Replies

1. 
   DJK | Mar 13, 2008 12:39am | #1

   I always hand feed, even when I had a 30" Oliver 166 jointer. Just had to lean into those large slabs of lumber to slide them across the cutter when taking more than a 1/4" deep cut. Now I only have a 16" jointer so it's a bit easier with the more narrow slabs.
   DJK

1. 
   brad805 | Mar 14, 2008 01:17am | #6

   A 30" must waste a lot of stock if it is not perfect.  I cannot imagine such a beast of a machine. 

1. 
   oldusty | Mar 14, 2008 01:25am | #7

     Hey Brad ,

            Me Too , a 30" wide jointer congers up pictures of air craft carriers er battle ships .

            I do love the " iron" I'm just jealous .

                         dusty

2. 
   SgianDubh | Mar 14, 2008 11:26am | #12

   Brad, where the wide surface planers (jointers) come into their own is in two situations:

   handling wide board

   handling wide glued up panels

   It sounds pretty redundant really I know, but there it is. The wide board situation has to be dealt with on a case by case basis. Some wide boards are so warped that the only way to handle them is ripping and crosscutting into smaller parts.

   Wide glued up panels should be near enough flat anyway, so all you're looking to do is skim off steps at the join line and get the panel flat prior to putting the flattened parts through the thicknesser. It's a common practice to make up 50" wide table tops  in two or three stages. I glue up panels that the surface planer can handle, ie, up 20" wide. Flatten the the 'sub' panels and edge joint the two or three 'sub' panels into the full panel width. Done carefully there should be no more than a bit of light skimming of the join lines with hand planes, although more than likely I'll shove 40" or 50" wide panels through the oscillating belt thickness sander-- it's just so much easier.

   Naturally having a 20" or 30" surface planer capacity is about as much use as a chocolate teapot if you only have a 12" thickness planer capacity. Similarly a 6" surface planer isn't a good match with 20" capacity thickness planer. In other words, surface planer and thickness planer capacity should be the same, which is always the case if you use a combination planer thicknesser, and some of these go up 20" wide and more.

   I've never really worked out how people with small surface planers (jointers), ie, below about 12" width capacity handle large stock without resorting to hand tools, but there ya go. I guess I've always been spoilt because I've always worked with large three phase stuff. Slainte.  Richard Jones Furniture

1. 
   brad805 | Mar 14, 2008 07:35pm | #15

   Thats interesting.  I thought after glueup most would just use one of those wonderful wide belts.  Never imagined a 30" jointer.  Must have a 25hp motor and weigh 5000lb.

   Thanks for explaining.

   Brad 

2. 
   BriMcG | Mar 14, 2008 09:36am | #11

   Holy Moley! 30"??? Didn't even know they made one. Gotta Google and take a look. Like someone said already I think that thing would scare me to death in a hand feeding operation.

   Brian

    

1. 
   DJK | Mar 14, 2008 02:52pm | #13

   My 30" Oliver 166 was built in 1954. Purchased it years ago from a local lumber dealer. I sold it last year and now I'm stuck with a 16" Sidney jointer.DJK

1. 
   bones | Mar 14, 2008 04:29pm | #14

   "My 30" Oliver 166 was built in 1954. Purchased it years ago from a local lumber dealer. I sold it last year and now I'm stuck with a 16" Sidney jointer.

   DJK"

   Now thats funny.  First time I've ever heard of being "stuck" with a 16 inch jointer.

    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.

2. 
   BriMcG | Mar 14, 2008 08:54pm | #17

   Lots to be said for the older machines. Wish I had room for that 16"!. Going to be getting a new 8" and it will be a squeeze.

   Thx, Brian

2. 
   hammer1 | Mar 13, 2008 12:49am | #2

   You use a large jointer the same way you use a 6" jointer. Follow all the safety rules as normal. Never have your hands or fingers on the end of the stock, use push sticks or pads when needed, keep the guard in place and make sure adjustments to the fence and table are locked. Take little baby steps along with the stock and don't lean out where a foot may slip. The only time it makes sense to use a power feeder on a jointer is when rabbeting and it really doesn't make that much sense to rabbet on a jointer. Exceptions for large rabbets beyond the shapers capability. It's very difficult to control a consistent depth of cut, except on short work, and you have to remove the guard.

   There are auto feed "jointers" but they are actually flattening machines and don't work for edge work, fairly rare. They don't look anything like a jointer. The feed mechanism doesn't look like anything you've seen, either. It's adapted to allow varying thicknesses and they do not give a nice finished surface. Essentially, a wood hog for production.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

3. 
   brad805 | Mar 13, 2008 01:54am | #3

   I have used the power feeder on my jointer, but that is when I am facing runs of 3/4" flooring stock.  Not really possible to get the same fine touch with a PF as a skilled operator can given the design of the power feeder.  Many PF allow around a 1" stock thickness variation.  Some of that is to develop pressure to hold the stock.  They are just motorized wheels on springs that cannot really be adjusted while in motion. 

   Brad

1. 
   Disputantum | Mar 13, 2008 02:48am | #4

   Thanks, everyone. I wasn't planning to buy one; I was just curious. The mere thought of feeding by hand a 30" jointer set for a 1/4" cut sets my hair on end.ne sutor ultra crepidam:  Disputantum Semirotten Woodworking

1. 
   KeithNewton | Mar 13, 2008 11:32pm | #5

   I only have a 12" which I hand feed, but when I need to do wider stock, I can run a wider board by cutting the 12"down one side. Then with the part which was hanging off the left side, I go back with my Makita 1805 power-plane, letting the outfeed bed ride on the first cut, then work my over if it is wider than 18". If you have really wide lumber, and don't have a 30" jointer, using one of these wider power-planers is the next best thing. Just go at it like you would with other hand planes and winding sticks, only with less effort. My 2¢

4. 
   bones | Mar 14, 2008 01:42am | #8

   I have a 12" and I use the same practice as my 6" I upgraded from.  Apply pressure from the infeed side till it gets to the outfeed table and then only apply pressure to the outfeed side. I would think that a power feed would become a planer instead of a jointer by flexing the sides down and not allowing the cutters to do their job and flattening a single face.  I could be wrong of course, but I've never seen a power feeder on a jointer. Interesting concept though. 

   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.
   
1. 
   brad805 | Mar 14, 2008 02:59am | #9

   All of the feeder wheels are set on the outfeed side, but yes, it can turn into a bit of a planer if you set the wheels too close to the table.  I find it handy for working with difficult woods because I can dial down the feed speed.  I am making my own Jatoba flooring and could not imagine having done so without the PF on the jointer.  Some higher end jointers come with brackets for mounting PF's.

   Brad

1. 
   bones | Mar 14, 2008 04:31am | #10

   do you use them primarily for narrow woods, and where is it attached?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.

1. 
   brad805 | Mar 14, 2008 07:40pm | #16

   I have been making flooring, so mostly 4/4 x 6" - 8" when I start.  Here is a pic.  My jointer is heavy enough that it does not slide around, but when I tried this with my old 6" it did not work at all. 

   Brad