Jointer

[Kevin]

Anyone own a jointer?
Just wanting to know if you plane first then use the jointer on the edges?

[Don P]

Hi Kevin,
Been meaning to tell you your links rock!
The way we used to do things in the shop was face first, plane,joint,then rip. Facing can be done on the jointer if it is wide enough, this removes cup without the pressure of feed rollers just smashing things flat only to have the cup reappear on the outfeed of a planer. Then a planer can establish a parallel face to the truely flat face just established...now a 90 degree edge can be jointed from either true face. A parallel edge can then be ripped after that.

[Kevin]

Thanks for the compliment Don and thanks for the information, I`ll copy that and save it.
I can foresee a Jointer in the near future.

[CharlieJ]

I did woodworking for 2 years without a jointer. I don't know how I managed, its so nice to work
with good dead on straight lumber. Also good for rabbets and just cleaning up surfaces. Get one you' l be glad you did. I bought a 6" model because it was affordable. Now I wish I had sprung for the 8.

[Tom]

Right on Charlie !

I want a 12" and missed one by a day.  Specialty wood company went out of business.

I think woodworking might be akin to cows grazing......grass is always greener etc.  

[Don P]

Tom,s comment about the one that got away reminded me of a similar one. I'm since glad that it did. There are some old square head machines still floating around out there. Do not under any circumstances even consider one of these. With a round cutterhead the space between the table and the cutter is constant. With the square headed machines the gap is small by the knife then huge across the flat of the head, then small again at the next knife. I've heard horror stories of what would have been an unfortunate manicure turned into a self feeding nightmare. The mental image should be enough!

[timberbeast]

Get the longest infeed/outfeed tables you can find!  The way I learned it was flatten one face on the jointer,  use that face against the fence to square the edges,  then thickness plane with the flat face down.  If you order a bargain machine,  test the beds for flatness with a dial indicator.  Getting them within .001 will save a few headaches,  and a local machine shop can regrind them for you.  When my jointer burned,  I've done it by hand since,  with good results,  but it takes a lot of patience!

[Kevin]

Timberbeast, thanks for the jointer info.
I`ll shop around and get a decent one.
I wasn`t going to bother getting one but now that I`m milling my own lumber I`ll get lots of use out of it.