across the width of the board -- as the others have said, lengthwise ridges or furrows point to blade problems).
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