It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...

Chris

Chris Friesen wrote:

It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...

Chris
not enough room to dedicate to one longer?
Cost?
Weight and shipping cost?
difficulty keeping overly long tables from remaining perfectly parallel?

to name a few...

Dave

Presumably because there is no demand for them.

99% of the people who want a long jointer also want a wide jointer. To
build one for the other 1% isn't economical, especially when they will just
buy a 8" if they can't find a long 6".

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:08:43 -0600, Chris Friesen
wrote:


It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...

Chris

I can't answer your question, but even if you really don't need to
joint a 8" edge, having an 8" jointer allows you to move the fence to
more areas of the blade, extending the time required between
sharpening.

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:08:43 -0600, Chris Friesen
wrote:


It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...



One tried, but got shut down before it got off the drawing board.

Frank

Chris Friesen wrote:

It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...

Chris
\
Why bother? The 6" longbed would probably be just as expensive as the
8". The length is the floor space eater not the width, so no advantage
there. I'd rather have the extra couple of inches.

-jj

--
Remove BOB to email me

"Chris Friesen" wrote in message
...

It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You can
get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".


Want longer? Look here
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0526

or here

http://www.wmhtoolgroup.com/index.cf...il&iid=6056033

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 16:03:42 -0800, David wrote:

Chris Friesen wrote:

It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You
can get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards,
but don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers
sell 6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that
if you want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just
too hard to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...

Chris
not enough room to dedicate to one longer?
Cost?
Weight and shipping cost?
difficulty keeping overly long tables from remaining perfectly parallel?

to name a few...

Dave

As a newb to woodworking, I had read enough commentary on "go for 8"
that I was determined to get an 8" but the bed length in my small
shop just wouldn't work.

If I could have handled the length, I would have sprung for the extra
2 inches as the 6 has forced me to rip many a wide board already just
so I could joint it.

Someday...

Warren

There are devices, still made by Stanley and a number of others, that allow
you to joint boards any length, any width. They also hang on a shelf when
not in use.
"Warren" wrote in message
If I could have handled the length, I would have sprung for the extra
2 inches as the 6 has forced me to rip many a wide board already just
so I could joint it.

Someday...

Warren

CW wrote:
There are devices, still made by Stanley and a number of others, that allow
you to joint boards any length, any width. They also hang on a shelf when
not in use.

Yep. I don't have a jointer or planer, so I recently made an end-grain
cutting board (13x20x2) using a table saw and a hand plane for all my
milling.

Chris

"Chris Friesen" wrote in message
...

It seems like the common bed size for a 6" jointer is about 45". You can
get at least a few that are 55" (General International and King
Industrial, maybe others, then the Powermatic at 66".

It seems like stepping up to an 8" jointer generally gets you up to the
74" length.

Here's my question. Given that many people want to joint long boards, but
don't necessarily need the additional width, why don't manufacturers sell
6" jointers with really long beds? Do they basically assume that if you
want the extra length you'll pay for the extra width? Is it just too hard
to make a long skinny bed flat?

Just curious...

Chris

There are probably a couple reasons, including a need to increase size to
make the length stable, and the fact that it doesn't add much more to
expense overall to use almost the same motor and 2" to the cutterhead and
cutters than to just use the 6" cutterhead. You've already paid for the
extra table mass.