Are Bench Top Jointers Worth It?

wsender

New User
Will
I've been looking for a jointer for a little bit. With the budget I have that puts me in either a new bench top jointer or a used full size jointer. I'd almost prefer to buy a used full size (like the ShopFox one in Raleigh on CL right now), however based on my needs I'm wondering if it's overkill. The other detractors to the full size one is that it would take up quite of bit of space and I don't really have a way to transport it.

So this leans me towards a 6" or 8" bench top model. I'm primarily a new hobby woodworker that makes a few projects a year. I see myself mostly edge jointing boards for table top/panels/etc. I have a planer with a jointer sled for face jointing. So based on my experience and projected use do you think that a bench top model will work for me? I'm somewhat concerned about the quality of some of the smaller ones (probably unjustly so).
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
benchtop jointers are somewhat junk IMHO. for edge jointing you can use a router table with a strait bit and offset fence or a hand plane if you feel froggy. the router table would expand your abilities far beyond jointing boards. make your own and add a router and you will save a bunch of cash.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
I never considered a bench top. The longer the beds, the better. As for transport, jointer consist of two parts: The base which contains motor, along with dust chute, and the actual beds. My preferred method of transpoting a jointer is to break it into the two sub assemblies. Before removing the bed assembly from the base, remove fence and anything else attached. Take a 2 X 6 and strap, or duct tape it to the beds. Being careful, pick up whole assembly, and turn it up side down. Transport it in this position. Be sure and NOT pick it up by the ends of the beds. The ways get broken this way. A used stationary jointer will most likely return your whole investment when you decide to up grade. Not so with a bench top.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
I have one and it works well .......... HOWEVER, I built it into a longer table so the infeed and out feed are 4ft +/- and the fence is higher and more rigid. Just as a standalone benchtop unit, if the wood is 42" or less then it is ok, if the board is longer than it will not work as you want.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Had one. Useless. Scary actually. I have what I consider the smallest useable power jointer. A 6 inch with a LUX head. If I had the room, I would have an 8.
You can do an edge only on a table saw better than a benchtop, but you can't do a face to prep for a pass through the planer. Just a bit of MDF with a strip of thick tape as the outfeed offset and a good blade. Did that for years and it worked fine.

Now I do have an older benchtop jointer. Stanley #7. It, and my scrub plane, is how I prep for the planer.

You can take not only the fence off, but the infeed pretty easily. This makes transport much easier. I got mine home in a Honda.
 

SabertoothBunny

SabertoothBunny
Corporate Member
I have a Porter Cable, pretty powerful and functional. I don't have room for a large stand alone system so they are idea for space constraints. Its also something you could build into a work table to expand its reach which are its only limitations.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
Sometimes the jointer is light enough to simply turn upside down and go. Sometimes its easier to take the jointer off the base. In both cases below there were no tie downs used, but I know how to drive carefully with unbalanced cargo.

1    jointerhaul 1 - 1.jpg

1    jointerhaul 1 - 2.jpg

Lifting the jointer by the ends can be done in some cases. Lock the beds first and remove the bolts and belt fastening the jointer body to the stand. Requires two men. As to the risk with the Asian-made castings, I would be VERY careful. I'm only familiar with horsing around USA-made machines. Usually I'll scoot the jointer up to the back of the van, unbolt things, and slide the jointer into the floor of the van. I've handled many 8" jointers this way by myself (back in my younger days, anyway).
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
Another point about jointers is the length of free space requires. Jointing a four foot board will require probably nine feet of clear space.
Rule of thumb: The maximum length comfortably done on a jointer is three times the length of the outfeed table. Example would be a 48" long jointer will have roughly a two foot long outfeed table. That means that a six foot board is about maximum and even that will be a strain.
 

cyclopentadiene

Update your profile with your name
User
I agree with the other posts. Fullsize with the longest and widest bed possible. I have a Ridgid which is a short bed and somewhat limiting.
As an alternative, a good track saw will provide a straight edge good enough for gluing a long piece. You can also use a piece of MDF (factory edge) and router with a flush trim bit for the edges
The limitation is flattening the surface of a warped board prior to planing. You need width. My 6” jointer is limiting as it is challenging to do a wider board. I can remove the gaurd but i am never sure about the pass on the reverse side
 

wolfsburged

New User
Bill
Beyond what has already been said about benchtop models, of which I have no experience, definitely consider a used stationary jointer. They are generally very simple machines with not a lot to go wrong. Check it out carefully but short of having been dropped or seriously misused/ancient they are typically robust.
 

Echd

C
User
I have a Foley Belsaw 684. It is a combo jointer / molder / planer. I only use the jointing function as I have a larger planer. While it works, I constantly find myself wishing for larger, even though it is bigger than most bench top jointers. Yes, you can joint longer boards, but it's a bit of a cumbersome process and you will end up with snipe or small defects on longer boards. I have done 2x4x8s on it and while it was doable, it was a real chore.

For my needs, it is generally sufficient (although irritating) and I just work around the inadequacies. Were I to do it again I would buy a larger single purpose jointer.

As others have pointed out, edge jointing is easily accomplished with other tools and much easier. Face jointing can be accomplished with a planer sled absent any other options. A bench top jointer would probably be fine if you only made smaller items like boxes or perhaps small end tables and such. I think using a smaller bench top 8" jointer like the wahuda would probably be quite a task.
 
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Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
There are some machines you really want to be a stationary and this is one of them.

$650 for this 6" and in stock!!
Screenshot 2021-08-11 at 09-58-11 6 x 48 Jointer with Economy Stand at Grizzly com.png
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
Weird, I was about to ask the same question. I have had 2 Delta floor mounted 6" jointers. One, I think, was used in a school shop in the 70's, the other was new and bought in the late 90's. They were both the most frustrating tool I have ever used. Which makes me wonder why I am even thinking about a bench top. I really would only use it to face joint small boards which are to short for the planer. I have a sled for using with the planer. I have tried to use it for short boards and found out this is not a good idea.

I bought a Frued glue line table saw blade years ago and I am happy with it. I find it a little surprising I have never seen this blade mentioned.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Keye, how many boards do you anticipate jointing? If you have a couple hundred board feet to attend to, you would definitely need a stationary jointer. If you only have a few, hand planes can do the job. It sounds like bench top jointers are not really popular but have their place.

Roy G
 

wolfsburged

New User
Bill
Weird, I was about to ask the same question. I have had 2 Delta floor mounted 6" jointers. One, I think, was used in a school shop in the 70's, the other was new and bought in the late 90's. They were both the most frustrating tool I have ever used. Which makes me wonder why I am even thinking about a bench top. I really would only use it to face joint small boards which are to short for the planer. I have a sled for using with the planer. I have tried to use it for short boards and found out this is not a good idea.

I bought a Frued glue line table saw blade years ago and I am happy with it. I find it a little surprising I have never seen this blade mentioned.

What part of the operation is frustrating? Seems like most all jointers are based on roughly the same design.
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
Thanks Roy. I have never had much success with hand tools. I have a nice router table, routers, and straight bits and think I will look into making an offset fence. I know you can buy one but the prices are just stupid high. I am also not very good with out plans or a picture, even something this simple, so I will be headed to u tube.
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
What part of the operation is frustrating? Seems like most all jointers are based on roughly the same design.
setting the blades is not complicated, just frustrating. I tried every system know to man, the newer heads were either not available or I just did not known about them, I would have probably tried them, I do not make furniture or very large items anymore so I really can not justify the cost of a good floor mounted jointer
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
I owned a ShopSmith jointer. 3 problems: 1 - it was a 4 in., the bed was way too short and the fence was a really bad design. The fence is attached to the infeed end of the machine which makes it flexible at the outfeed end. I put hold-downs on the fence and had it pick up as much as a 1/2 in. on the outfeed end. I would say that the benchtop machines may suffer from the same problems. I have & like SS equipment, but some are not as good as their standalone bigger machines.

Pop
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
Thanks Roy. I have never had much success with hand tools. I have a nice router table, routers, and straight bits and think I will look into making an offset fence. I know you can buy one but the prices are just stupid high. I am also not very good with out plans or a picture, even something this simple, so I will be headed to u tube.
all you need is a piece of plastic laminate attached to the outfeed side of the fence. set the bit flush to this and you have a poor mans jointer.
 

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