Just a quick question about jointers set up with power feeders. Would the power feeder version have the same problem as a planer- meaning would the feeder push down so firmly that the defects on top of the board would be “copied”? Bowed boards pushed straight then flex back again etc.?
Cheers
Mitt
Replies
I set the PF up so only one wheeel is on the infeed table and with barely enough pressure on it to feed the board. I do not feed really bowed boards with a power feed either. I do those by had so I can control the amount taken off the way I want. I also do not expect longer stock to come out dead flat and straight, I feel it is a process designed for production not always perfection.
Joe
I'll second Joes post except I have all the wheels on the outfeed table. If I have a badly bowed board I'll set one end on the outfeed side and let it feed through half of the board then turn the board end for end and repeat the process. This has the same effect as hand feeding from both ends, depending on how bad the bow is it may take several passes to flatten it out. Also I like the belt type feeders better for the jointer since they will pull the board through with a lot less down pressure.
In production shops they use a facer (closest thing to a true powerfeed jointer)which has hundreds of individual "fingers"so it won't flatten the board!
http://www.bergeson-inc.com/html/facers/inv1867.html
Picture isn't very good but you can make out the spring loaded fingers on the conveyor above the bed
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