Jointer reviews

[jeff...]

What's a good 8" jointer to purchase? What do you have?


Thanks

 

[MLB3164]

Jeff I was looking at the 10" Grizzly but my eyes were bigger than my shop. I have a Grizzly G0490 on order, suppose to be an exact clone of the Delta DJ20 with an import motor for only $750.00. I will let you know sometime in May when it gets here. Go check it out, I think it is the best bargain in 8" jointers right now.

Marty

 

[jeff...]

Marty, man thats one sweet looking machine - whats the shipping on that bad boy, 597 lbs is a lot.

 

[cpowell]

I have the Yorkcraft YC-8J jointer shown here http://www.wilkemachinery.com/default.tpl?action=full&cart=114510504740383&id1=7&--woSECTIONSdatarq=7&--SECTIONSword=ww&--eqskudatarq=2351

My Yorkcraft was delivered two years ago and I have been pleased since the day it showed up at the door. The tables are long, flat and coplanar and it has plenty of power.

Yorkcraft is distributed by Wilke Machinery. Unlike Grizzly which charges a set price for US delivery, Wilke charges according to zip code. Since NC is pretty close to York, PA, we get a good delivery rate. Wilke has an excellent rep for customer support although I've never needed it.

FWIW I have only heard great things about Griz jointers, too. 750 delivered for the Griz sounds pretty sweet!

I had looked at Delta and Powermatic 8 inch before I bought but decided to save the bucks. I didn't give up anything IMHO.

Chuck

 

[WoodWrangler]

I have a 6' Powermatic which I really like, BUT if I were to do it all again I would purchase the 8" or 10" Grizzly BECAUSE 6" just isn't enough for everything, and the Grizzly is at a great price and quality.

 

[Steve D]

I have a friend that just bought the 8" Grizzly and is very happy with it. He got the straight knife version which has gotten better reviews than the spiral head version. I had a 6" Grizzly for many years and it was an excellent jointer. I'm just wrapping up restoring an old 12" and when all is done, I'll have about $900 in it not counting my labor. For the money, I don't think you can go wrong with the Grizzly, or the Yorkcraft. You could try to find a used machine as well but 8" is the most sought after size which tends to keep the price up there for a good machine.

 

[Travis Porter]

I have a Delta DJ-20. Got it from Amazon with free shipping. Came in 2 boxes, and it was heavy. It wasn't cheap either. Primary reason I bought it was a combination of price and I thought made in USA at the time. Turned out, only the stamped steel base was made in USA, the cast iron bed assembly was made in Taiwan. It is a good jointer, but I think it is a bit overpriced considering IIRC it is now totally made overseas like the rest of the other brands.

I will say that the fence will flex when you try to joint wide and heavy fairly large boards. I had read that in a review on Amazon and didn't believe it unti I saw it myself. It is a very solid fence, but it will flex. The Powermatic was supposed to have a better fence from that reviewer, but I really don't have an opinion on other brands. I would recommend evaluating how well the fence is supported along its total length.

 

[MLB3164]

Wow Travis you now have me thinking. If your fence will flex I am sure the Grizzly fence will flex too. How much flex are we talking about? Is this when you edge joint or face joint a board. I am curious if it has caused you problems. For what you paid for your jointer there should be NO flex in the fence.

 

[D L Ames]

Travis. When you say the fence will flex.............do you mean it will flex from end to end or top to bottom? Or does it flex both directions?

D L

 

[jeff...]

Think I've almost setteled on the http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0490 For what I do which is mainly glue up pannels, I think this would help greatly and take some of the load off my planer and table saw.

 

[DaveO]

Think I've almost setteled on the http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0490 For what I do which is mainly glue up pannels, I think this would help greatly and take some of the load off my planer and table saw.

You can't go wrong with that machine, very nice jointer!!!!!!!

Dave

 

[MLB3164]

Jeff I think the G0490 is a good deal. Just remember this jointer is in high demand and expect it to be backordred. Depending on when you order it they might have a shipment in and you get it quick. Also the freight quote listed DOES NOT include liftgate service. This will add another $35.00 I think. I am sure there are better jointers out there but this was the best value for me. I read many posts over at Sawmill Creek about this jointer before ordering it. It got good reviews all around except some guys had freight damage that Grizzly took care of promptly. Good luck.

Marty

 

[jeff...]

Marty, Thanks was wondering about the lift gate service. I don't think I'll need it, I'll just have it delivered to the furniture store warehouse, which has a dock.

 

[NCPete]

another member here has ordered what I believe is that same jointer. For the past month, he has been told it would be here in 'two weeks'. pretty popular.

 

[cpowell]

I have a Delta DJ-20. Got it from Amazon with free shipping. Came in 2 boxes, and it was heavy. It wasn't cheap either. Primary reason I bought it was a combination of price and I thought made in USA at the time. Turned out, only the stamped steel base was made in USA, the cast iron bed assembly was made in Taiwan. It is a good jointer, but I think it is a bit overpriced considering IIRC it is now totally made overseas like the rest of the other brands.

I will say that the fence will flex when you try to joint wide and heavy fairly large boards. I had read that in a review on Amazon and didn't believe it unti I saw it myself. It is a very solid fence, but it will flex. The Powermatic was supposed to have a better fence from that reviewer, but I really don't have an opinion on other brands. I would recommend evaluating how well the fence is supported along its total length.

Travis, I looked at the fence on my Yorkcraft. I put a piece of stock against the fence at both the infeed and exit end of the fence and I pushed on the exit end. The exit end moved maybe 1/32nd with a fair bit of force applied but I noticed after releasing force and looking at the block on the infeed end that the infeed moved in the opposite direction, displacing my block...ie, the fence rotated about the center. I don't believe the face actually deflected at all. I thought of looking at the Yorkie because I heard it was a Delta in Yorkcraft clothing.

How much does your fence move?

 

[gator]

Just two comments:

8" Jointer - I currently have a 6" and if I ever upgrade I will jump to a 10" minimum (12" if the price or deal is correct)(or - looking at finances, maybe never). I personally don't think that the two inches (6" to 8") gives you that much. A 10" will give you a 4" jump over the six and that, to me, would be more useful than a small increase (2") in capacity. I know you asked about 8" but I just thought I would throw this out as a personal observation.

Fence Deflection - I don't think (again personal opinion) that fence deflection is bad unless it also twists (vertically) when it deflects. We all know that when using a plane you do so at an angle (or skew) across the grain, not directly down the grain. If the fence deflects a little, or even more than a little, the result is that you are cutting at an angle just like when planing. Seems to me that this may even be good in some cases.

Remember that any advise you get over the web is free and you know that you get what you pay for.:lol: :lol:

George

 

[jeff...]

How would an 8" jointer work for panel glue up's? My strips are no more than 3". I figured :eusa_doh:I could:

1 rip board to ~ 6 and 1/4"
2 Joint a face
3 joint an edge
4 run it back through the table saw to rip it into two strips ~ 3" strips
5 glue up the panel.
6 After the glue dries, run the glue up pannel back trough the planer, plan both sides till smooth and it's down to the desired thickness.
7 Joint an edge and then rip on the TS to desired width

Would this be the right steps to take?

Right now I do glue up by:

1 Rip a wide board to under 13"
2 planing one face (planer is only 13" wide)
3 Rip ~3" srtips on my TS with
http://www.woodworkersshop.com/Freud_Glue_Line_Rip_Blade.htm
4 glue up the panel.
5 After the glue dries, run the glue up pannel back trough the planer, plan both sides till smooth and it's down to the desired thickness
6 rip on the TS to desired width

I've had pretty good results, but can see an advantage to using a jointer for crooked boards, before they hit the TS to be cut into stips. This would make my life a lot easier and save on TS time, for sure.

I'm probly doing glues ups wrong anyways, I'm here to learn.:eusa_thin

Thanks

 

[Travis Porter]

If I am doing lets say a piece of rough 8/4 about 8 inches wide lets say 6 foot long, when I am getting it ready to push through when you bump (or hit) the fence with the board you can see it deflect. Once you are steady up to it, it is stationary, but it will give a little. From what I read, this is not the fence itself, but the supporting strength it gets along its length for attachment points from the adjustment mechanism. I would say my fence is about 40" long. It has two connection points at the center about 12" apart. I believe if it had connection points further spaced out to say 24 or 30 inches it would help.

I read the review on Amazon on the Delta DJ-20. The same guy said the Powermatic 60A did not have this issue. I didn't believe it until I got it in hand.

As to how far it moves, if I bump it at the edge of the fence with a heavy board I have seen it glance a 1/4 inch or better. As far as flexing while using, I can't say that I have noticed it, but it may as chuck comments. I do believe it stays straight at the attachment points which are right over the cutter head.

Would I buy this jointer again? I would probably spend the extra money and buy a 10 or 12 inch and not worry about where it was made. Including the mobile base and a spare set of knives I think I spent $1600. I could have bought an import for cheaper, but I bought it because I thought it was all American made. The fence is irritating at times as I do joint some heavy rough stock at times. I am just very careful to ensure I put the weight on the table first and not the fence. The total bed length on the DJ-20 is very nice, IIRC it is 76". Considering I upgraded from a 6" Jet, there is a world of difference between the size of workpiece you can do from a 6 and an 8 that I would never have believed.

 

[Travis Porter]

If you want to come and try mine out, you are welcome to do so. Send me a PM and we will work out the details as I am very close to Granville county. The jointer does make it easier to get good square boards.