Jointer Technique

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clowman

*********
Clay Lowman
Corporate Member
I've noticed that my jointer technique is really in the toilet recently. It seems that recently... no matter what I try to do, I seem to make nice wedges out of what I am trying to flatten out. I'm pretty certain, I've done it right in the past. I'm also pretty certain I'm not now. I know it's hard to describe these things in writing, but anyone care to take a stab at "Proper jointer technique?"

I do think that more people than me would also benefit.

Anyone anyone?
 

NCPete

New User
Pete Davio
seems that would probably be an adjustment issue... check your tables to make sure they are level to each other, and that the knives are just a hair more than level with the outfeed table... that is what I did when I was having a similar 'technique' problem.
 

D L Ames

New User
D L Ames
Clay,
You are a wise man to consider technique before you start adjusting on a jointer.
I have a story on using a jointer at the link below that might be of help.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/usejntr.html

Great article, thanks for sharing it Tom. Like Clay, I have been known to produce a few wedges from time to time. I am sure my issues are more from technique than from machine set up. The mention of rough cutting the stock first to smaller pieces is a good tip.

D L
 

cpowell

Chuck
Senior User
Clay, don't jump on technique too quickly. I ran into this same problem on my bench top dimensioning - long stock jointing. I noticed that I was kinda fighting the jointer and was not able to eyeball a plane I wanted for the stock and use the jointer to cut out the plane that I wanted. I was fighting the jointer.

I finally took a piece of straight stock (1x1, maybe 14 inches long), laid it on the outfeed and rotated the cutterhead. The blades were NOT perfectly even with the top of the outfeed table - the table was a smidge above the knives. I shifted the table down a smidge, edge jointed, and adjusted until perfect. I am certain that the jointer was set up properly the last time I swapped knives. The knives were still level. Shop poltergeist maybe?

Anyway, problem solved. Stock moves easily through the cutterhead and joints are flat.

Just a thought.


Chuck
 
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lwhughes149

New User
Lorraine
Clay, I spent months trying to figure what I was doing wrong. I was getting the same thing you seem to have. I had a buddy come by and look at mine, he figured it out, two hours later it was working properly. From the factory my table was not horizontal left to right. He made the corrections and it has worked great since then. Also no one dares to put anything on my table or lean on it or lift either end. Lorraine
 

clowman

*********
Clay Lowman
Corporate Member
Thanks everyone. I checked out Tom's site on adjusting the knifes. I believe that was the issue. I don't have a nifty jig to do that measurement, but I got it close. And It is cutting much better now.
 

clowman

*********
Clay Lowman
Corporate Member
Well.. not claiming to be the best operator. I know for a fact I was applying too much pressure to try to compensate.. but... well.. yeah.. it was mostly the knives. But I did put em in... so.... :eusa_thin:eusa_thin
 

tom hintz

New User
Tom Hintz
Clay,
Good deal! Glad you got it working better, or got you working better, or both, or whatever! If the wood is coming out the way you want, it's fixed!

Since this thread started I went back over my "Jointer" email folder and noted that we see way more technique problems than actualy jointer issues. We also see many more jointers adjusted out of whack than in because people tried to adjust out problems that were at least partially caused by poor technique. Naturally, those folks were in the biggest trouble because they were now chasing a misadjusted machine with bad technique, a combination that makes getting everything right far more difficult.
 

John Reeves

New User
John Reeves
Clay,

I too suffer from Technique problems. Seems that loose the knack some times and "try too hard" by pushing too hard or other things. When I step back and not try to hurry and do it perfectly the first few times I get a better product. I constantly SO the my equipment is much better at its job than I am at mine!!

Good luck.

John
 
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