Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Apr 08, 2008 01:39am | #1

   In use, there is no functional difference between the way a sliding bed jointer works compared to a parallelogram jointer, and either machine should work fine for half a century. There are plenty of theoretical reasons why some people claim one or the other is better but it makes little practical difference in the shop.

   With a good set of instructions and a magnetic jig it is very easy to replace the blades on a conventional blade jointer, but the blades do have to be sent out for sharpening, which will probably cost $15.00 to $20.00 in most places, and the switch over takes 15 to 20 minutes and a bit of focus. Also the blades will eventually lose enough steel from being reground that they will have to be replaced for another $20.00 plus per set.

   So the economics suggest that if the jointer is used a fair amount, even in a home shop, that the additional cost of the head would probably be recovered in a few years along with some time savings. The carbide cutters in a spiral head will eventually have to be replaced also, at a fairly high cost, but typically not for many many years.

   If you plan to work with very hard and abrasive wood species, most of which are tropical, carbide cutter heads have even greater time and money saving advantages over steel blades.

   Spiral heads typically don't leave quite as good a finish as a freshly sharpened set of straight blades, but straight blades aren't perfectly sharp for long, so the finishes are on average probably equal. Also wood coming off of a jointer, no matter what head type, almost always needs some further refining if it is going to be a visible surface in the finished piece.

   John White

   
   

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   Edited 4/7/2008 6:40 pm ET by JohnWW

1. 
   sawdust_tony | Apr 09, 2008 07:30pm | #2

   Thank you, this was very helpful in my decision making process.  I believe I will go with the sliding bed and straight knives, and add a few additional tools with the money saved!!!

   Again, thank you!

   Tony