I have a small shop in my basement and am looking to purchase a jointer. It looks like the 8″ is preferable but am also interested in people who currently use a 6″ jointer and what their impressions are. Also, I would really like recommendations on whether you feel that the jointer that you have was a good buy and whether you would recommend it to others? Any pros/cons on 8″ vs 6″ would be helpful (let’s keep it clean boys)..:-)
Regards,
Buzzsaw
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Gil Bailie
Replies
The only downside to a bigger jointer is moving them and the higher cost. Also maybe a bit more money to sharpen blades.
Troy
I have the Jet 6" jointer and yes, I would recommend it to others, but it was a bargain for me because I'm within driving distance of the scratch-n-dent place near the Auburn Jet warehouse. I got the jointer for $385 after it had been used at the woodworking show. Talked the guy into 2 extra sets of blades.
The advantage of the 8" jointer is obviously being able to joint wider wood. Less obviously, the length of the tables. How important those capacities are depends on the type of stock preparation you do.
Had I not been able to take advantage of this barely-used Jet model, I would have bought a Grizzly to get a good machine within my budget.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Well, if your going to edge joint anything longer than 6' long or face flatten anything more than 6" wide, then get an 8" or wider jointer.
For what I do, a 6" jointer is plenty big enough. I haven't edge jointed 8' boards for 5 years and I used my router for that.
FYI - the blades that come with most low priced jointers on the market today are not very good ones. Consider http://www.wisconsinknifeworks.com HSS, not carbon steel.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
I'm eyeing a new jointer as well. I'd like to have an 8" jointer but I'm afraid that I won't be able to get it down the basement. I'd like to have something wider than 6" so I can face plane the stock straight but figure if I want to do that, 12" would be the more suitable size jointer. I'll probably end up buying the 6" Powermatic that has a 55" bed and down the road, buy a 12" jointer once my shop is out of my basement.
PlaneWood, I have no problem flatting or edge jointing a 8' board on my joiner. And I think I could do a longer board if needed?
It's a powermatic 6" with I think a 72" bed. Does'nt capacity of joiner have a direct relation to bed length? Is above not a safe operation?
Thanks for the tip on knives. Factory supplied are junk, the effort needed to feed stock over quickly dulling knives led me to start looking for aftermaker knives.
If you can afford even larger (ie. 12") I would strongly recommend it. The added size makes it tremendously easier to straighten and flatten stock of all dimensions. I recently made the upgrade from 6" to 12"--it is definitely worth the added cost.
What brand/model did you get that is 12 inches? Just don't see them in the catalogues much.
Grizzly. It has been a vast improvement over my old 6" jointer.
ecdoc
I have a 6" jointer and it feels like a toy. I used an 18" Northfield in a cabinet shop I used to work in, so anything smaller just doesn't seem "real". If I could afford it right now, I would get an 8" in a snap.
Would you be interested in a used 6" jointer? :-)
Edited 1/9/2006 4:00 pm ET by JJV
Edited 1/9/2006 4:00 pm ET by JJV
I have a 6" jpinter and the problem I have is that all the sel& bet. wood I purchase has the best price when I purchase wood 4" - 8" wide. As you would guess most is 5" to 6-1/2" so I end up ripping rhe wood to 6" and throwing away an 1+. So an 8" jointer would be better for me. Wood between 6-1/2 and 8" is ripped in half and then jointed and glued up if necessary.
Hey Buzz, I have a 6" Ridgid in my basement. Id hate to think about getting a 8" model down there. Most of the time it is more than adequate as for those times when its not Ive got my hand planes for the wide stuff. If you think about how most projects go together you use alot of narrow stock and just a few wide pieces. As for quality I would recommend the ridgid it was made by orion same as the craftsman jointer.I cant imagine you could go wrong with either one. Best of luck ! AB
Buzzsaw, I have a 16" Sidney jointer in my basement shop so a larger machine will make it down the stairs. Just take it apart and reassemble. I've had a 30" Oliver jointer in storage for about 9 years untill I reopen the shop.DJk
"I would recommend the ridgid it was made by orion same as the craftsman jointer.I cant imagine you could go wrong with either one. Best of luck ! AB"
Hi AB - I agree with the part that you can't go wrong with either (although IMO more is better if possible...meaning 8"), but Orion doesn't make the Ridgid. The Ridgid name is owned by Emerson and the machine is made by TTI who is the parent company of Ryobi. Orion, who was founded by former Delta employees, has no association with Ridgid that I'm aware of, and the machines have some distinct differences in fence design and the base.
I have a 6"; wish I sprung the few hundred bucks more for the 8" version. If you have room, go with the larger one. There's no way on God's green earth you'll regret getting a larger one unless space is tight.
I currently have a 6" Grizzly Jointer in my shop. As opposed to a few of my other tool purchases in 2 years I have not regretted going up in size a bit on my initial purchase. I have not really seen a need for the 8" in building tables, chairs and bookcases. I usually do the "wrong" thing and put longer wider boards right through my 15" planer and they for the vast majority of times come out flat. I would prefer it if jointers came with a higher fence which even in an 8" its not significantly higher. As far as a tool recommendation my Grizzly has performed quite well over the 2 years that I have owned it.
Buzzsaw... I'm gonna dare to be a bit.... different... Your question permits a few assumptions that make it obvious that you're not a pro woodworker... that in itself opens up a whole bunch of possibilities...
Form the preceeding posts you'll notice a fairly common thread... frustration... Too heavy, too small, too loud.etc etc.. 6" or 8".. it doesn't really matter, they're all afflicted by their limitations.. Think different.
Think 22 1/2" long.. think 8lbs heavy.. think 2 3/8" wide blade that has virtually limitless possibilities.. if you can heave it onto the bench, this jointer can flatten it irrespective of length or width... the limiting factor being your reach...
Think no need for expensive dust collection, air filteration or sound proofing... no need to worry about choosing between 110 and 220v. Think about a jointer that can flatten so well that it'll render a sander nigh on obsolete... Not only that... it comes with inbuilt health advantages too... no need for dust masks or ear protection... no need for gym fees; you'll get plenty work out if you use it often enough...
Its not some new byproduct of the space race neither... been around long enough to have all the bugs shaken out of the desigh long ago... What's more... its built with the same kinda old school values that lets you enjoy the likes of the pyramids today.... built to last generations...
But there's more... this thing's an educational tool too... using it will give you an understanding of the nuances of each and every board you work to a degree that no other tool nor book can teach you... it can commnicate the exact charactor of each and every piece in a project that you use this tool on.... all you need do is listen to it... It'll let you know when you're doing something wrong, and help put it right... teach you how to sharpen and reward when your technique is in the ball park. In addition, you gotta be trying real hard to have an accident with it, much less a serious accident... It's perfectly safe to have kids and grand-kids around while its in use.. it won't harm em... In return, all it needs at the end of each work day is a quick brush down and a wipe with some oil or wax...
Interested..???
There's more.... but I'd need to check your I.D first... make sure you're old enough to appreciate it fully... ;)
To be fair, I'd best warn you... these things don't come cheap and they can be highly addictive... I can understand if you'd rather play safe and stick to machines... but there's sooooooooooo much you'd be missing out on...
Trust me, I'm a woodworker... would I B.S. ya...? ;)
Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
I too have a small shop and planned to add a jointer. However, at a recent woodworking show I was almost convinced that a well used table saw with a good blade can eliminate the need for a jointer. I would be interested in opinions on this concept
A table saw can make a good edge for gluing, but it won't be much help in flattening the first face of the board. And if, say, the right edge is not straight, you'll have to come up with a way to keep the board moving perfectly straight as you rip, even to make a perfectly straight left edge. I've seen simple jigs (like a straight board to which you affix your workpiece) to do that job, but a TS isn't much of a substitute for a jointer.My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
I would be interested in opinions on this concept
At best, I can only see that working once your board has one good face and one good edge that's square to the face; in the absence of a jointer, how to they get there...??Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
A table saw is the most used tool in my shop...next my jointer. Since my shoulders have enough years on them that I'm not in love with hand planes I really appreciate my jointer. I have two, incidentally, a 6" Rigid & an 8" Grizzly. No complaints with the Rigid but the 8" Griz w/parallel adjusting & really long tables was the best purchase I've made since buying my cabinet SawStop table saw. There is only about a four inch difference between the Griz & Powermatic at twice the price. By the way you might note that the Griz jointer gets a top nod from tool testing reported in FW.
Buzzsaw,
I own a GI 6" jointer in my shop. Size was an issues in my shop. Not only getting it into the shop, but also moving it around when it was there. I'm in a small shop and occasionally I have to move things around. Beyond the weight of the machine remember you'll need additional space for infeed and outfeed if you wish to take full advantage of the machine. Cost was also a thought, the difference between 6" and 8" was fairly high on the GI models. I could drop down to a lower quality machine but I have had good experience with GI in my shop as well here in Canada it's readily available. Finally power. At the time I did not have 220V power in the shop. Most 8"+ jointers need 220V power. (I think Grizzly sells one that does not, but it has some crazy Amp needs).
As for experience. No problems. I don't let my machines limit my work. The machine works extremely well. Since I've gotten it I have not needed to joint any 8' long boards.
As for the 6" limitations, I rarely notice. Careful selection at the lumber yard helps. Planning of project components also helps. With the exception of panels I don't do too many parts that are greater than 6". The only time I kind of get that D'oh feeling is when the board is only slight wider than 6", but you'd run into the same problem with 8" jointers. If you really wanted to avoid this, go get a 12" or greater. As a last resort my lumber yard will face joint boards for free as well.
So if your worried about it, don't be. People who think a 6" jointer limits them, should learn to use their imagination better. As Mr. Wallace pointed out, you can always use a hand plane for your work. My grandfather did lots of really nice work, and never own a jointer or a planer. Both would have been a luxury for him. The money I saved between the GI 6" and the GI 8" was enough to pick up a used Stanley #7, buy a new blade for it and some wood for my next project. (Grizzly sells some very affordable 8" jointers, but do not ship to Canada...)
Buster
I have a 6 inch jointer, and honestly, if I had to do it again, I would go for 8 inches. When I bought mine, I did so because my shop did not have 220 V. Now it does. The down side is that I have to rip every board down to 6 inches or less for face jointing. Not a huge problem, but an issue nevertheless. I also find that many boards from the sawmill happe to be between 6 and 8 inches, and they could have been handled by the bigger jointer without ripping. Lastly, the longer infeed table of the 8 inch jointer is a definite plus.
Bottom line is: if you have the $$$, and the space, get the bigger jointer. I did not, and I regret it.
Just my 2 cents....
Cheers.
Guy
Hi.
I have both 6'' jointer[rockwell] and a 8'' Grizzley jointer that I purchased abour 4 months ago. I like the long bed on the Grizzley. [cannot rember the modle # of the Grizzley ,Too lazy to run out in my shop too look]. that 8'' jointer is a little heavy to move in a basment workshop.
Have a nice day Lee
I have a 12" Felder jointer/planer. Works very well, and should at the price. Very mobile, which I need.Wide enough? Of course not. The rule is, the next board you need jointed will always be 1" wider than your new super wide jointer. In my case, I opted for the 12", figured the 16" was a bit too long; then built a demi-lune with a slightly curly cherry 8/4 top, one piece, gorgeous wood, that was 15" wide. Too beautiful to rip in half, the new jointer sat, while my scrub, jack, jointer and smoothing planes got a workout. Took maybe 5 hours all told, as I hadn't done it in a while, and I had to do both sides. Very satisfying, but would rather have used the jointer.
Buzz -
If you have the money in the budget, and if you have the space, my suggestion is to go for broke! 8" min. If for no other reason than the size of the tables.
Good jointer technique is a learned thing I'm finding out now that I have one (8"). Don't know how much experience you've had with one but getting an edge really, really, ... I mean REALLY straight requires good technique. The longer the tables, infeed and outfeed, the easier it is. For me at any rate.
The other side of the coin is in face jointing. I would love to have a jointer as wide as my planer! As it is, maximum width of any stock I prepare from scratch ends up being 8" or slightly less due to the limitation of the jointer. Of course, a 12" jointer is the thing dreams are made of!
Of course, a 12" jointer is the thing dreams are made of!
If I may channel Mike Wallace for a moment: "Dreams? Nightmares!"My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Typically a larger jointer has a larger cutterhead with a larger diameter cutting circle. A larger diameter cutting circle produces a better cut because there is less tendency to suck the work into the cutterhead. A cutterhead with a larger diamter cutting circle typically produces less vibration on the workpiece felt by the hands of the operator. I would much rather use my Oliver 12" jointer with a 5" diameter cutterhead than my smaller jointer with about a 3" diamter cutterhead. The Oliver produces much better cuts even though the RPM of the cutterhead is much less.
...Is 8" recommended?
I think lots of guys think 6-inches is not enough- I hear it all the time. They say "You gotta have 8-inches or 12 or (gasp) 16!!! I think some guys brag about having an 8 + incher but really only have a six-incher. It's so easy to lie over the internet.
I'm proud to say that six inches of hard iron is all this woodworker has ever needed!
But in all honesty, as I get older I find I don't even turn on the old six-incher much anymore, once or twice a month if I'm lucky...
Of course I'm doing it more and more by hand with my Stanley!
David C.
If you have the space, can get it down into your basement and have a little cash, I would rather have the 8" jointer than the 6". The 6" will do just as good work within its size limits. However, the wider the blades the longer they will stay sharp in my case due to the fact that I do mostly edge work on my jointer. I have a 6" portable made by Ryobi. With it I get a nicer finish but have to be very careful not to burn the knives due to the high speed. It does have variable speed. Other advantages being that it can be stored under a bench when not in use. The biggest disadvantage is that it is too short. When choosing a jointer, get the longest bed possible. This makes for more accurate work.
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