I’m having trouble learning to edge joint boards on my jointer, and I’m pretty sure it’s me and not the jointer. I’m a fairly experienced hobbyist, but just last year decided to invest in a Yorkcraft 8″ jointer. Before starting, I went through all the recommended setup operations, so I’m pretty sure that the jointer itself is OK. Sometimes I get humps somewhere in the middle of the board, but mostly I get a bigger “bite” off the leading edge than I do on the trailing edge. Sometimes, I’ll start with a board that is already fairly straight, but after a few passes through the jointer, the trailing edge has not even been touched. I keep my depth of cut between 1/32 and 3/64 in. The jointer bed is about 6 feet long, and I have this problem even with boards as short as 3 or 4 feet.
I suspect I’m applying incorrect or uneven pressure as I pass the board across the knives. Does this sound reasonable that this could be the problem? Is it just a matter of practice till I get it right? Any and all advice would be appreciated.
Replies
If you are sure the tables are set up properly, are you applying pressure on the infeed side or outfeed side? The only time I apply pressure from the infeed side is to get it going. Once it's past the cutterhead, I use the outfeed side as point of refference ensuring to hold good pressure to the board against the fence and downward on the outfeed table.
http://www.newwoodworker.com/usejntr.html
video
http://www.newwoodworker.com/graphics/photos/artlstips/usejntr/usejntr2vid.wmv
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Edited 2/19/2008 3:50 pm by bones
Edited 2/19/2008 3:51 pm by bones
Thanks for your tips. The video on the link you provided was particularly helpful. After watching that video several times, I'm likely applying way too much downward pressure, and also in the wrong place. I believe that I'm also pushing the board across the knives too fast. I'm going to practice adjusting my technique and I'll let you know how it turns out.
Let us know how it goes. If the blades are level with the outfeed table and the infeed table is coplaner to the outfeed table you should be working. Good luck. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
I agree with the advice given above. I just got my first jointer a few weeks ago, and had the same problems as you on the first few tries. Now I put pressure on the infeed table just until the first couple of inches gets past the blades, then I apply pressure on the outfeed side and kind of "drag" the rest of the board over the blades. I'm getting pretty good results with this technique.
It turns out that the biggest problem was that my jointer blades were below the outfeed table. I was only a few thousanths, but that was enough to cause the problem. And I think I was applying too much pressure on the infeed table as well. Thanks to all of you who offered advice.
Check your outfeed table. Should be the same height as the cutter or a couple thousand of an inches lower (never higher). This is with the cutter / blade at highest point in its rotating arc.
When you joint a board use your left hand for down pressure and your right hand to move the board forward. You want to use the outfeed table as the reference for flattening/ straightning the board. The infeed is just to determine cut depth and support the board until it gets to the cutter. If the board is really bad you may find after first part of it goes past the cutter none of it touches the infeed at all.
My manual says to flatten and joint the concave side down for cupping and crooks. I personally like to do crooks with the convex side down (rounded edge). If this is right or wrong I don't know.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled