Looking at jointers

[JoeW]

Greetings all,

I am interested in getting a jointer and using it to glue up panels I would then use for cutting out scroll saw patterns. That said, I feel the edge joints need to be tight with no gaps.
I have a DW table saw and planer.
Most of the wood I plan on edge jointing/gluing up would be a max of 24”-36” in length and ½” -3/4” thick.
I think I’ve narrowed it down to an 8” Benchtop Jointer with possible candidates of Wahuda, Wen, Rikon, and Grizzly.

I’m looking for opinions/thoughts from anyone out there about getting either one of these – space and cost are limitations for me to rule out a standing jointer.
I don’t expect to use it for jointing long pieces very often, if at all.
I’ve seen various postings about using a router instead to do the edge jointing and wonder if that’s the way to go instead.
I've also seen some postings that a benchtop jointer doesn't give good results.

So if any of you are out there doing jointing, I’d appreciate learning from your experience.

 

[golfdad]

I had a benchtop yrs ago. Would not get another one

 

[walnutjerry]

I had a Craftsman 6" to begin with, could never get it "tuned". Bought a 8"Powermatic with a 6' bed some 15 or so years ago and have never been dissatisfied with it. It gives me the ability to do most anything I want to do. It is a more expensive machine than the ones you mentioned.

 

[HITCH-]

I would look for a used one, but then almost all of my tools have been purchased second hand.
I would also advise against a Benchtop model.

 

[JohnnyR]

Have you tried just using a hand plane? Slap two boards together in a vise and even if the "joint" is not perfectly square to the face the edges will compliment each other.

 

[Gboot]

I would think for the use you are contemplating, you should be able to get a glue reading joint on your table saw. I would look in to tuning the alignment on your table saw and a new blade.

 

[red]

Never had luck with a bench top jointer. Find a decent used 6" and you will be much happier. Good luck.

Red

 

[Warped Woodwerks]

Since you already have a planer, and table saw, you could go 1 - 3 routes.

1 - You can use your table saw as an edge jointer (jig needed),
2 - I know you didn't mention if you had a table, or not, but a router table with a spiral flush trim bit would work
3 - Buy a jointer


Table Saw Jointer Video

Katz Moses 5 Ways To Joint a Board WITHOUT a Jointer

Another, 3x3 Custom

 

[ssmith]

It really comes down to the size of the stock you want to join - longer infeed and outfeed tables will give you tighter joints on longer stock.

I'm using a 6" Rigid floor standing model with roughly 22" long infeed and outfeed tables. With careful alignment of the jointer itself it's possible to get two jointed edges on 5' boards to align within 0.010. Anything longer is probably not doable so perhaps a good rule would be stock length should not exceed 3X the infeed / outfeed table length.

Given that and the length of the stock you plan to join, a benchtop jointer may be OK, but I'd also pass on the fact I've never wished for a smaller jointer.

 

[Keye]

Years ago I bought a Freud glue line blade for my TS. After using it for a couple of weeks I sold my Delta jointer and have not missed it even a little. I have seen router tables with a fence set up to use as a jointer. There have been other suggestions which I would try before buying a jointer.

 

[Warped Woodwerks]

Years ago I bought a Freud glue line blade for my TS. After using it for a couple of weeks I sold my Delta jointer and have not missed it even a little. I have seen router tables with a fence set up to use as a jointer. There have been other suggestions which I would try before buying a jointer.

Couldn't agree with you more!

I too was thinking about adding a space hog of a jointer to my garage shop, but after 2+ years of research and back and forth... This is what I ended up doing.

Track saw, router table, and\or table saw jig.

My thinking, for my personal use\shop:

Why spend $$$ on a jointer that might not get a lot of use and only does 1 thing, and instead, use the $ for a lesser expensive option and towards a tool, or tools, that would get more use and can be used more than 1 way.


Plenty of great ideas going on, here, in this post.

Best!

 

[JoeW]

Many thanks to all of you who have responded to my inquiry about a benchtop jointer.
After conducting this nationwide survey I've decided to go the router route.
Based on the information I've found thus far, it appears to me the router will give the results I'm looking for when it comes edge jointing for gluing up panels.
With the added benefit of using it for other router uses.

I currently have an old 2nd hand 1/4" router my wife got me several years ago.
And while it works, I have a DEVIL OF A TIME getting cutters out of the chuck.
So I'm thinking of a new router - likely 1/2" vs. 1/4" with table and fence with jointing shims.
I see BOSCH has one that appears satisfactory, but I'm open to further suggestions.
Thanks again,
Joe W.

 

[demondeacon]

I have the Grizzly benchtop 8 inch jointer. It is OK but not great as the blade head is not a true helix. For a good edge joint my preference in order is:

1. Router table with one of the big Mega Flush Trim router bits from Infinity. The bigger bits work best for edge jointing but you need a router with at least 2-1/4 horsepower to run them as they are heavy. If you go the router approach don't skimp on the router HP.

2. Freud Glue Line Rip blade on the table saw. Decent results

3. The benchtop jointer is in the second runnerup position

 

[bob vaughan]

The most important woodworking task that the jointer can do is face jointing one surface before planing. That way, flat boards come out of the planer for glue-ups. It's rare that wood is perfectly flat to start with.
Once the board is flat, edge jointing can happen with whatever you want. I prefer the jointer for that but it can be done on a well tuned table saw.

 

[Howie]

Greetings all,

I am interested in getting a jointer and using it to glue up panels I would then use for cutting out scroll saw patterns. That said, I feel the edge joints need to be tight with no gaps.
I have a DW table saw and planer.
Most of the wood I plan on edge jointing/gluing up would be a max of 24”-36” in length and ½” -3/4” thick.
I think I’ve narrowed it down to an 8” Benchtop Jointer with possible candidates of Wahuda, Wen, Rikon, and Grizzly.

I’m looking for opinions/thoughts from anyone out there about getting either one of these – space and cost are limitations for me to rule out a standing jointer.
I don’t expect to use it for jointing long pieces very often, if at all.
I’ve seen various postings about using a router instead to do the edge jointing and wonder if that’s the way to go instead.
I've also seen some postings that a benchtop jointer doesn't give good results.

So if any of you are out there doing jointing, I’d appreciate learning from your experience.

Consider a table saw sled and a good blade.

 

[tvrgeek]

Another negative vote for bench tops. Not stable, vibrates, too short, can't adjust both tables in all planes.

To just do edges, a table saw can do an excellent job. I use the jointer for the first side, but the second surface comes off the saw ( parallel to first). A sled allows you to skew for the best grain pattern as stock lumber does not always follow the grain as well as we may want. But you don't get the other main use for a jointer, making one face flat before planning.

For several hundred years, we got buy with hand planes. A good old Stanly #7. I use mine about half the time. I have also found I can get one face flat enough with my scrub plane and a couple sticks good enough to run into the planer.

I personally have an old Ridgid 6 inch. If I had room, I would have an 8, but one has to work with what they have. I run a helical head. Never going back to putting up with strait blades. Seems one got nicked every other time I used it. If I had the space or money, I would buy a bigger one.

 

[Howie]

Find an old 8" Wallace.

 

[danceswithwindows]

Have you tried just using a hand plane? Slap two boards together in a vise and even if the "joint" is not perfectly square to the face the edges will compliment each other.

This has been very successful for me. A no.6 Stanley and a little patience does the trick. And there are few things more satisfying than marrying two pieces of wood together perfectly by hand. Used this method on a large bookcase recently with great success.

 

[John Jimenez]

I bought a craftsman bench top 6” jointer a few years ago and it was ok for smaller pieces and only had two knives. Then I found a used craftsman 152 jointer with a cast iron 48” bed for 150 dollars. It has three knives which I was able to replace with new knives for 25 bucks. It has been a real game changer for me. If you aren’t going to buy S4S stock then a good jointer along with a planer are important for milling your stock. You can get buy with TS and make it work…..router seems like a lot of work with potential for frustration. I have become a big fan of finding used tools and running them up.

 

[whitecrane8]

Opinions vary on router selection. But I have an older PC 7518 hanging under my table that works very well.