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how big a jointer

Started by sawwood, January 30, 2009, 08:05:00 PM

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sawwood


I have been looking for a jointer for our mill operation and not sure what size to git.
would some of you that have a jointer let me know what size you have and is it
working for you or would you have bought a diff size? I have been thinking a 12"
would be good to have but a 16 or may be a 10" might be a better choise. We have
only single ph so would like to say with that and a motor belt drive.

Thanks  Lester
Norwood M4 manual mill, Solar Kiln, Woodmaster
18" planer/molder

tyb525

Well it depends on what size boards you usually cut. What's the biggest? Also you can joint a board almost twice as wide with a simple table to support the other side - like using an open ended drum sander.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

TheWoodsman

I wouldn't go with anything less than a 12".  Why ?  Because, even if you don't usually cut boards that wide, it will keep the door open and you won't always be thinking, "I wish I woulda bought a bigger jointer."

Who am I kidding ?  No matter what size you buy, except maybe a 20", it will always be a little too small. :D
2009 Wood-Mizer LT40HDG28, WM-DH4000 dry kiln, & lots of other great "toys"

I am the Woodsman, the four-wheelin', tree-farmin', custom-furniture-makin' descendant of Olaf "The Woodcutter" Ingjaldsson.

Kelvin

Howdy,
I've gotten by with an 8" long bed for years.  Grizzlies 8" parallel bed jointer w/ 3hp motor is pretty cheap, and the extra bed length makes supporting really wide, and heavy boards easier for edge jointing.  I don't seem to ever need to face joint my lumber.  I'm not sure if its b/c i am really careful in my sawing and stacking or what the story is but i only need to face joint larger timbers like 4x4 and 6x6 to square the sides.  Occasionally i work with some squirrely wood and need to face joint, but like with chainsaws, i would buy the size that fits your needs for 95% of your work.  You can work around the limitations on wider face joints by doing what the poster said above and joint one 1/2 at a time.  I can't remember the last time i needed to do this, but its at least possible. 

I always look for used machines, but jointers are sensitive machines and the older dovetail way machines are hard to adjust if people sat on a wing or did something to make them out of parallel.  The new type, like Grizzly above, and Delta DJ20 most famously, is parallel bed design that is lighter duty but allows for adjustment.  I would test joint any used machine to make sure it can joint flat edges.  I luckily brought a long straight edge and tested a nice older powermatic to find that the beds were sagged.  This is a lot of work to fix and makes the value very low.  He sold to some unsuspecting sucker, at least it wasn't me! 

The other common problem with older jointers is that the beds are really short, for some reason.  I've bought out a couple of shops and sold off tools i wasn't after, so i've had 16" jointers in my hands, but i swear the beds were about 48" long, total length!  Current 8" long beds are something like 82" or so.  This is more critical to me than width.  Have fun looking,
Kelvin

TheWoodsman

Oh surrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre !  Be the voice of reason !  :D

Actually, I currently run a DJ20 in my custom woodworking business but I'm shopping for something wider and longer to help with making accurate free-form furniture.  My list is down to the following:

http://www.factorynew.com/detail.aspx?Recnum=JT-300379&Catid=JT&MachTypeID=37
http://www.invicta-usa.com/jointers4.html
http://www.minimax-usa.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=14&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=35
2009 Wood-Mizer LT40HDG28, WM-DH4000 dry kiln, & lots of other great "toys"

I am the Woodsman, the four-wheelin', tree-farmin', custom-furniture-makin' descendant of Olaf "The Woodcutter" Ingjaldsson.

Kelvin

man your woodworking business must being doing well.  Good for you if you can upgrade to one of those machines!  Sure look nice.  Have you been looking on IRS auctions?  Lots of big furniture factories selling out and going overseas.  Lots of tools there, but i guess i don't see real big jointers there too much, though i wasn't really looking.
KP

Dan_Shade

The biggest jointers that I've seen were in a pattern makers shop for an aluminum foundry.  the pattern makers would use those big mosters working with mostly short sections of mahogany to make the molds to create the wax for castings.  That's probably why the old school stuff is sort of short, I dunno.

Maybe somebody who knows more than me can chime in :-)
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

sawwood


Thanks guys for all the insites. I have desided on a 12" or if a 16" comes along at the
same price. Now if i can find one close to Mo and i can sell my Delta shaper thats what i will buy.

  Sawwood
Norwood M4 manual mill, Solar Kiln, Woodmaster
18" planer/molder

woodhick

 Well I'll add my 2 cents here.  I have 2 jointers in my shop.  I have a Delta DJ15 (6")which is the DJ20's little brother.  I also have a Moak 12".   Most of my jointing is edge jointing so the 6" does great and its quicker to start since the Moak is 3 phase and I have to start the converter first then the jointer so I use the little 6" the most.    Now I should add that I don't face joint all of my lumber, only when the job requires it.   It is a joy to run a 12" wide board through the Moak but it's a little akward edge jointing on it, that is with the fence set back for the 12 width.  I could move the fence over to within a couple inches of the front to make edge jointing easier but I don't.  What I'm trying to say is you may want to keep your smaller jointer and use it just for edge jointing and get a larger one for face jointing.   I do really like the Moak, but wouldn't pass on a Porter, Northfield, or other piece of old arn.  Good luck with your choice.
Woodmizer LT40 Super 42hp Kubota, and more heavy iron woodworking equipment than I have room for.

Ironwood

Dont be afraid of older jointers, they are the cat's meow. Contary to others posts, they are adjustable and can be had fairly reasonable. I have even chopped off the direct drives and slung them with belts. There is NO comparison to the DJ's or not even close to the Grizzlies. IRS just moved a 12" Porter for $700 or so, CHEAP! Full oil bath, five high speed bearings, absolute Cadellac (sic). IMHO

Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

oakiemac

I tend to agree with Ironwood. The old heavy cast iron machines are probably the way to go. For some reason I have found a lot of used jointers on ebay and Irs auctions. University of Iowa was selling two very sweet 1960's jointers last month. I was just not ready to buy so I didnt bid but hopfully soon I'll be in the market.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

Ironwood

Just one other note, just about every brand in the OLD iron is good (I have had just about every brand imaginable here) avoid square heads and "clam shell" styles. Try to find ball bearing, and remember it is not rocket science, two tables in plane w/ the head and a motor to spin the head. You should always be able to get your money back out of OLD iron AND any improvements you do to them, IMHO if you get into them at a fair price. 

            ARNwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

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