I bought a new Ridgid 6″ jointer this weekend ($315, after 10% discount), but there’s a problem with the outfeed table. It is cupped, lower by 0.003″ in the middle than the sides, measured side to side across the table close behind the cutterhead. In a jointer it seems to me that’s too much, as it would be impossible to correctly set the outfeed table height to match the knives.
Am I right that this is not acceptable? I’m not eager to pack up the whole thing and lug it up out of my basement for exchange. Does anyone know if I’m likely to convince Home Depot or Ridgid to swap an outfeed table, rather than a complete exchange?
Replies
Alan,
Being out by up to .003 inch across the width of the table is a common tolerance for the Asian jointers, so your's is probably within specs, but of course it would be nice if it were flatter.
When you are trying to measure flatness to a .001 accuracy, the reliability of your straightedge comes into question. Are you sure that you are getting a true reading? I wouldn't trust any straightedge used for day to day woodworking to be accurate enough for machine measurement. When I have to check a machine, I use high tolerance straightedges that are set aside strictly for machine work and are otherwise kept locked away.
You won't be able to buy the table as a separate part, jointers are machined flat as a unit with both tables attached to the base casting. Because of this, the base and tables are a matched set and can't be replaced individually.
The machine might work perfectly well even with a small dish in the table, there are other possible misalignments in jointers that can cause far more trouble. Being you already have the tool set up and running, I would suggest you work with it for a few jobs and see if the dishing of the table will, in fact, be a problem. As long as the tool is under warranty there is no need to rush right out and exchange it.
It is highly unlikely that any Asian made jointer in this price range will be perfect, so exchanging it for another machine may not get you a better jointer and it could be worse.
John W.
Thanks for the perspective. I will see how it works out. My steel rule is not high quality, but the other table showed no deviation over the 24" rule length (nor did that of my tablesaw), and I was able to fit a 0.003" feeler gauge under it at the center of the outfeed just behind the knives. It's probably between 0.002 and 0.004" low. I would not expect 0.003" to be a problem in most cases, but thought that just after the knives is a bad spot to be off, as I'll need to set the outfeed table so the center is a shade low and/or the sides a shade high. I'll always need to be alert when I adjust the knives too, to keep them consistent.
.003" is well within tolerances for that quality machine. When I had my Oliver 16" they considered .010" acceptable and I saw the specs for Delta's DJ20 at .008"
http://deltamachinery.com/index.asp?e=144&p=4462
I trust that you realize that .003 is less than the thickness of a sheet of cheap paper (about .004), and half the thickness of the paper in currency (.006). Although perfection is always good, I doubt if you will find any sympathy with that kind of error in a very inexpensive tool.
Don't get me wrong - I own that jointer, and consider it a great tool for the price, but it isn't a $5,000 machine
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Charlie Plesums Austin, Texas
http://www.plesums.com/wood
Thanks to all who replied -- I won't worry about it.
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