new jointer needed

[ehpoole]

While you are shopping, I have been very happy with my 8" Jet Jointer (JJ-8CS) which I purchased from Woodcraft for about $1100 a few years back. It is a traditional dovetailed way jointer with T-fence (adjustable for +/- 45deg bevel), rabbetting ledge (very handy to have), 65" (IIRC) bed length, 8-1/8" knives (Qwick-set style) and a 2HP motor.

It is essentially the same design as the comparable Powermatic (Jet and Powermatic share a common owner). It has been a great jointer. I keep a spare set of blades on hand and send the dull set out for sharpening when the time comes. You can easily upgrade to carbide knives if the need arises (or even upgrade to a helical head if you wish down the road).

 

[Bas]

I assume that most woodworkers have an 8" and very few have a 12" jointer.

There are a few folks who have aircraft carries (16" jointers), but most people have 6" or 8". I'm lucky enough to have a 12" Jointer/ Planer combination machine with helical head. It's nice to be able to process pretty much any size board, any kind of grain.

 

[SawBuck]

It was an el cheapo from HF that was just getting me by while I got started.

Kevin, sorry to hear your jointer quit on you. FWIW, I bought my jointer from HF 16 years ago. It's been a surprisingly good machine for the money. The switch died on it a while back. I replaced it with a good quality single throw/double pole switch and it's been back in business ever since. Since there aren't many parts on these tools that can fail, it might be inexpensive to repair it.

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With that said if your FIL is willing to finance your upgrade, I would step up to a whole new level of machine whether you fix it or not. I've had the Shop Fox W1741S on my wish list for some time now. The shelix cutterheads are in a class of their own. Go see Rick at The Woodworking Source in Mooresville. You will love seeing his shop. I'm sure you will find he is a great local resource for all things woodworking.

-Lonnie

 

[drw]

My F-in-law just upped our budget for a new jointer to $1500. yea!!!

Great news AND a great father-in-law!

Congratulations!
Donn

 

[zapdafish]

Does this mean a new grandchild is on the way? :rotflm:

My F-in-law just upped our budget for a new jointer to $1500. yea!!!

 

[kclark]

Does this mean a new grandchild is on the way?

He already has two of those.

Anyway, I just ordered the Shop Fox 1741S (8" w/ Spiral Cutterhead) from Rick at The Woodworking Source in Mooresville.

 

[kclark]

I got my shop fox in via Rick at the Woodworking Source in Mooresville and I got everything put together and setup except I didn't know that I had to buy my own plug and wire it up, but I have another question. I have the in and outfeed tables and the fence clean, however the gunk that they put on everything when they ship is also all over the shelix blades. Do I clean it off or just leave it and it will clean itself as I joint wood?

 

[bobby g]

You need to clean the cutters or performance will suffer a bunch.

bobby g

 

[kclark]

What is the best way?

I guess take the cutter head out? and then would I just wipe it down with towels?

 

[Tarhead]

You could joint some rolls of paper towels.:gar-Bi
sorry...couldn't resist that one. Seriously, I've never had to deal with a Shelix so I'm interested in how you do this. Off the top of my head I would try an old toothbrush dipped in a cup of MS. Put a bunch of paper towels under the head to catch the drips.

 

[bobby g]

Kevin,

I would avoid removing the cutter head. Place some rags below it by reaching up the chip chute and work from the top using mineral spirits and a tooth brush. It should come clean eventually. Then blow it dry with compressed air, remove the rags from below and joint the face of some soft wood like construction lumber until the wood is no longer showing any of the solvent. HTH.

bobby g

 

[ehpoole]

I got my shop fox in via Rick at the Woodworking Source in Mooresville and I got everything put together and setup except I didn't know that I had to buy my own plug and wire it up, but I have another question. I have the in and outfeed tables and the fence clean, however the gunk that they put on everything when they ship is also all over the shelix blades. Do I clean it off or just leave it and it will clean itself as I joint wood?

As others have suggested, you need to do your best to clean it off the cutterhead. Otherwise, the first time you power up your jointer you will have cosmoline distributed throughout your shop (very unattractive on the ceiling), the interior of your jointer, and a few well greased boards (which isn't terribly compatible with water-based finishes). Miniscule amounts remaining after the cleaning won't hurt anything -- just repeatedly joint a sacrificial board to help remove the final stubborn bits of cosmoline.

You should be able to clean the cutterhead without removing it. If need be you can remove the carbide inserts, clean them, clean the cutterhead, then reinstall the inserts -- they are intended to be serviced in such a manner. However, if you should need to remove the cutterhead for cleaning it is typically a trivial job on a jointer -- you part your infeed and outfeed tables until the opening is greater than the width of the cutterhed, then unbolt two nuts (one front, one rear -- review your exploded parts diagram) to lift the pillow blocks (with pillow blocks, bearings, and cutterhead remaining a single solid unit). To reinstall you simply drop the cutterhead back into place and retighten those two nuts, then reset your infeed and outfeed tables as appropriate.

 

[MarkE]

I just went through the cleaning process on my planer. I was able to get most of the cosmoline off using a rag and paint thinner. It took a while. I then ran a piece of 2x6 through several times until the surface came out grease free.

 

[junquecol]

I assume that most woodworkers have an 8" and very few have a 12" jointer.

I have a couple of 6 inchers. I regularly joint 8-9" boards on it. Jointer has to have rabbeting ledge (most do.) A couple years back, I submitted idea to Wood Magazine. As the editors were discussing doing an article, FWW can out with an article from a couple of guys on west coast using same method.

 

[tryingtokeepmyfingers]

I have a couple of 6 inchers. I regularly joint 8-9" boards on it. Jointer has to have rabbeting ledge (most do.) A couple years back, I submitted idea to Wood Magazine. As the editors were discussing doing an article, FWW can out with an article from a couple of guys on west coast using same method.

please explain this method

 

[junquecol]

please explain this method

First, jointer must have a rabbeting ledge (most do.) Lower infeed table and add a shim (hardboard, plywood, etc) so that the left edge lines up with rabbeting ledge. I use the fabric type of double stick tape to hold mine in position. Start face jointing board, till you have a flat face the width of the outfeed table. You will wind up with an area on the left side that isn't face jointed. Now take piece to planer, adding a support shim ( again hardboard, or plywood with double stick tape) to area that is face jointed. Run piece through planer till second face is parallel to first. Turn piece over, remove shim and plane till this face is flat across full width. Sounds complicated, but once you've done it, it's very simple.