I looked at the four jointer/planer combinations that are moderately priced and readily available. All four combo machines delivered excellent results in my tests. Using maple, white oak, and cherry, I face-jointed and edge-jointed long, wide boards without difficulty, and planed boards with no snipe. These combo machines don’t sacrifice performance, and they don’t command a steep premium.

The Rojek’s MSP 315 model uses a 12-in.-wide cutter head, with a 59 in. long jointer bed. This is a moderately priced, no-nonsense machine that performs well. The jointer table is a generous 59 in. long. But the Rojek lacks some of the refinements of the MiniMax and the Hammer.

For one, its standard cutterhead knives, held in place with traditional jackscrews and locking gibs, take time and patience to install accurately. Rojek supplies a decent dial indicator to help set the knives. You can also outfit the machine with a Tersa cutter head, an option that I recommend.

For another, the 315 must be plugged in to change the knives. A switch setting lets you override a motor brake and rotate the cutterhead; it doesn’t work if you unplug the machine. I dislike that type of design because of the chance-however remote-that you could accidentally start the machine.

The third big shortcoming is changeover time. I averaged 1 minute, 20 seconds, time spent mainly moving the planer bed the 7-1/2 in. (90-plus cranks) required to accommodate the dust hood.

There were other, minor annoyances. The power switches, on the left end of the front panel, are in a slightly inconvenient position for planing because you have to reach around the forward-tilted tables to hit the switch. And the instruction manual is the worst of the lot.

Photo: David Heim

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Oneida’s Super Cell Dust Collector

30-Gal with Wall Mount

Buy at Amazon

Rockler Dust Right 1250 CFM

You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.

Buy at Rockler

Forrest Woodworker II Blade

A high quality, staple blade for your table saw. With 48 teeth, it is suitable for both ripping and crosscutting.

Buy at Amazon