Please tell me what I am doing wrong!!

[rcflyer23]

So being a new woodworker I don't know exactly how to use all the power tools and my new jointer is one of them apparently. I was running some wood through it today and yesterday trying to figure out how to use it and just to get to know it and ever time when I get to the end of the piece it always cuts way more off than the rest of it. What am I doing wrong I don't think I am putting to much pressure on the piece. Is that normal do I just need to factor that in when I am jointing the pieces or do I just not have it setup correctly. I am going to download one of the manuals from JET that is closest to this one and see if I can gain any insight from that but figured I would ping the wealth of knowledge that is here before winging it.

 

[Travis Porter]

The manuals are the pits so don't waste your time. Your issue is going to be one of several things.

Your outfeed table may not be set parallel to the highest point of your knives. It has to be or you will never get a good smooth cut.

You are not using the correct hand motion. Once the board crosses over to the outfeed table begin to keep the majority of your pressure on the outfeed table. Only provide support on the infeed. Pressure on the outfeed.

These would be the first things I would do. If that doesn't work, then there is more to check/do so please feel free to follow back up.

 

[skysharks]

Kevin don't feel like the Lone Ranger here.:XXcompute
I can't explain it either.:dontknow: It happens to me. I mostly use my jointer for edge jointing. Seldom, very seldom do I attempt to face joint. I have never received a class on using a jointer, just watching another guy use one time.
I will tell use this that I use the heck out of it for edge jointing and would be at a loss with out it:icon_thum.

 

[Splinter]

As Travis said, don't apply downward pressure on the trailing or infeed end of the board. Just guide that end through as you cross over the knives and apply downward pressure on the outfeed end. I used a block/push stick that hooks over the end of the board to guide the end over the knives and don't get the snipe you are talking about. And the outfeed end of your jointer must be the same level as the highest point of your knives.

 

[PeteM]

Check out this article from our own Tom Hintz:

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

pete

 

[DavidF]

Sounds like a bad case of snipe. Generally caused by the blades or even just one of them, being higher than the outfeed table.

 

[rcflyer23]

Thanks everyone. Well I know one thing I was doing wrong was applying pressure on the infeed side of things. I will play a little bit more. I will also check that the outfeed is even with all the blades. I will also check out Tom's guide. I will let you know if I make any progress. I am sure this thing needs to be setup. Again I appreciate the information.

 

[Bas]

Travis pretty much covered it. For more info on jointing, check out the video #6 at the Wood Whisperer web site.

To expand on the technique part - it sounds like you're putting pressure on the section of the board that's on the infeed table. This will effectively put the board at an angle like so: \ This means that you'll slice more off the end of the board (the right hand side). You want to feed the board with just enough pressure to hold it to the table, then once a section clears the knives and is on the outfeed table apply pressure there and "drag" the board over the knives.

 

[Bob Wingard]

Sounds like the outfeed table is a bit low. It should be a few thousandths of an inch higher than the arc of the blades .. no more. If one or more blades are too high as mentioned above, you would be getting a serious amount of scalloping.

 

[PeteQuad]

Since you're new to the tool, be careful . Use push blocks and don't let your hand be over the blades. Like everyone else said, only apply pressure on the outfeed side.

 

[rcflyer23]

Well I finally picked up a good straight edge and put it on the jointer and sure enought the outfeed tabe was a little lower than the infeed to I adjusted that table to the highest point of all three blades. They were all the same height. Just double checked everything again and ran a board through it several times. It cuts clean as a whistle now. The best $75 bucks for a tool I have spent so far.

 

[Travis Porter]

Aaaahhh..... We call that PFM.

Pure Flipping Magic!

 

[DavidF]

Well I finally picked up a good straight edge and put it on the jointer and sure enought the outfeed tabe was a little lower than the infeed to I adjusted that table to the highest point of all three blades. They were all the same height. Just double checked everything again and ran a board through it several times. It cuts clean as a whistle now. The best $75 bucks for a tool I have spent so far.

And almost as good value as your annual subscription to NCWW:icon_thum

 

[rcflyer23]

PFM - I will remember that. That's exactly what it was. It didn't take much to adjust it and works great.. What annual subscription???? No one told me about an annual subscription.. :gar-La;

I would surely pay it. This site is becoming an invaluable asset in my tool belt. :gar-Bi

 

[Sanders Fine Woodworking]

Though not the issue this time, the shape of the edge is important too! If the edge of the board is concave, it will tend to snipe both ends until the board becomes relatively straight. If the edge is convex, I try to run the middle of the board first. If the board is really convex or concave on the edge you want to joint, try sawing it with a straight edge first to get it close.

 

[rcflyer23]

Good advice. I will remember that. I am really glad that it was as simple as adjusting the outfeed table.