Replies

1. 
   eddiefromaustralia | Mar 13, 2004 10:56pm | #1

   Buy a bit of precision ground tool stock - 1000mm (39") x 2 x 1/4"

   Cost was approx USD70- for me, here in Aust

   Cheers,

   eddie

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 13, 2004 11:39pm | #3

   Precision ground stock is fairly precise dimensionally in width and thickness but it is not certified or guaranteed by the manufacturers to be straight over its length.  It is generally cut into short lengths when used in a machine shop so it doesn't need to be especially straight.

   The extra $50.00 that a machinists straightedge costs over the cost of ground stock is for finishing the steel bar to a near perfect straightedge over its full length.

   John W.

2. 
   JohnWW | Mar 13, 2004 11:23pm | #2

   A machinist's straightedge is only needed to diagnose warped tables or worn out table slides.  A new machine is unlikely to have either problem, although it is possible.  A straightedge isn't needed to set up a new jointer or for blade changing, and a machinist's grade straightedge has little use elsewhere in a shop unless you are regularly testing and repairing old machinery. 

   Given the cost of a machinists' grade straightedge, I'd suggest that you to hold off on buying one until you see if your new jointer cuts well.  If the jointer does cut properly, you will have saved yourself a fair amount of money. 

   The first thing you should get is a book on tool maintenance because there are several far more common reasons, unrelated to table alignment, why a jointer won't cut properly.  If you have an alignment problem needing a straightedge, the book will be needed because diagnosing and correcting the problem is a fairly complicated.  Also, to really test a jointer you need a straightedge that will span the length of the whole machine, although there are some machinist's tricks that will get you around having to buy a six foot long straightedge.

   John W.

1. 
   woodman54 | Mar 14, 2004 03:24am | #7

   I  will take your advise and see how this Grizzly 8" 500 works before I start spending more money. I hope it works better than the 6" model I baught from them 20 years ago. I never got it to joint one piecse of wood because of warped tables. I have been hand planing ever since than. I wanted the Powermatic 60b but it is on a long backorder.

3. 
   2002XX | Mar 14, 2004 12:13am | #4

   Woodman I just purchased an 8" Powermatic jointer and asked the same question you did. Might want to look it up in the General discussion section. I think is was "Straight egde Question" anyway all the knowledgable people around here gave their opinion and the Starrett seemed to win out. I purchased the 36" square edge Starrett from J&L Industries. The Starrett is a very fine piece of equipment and worth the money I think. I just got done using it to set up my Jet cabinet saw extension wings and it worked very well. I also used it to check the tops flatness. Hope this helps. RICK

4. 
   RickL | Mar 14, 2004 01:11am | #5

   It is possible to get a bad jointer out of the box but it's unlikely. However it did happen to me many years ago with a PM 6". I couldn't get the thing to work right no matter what and I was experienced with changing knives. I ended up getting a 4' Starrett and sure enough it was off. PM resurfaced it under warranty but I had to pay freight. Anyway I ended up going into machine repair for a living for a number of years and have found the cheapest straight edges since purchasing my 4 and 6' Starretts. http://www.mcmaster.com page 2063. Also a company that does sharpening of paper knives can turn a paper knive that is too small into a precise straight edge. I can usually pick a 6' up for $75. Personally I think a 36" straight edge is too short to adjust tables on a jointer if need be. 36" is alright to check flatness of each table but my experience of setting jointers is you need a straight edge of approximately 3/4 the over all length of the jointer.

   
1. 
   woodman54 | Mar 14, 2004 03:34am | #8

   Thanks for the link,I put it in my favorits as it had a lot items of interest to me.

5. 
   jpohja | Mar 14, 2004 01:15am | #6

   Try traditionalwoodworker.com. They have german made precision straightedges in a couple of sizes. 40 inch is about 40 dollars. Use mine all the time. Great customer service too.  john

1. 
   RonInOttawa | Mar 16, 2004 12:54am | #11

   It's too bad you didn't ask this question about a month back. Lee Valley just closed out their Scala straightedges. The 40" model went for about $30 Canadian (~ $24 US). I already had both the 40" and the 24" so the sale didn't do me any good. FWIW, these are VERY good tools!

   Regards,

   Ron

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 16, 2004 01:28am | #12

   Ron

   Were the Scala straight edges true machinist's straight edges or just high quality rulers?  I don't recall, or find in their 2003/2004 catalog, the tool you're describing.  That price, for a true machinist's grade tool, would be incredibly good.

   John W.

1. 
   RonInOttawa | Mar 16, 2004 02:03am | #13

   The text at http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_168&products_id=942 states:

   "This 40" aluminum Straightedge Ruler by Scala is ideal for the workshop. A substantial and durable tool that is manufactured to DIN 866/2 standards with a guaranteed straightness tolerance over the entire length of +/- 0.005". Easy on the eye with an anodized satin finish and a laser graduated scale. The first 4" are graduated by 32nds and the balance by 16ths. You can also use this straightedge for drafting as the lip is undercut for inking. Width is 2". Precision crafted in Germany."

   That's as close to a real straight edge as I need in MY workshop...your mileage may vary.

   Regards,

   Ron

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 17, 2004 01:52am | #15

   For woodworking those specs are more than adequate but the Scala Ruler wouldn't be sufficiently straight for testing and adjusting a jointer that has gone out of alignment from wear or warpage.  A jointer is fussy to get cutting right and being able to measure to an accuracy of a thousandths or two is needed.

   John W. 

2. 
   RonInOttawa | Mar 17, 2004 02:17am | #16

   I defer to your judgment on the subject. I've never had occasion to require accuracy to that degree, but then I've probably just been fortunate.

   FWIW, I do have a good set of 6" feeler gauges that I picked up about 35 years ago. They were useful for such things as gapping points in the distributor (remember those?) and apparently they'll be useful again if I need to tear down or adjust any of my old equipment.

   Thanks for the insight.

   Regards,

   Ron

3. 
   JohnWW | Mar 17, 2004 03:51am | #17

   Ron,

   Jointers and large thickness planers are the only woodworking tools that require the ability to check the flatness and alignment of the tables within a thousandths or two, and they only need to be checked if there are serious problems with the machine's performance.  The majority of jointers and planers in home shops don't ever develop serious problems, so the average woodworker doesn't need a machinists grade straightedge.  

   For day to day maintenance, a jointer only needs a jig for setting the height of new blades and a large jointer needs a dial indicator for setting roller and pressure bar heights, but neither machine needs a straightedge for ordinary maintenance.

   Because I restore machinery and have some training as a machinist I own several machinist's straightedges but I've never once used them for woodworking. 

   As an ex Volkswagen factory trained mechanic, in the late 60's and early 70's, I'm very familiar with setting points and valves with feeler gauges and it was great training for both woodworking and maintaining my own machines.  After you've set enough valves and points, you develop what machinists call "the touch", the ability to get a machine set just right.  It's a shame that there are fewer reasons to teach these skills today, they're endlessly useful.

   John W. 

   Edited 3/16/2004 8:54 pm ET by JohnW

4. 
   RickL | Mar 17, 2004 02:53pm | #18

   I've done a lot of jointer rebuilds and couldn't be with out my straight edges. My 6' has been a necessity for machines up to 9' long.  I agree you don't need a straight edge for day to day maintenance but there are times you can't be without them. When realigning tables that have been removed for regrinding like on a Oliver or such or just to prove that the tables are flat and coplanar then you can look for the other problem possibilities. Frankly I couldn't professionally work on a jointer if I didn't have my straight edges and indicators.

   Edited 3/17/2004 9:18 am ET by rick3ddd

   
6. 
   ian | Mar 15, 2004 03:28pm | #9

   How about a 3 ft Steel rule ?

7. 
   ScottInMadtown | Mar 15, 2004 08:30pm | #10

   Woodman,

   You can make your own straightedge from three boards.  There is an article in the back issues of FWW.  I believe it is issue #142 on tuning your jointer.  I made the three test boards from the article for my jointer and they work great.

   Scott

1. 
   woodman54 | Mar 16, 2004 05:56am | #14

   Thanks, Iwill look it up.