I have recently taken up woodworking and I am thinking about buying a
jointer (6" floor model). My question is how useful/essential do you
think a jointer is for a hobbyist? I already have a table saw, router,
drill press, hand tools, and most of the basics.

However, I really only have time for a few projects a year... things
like bookcases, chests, shelves, side tables, etc. All of the wood I
buy is surfaced on four sides (i.e. I don't have the time to buy rough
cut wood and clean it up, plane it down, etc). Is a jointer really
worth the investment in this case?

On 21 Aug 2003 20:19:44 -0700, (JVG) wrote:

I have recently taken up woodworking and I am thinking about buying a
jointer (6" floor model). My question is how useful/essential do you
think a jointer is for a hobbyist? I already have a table saw, router,
drill press, hand tools, and most of the basics.

However, I really only have time for a few projects a year... things
like bookcases, chests, shelves, side tables, etc. All of the wood I
buy is surfaced on four sides (i.e. I don't have the time to buy rough
cut wood and clean it up, plane it down, etc). Is a jointer really
worth the investment in this case?

I think a jointer is necessary. I build similar to you in number of
projects. Perhaps some, like beds or an entertainment center are
bigger, but those are exceptions.

I always buy lumber rough. I used to have a 6" jointer (Craftsman)
and recently traded up to a DJ-20. The biggest reason was for the
longer tables the DJ-20 has. Wider is good too. I use a DeWalt
planer to thickness.

This is the only way to be sure your stock is really flat and
straight. It adds a couple of days to the project completion time,
maybe a week if you follow Gary Rogowski's technique in the new FWW.
Not only that, but you can get *any* thickness you need, not just
those your lumber supplier has.

So is it *necessary*? Maybe not, but it is convenient and if you take
a critical look at the S4S you've been buying, I'll bet you'll see
that some of it isn't completely flat or straight.

The jointer is a very overlooked piece of woodworking macheniry. You need it
more than a planer. Get one, you won't regret it.

you may be buying surfaced wood, but it's rarely FLAT. It usually is
cupped, warped, etc. YOU have to be the one to decide how seriously you
take your new hobby. My opinion is that it is an essential tool. But
then you like to buy S4S, so YOU decide.

dave

JVG wrote:

I have recently taken up woodworking and I am thinking about buying a
jointer (6" floor model). My question is how useful/essential do you
think a jointer is for a hobbyist? I already have a table saw, router,
drill press, hand tools, and most of the basics.

However, I really only have time for a few projects a year... things
like bookcases, chests, shelves, side tables, etc. All of the wood I
buy is surfaced on four sides (i.e. I don't have the time to buy rough
cut wood and clean it up, plane it down, etc). Is a jointer really
worth the investment in this case?

After you own a jointer, you'll wonder how you ever got along without one.




Remove the 'remove' in my address to e:mail me.

On 21 Aug 2003 20:19:44 -0700, (JVG) wrote:

I have recently taken up woodworking and I am thinking about buying a
jointer (6" floor model). My question is how useful/essential do you
think a jointer is for a hobbyist?

Let me invite you to back up a minute from all the posts that say a
jointer is mandatory and take a little walk "outside the box."

There's a subtle but important difference between:
"You need a jointer." and "You need to properly joint your stock."

It's absolutely the case that properly jointed stock is necessary to
join boards for whatever you're building.

But maybe as a hobbyist, you don't care to unload the bucks to
purchase latest, greatest Binford 8000 jointer. Fine, you can joint
wood with a router. Yes, your humble router and a good straight edge
guide will give you perfectly acceptable results for edge joining two
boards.

If you're going to work wood with any regularity or passion, then
learn woodworking rule #1. It will serve you well:

"There is always always always more than one way to accomplish
something."

whisper However, if joining boards is an "excuse" for going out and
buying a jointer then by all means buy one. ; /whisper

Good luck,
Michael Baglio
Chapel Hill

For several years I convinced myself that I didn't need a jointer, so I made
do with hand planes/surface planer for face flattening and the table saw
with a good blade for jointing. I, like you, only do a few projects per year
because of limited time.

Last year I took the plunge and bought the Powermatic 54A 6" jointer, and
have never looked back. I don't know how I got along without one, and the
most important thing is that a well tuned jointer will make quick work of
what could otherwise be hours of drudgery. Even if you like hand planing,
you have to question whether hand planing board after board makes sense if
you don't have much time on your hands.

Good luck

Glenn de Souza
Scottsdale, Arizona


"JVG" wrote in message
om...
I have recently taken up woodworking and I am thinking about buying a
jointer (6" floor model). My question is how useful/essential do you
think a jointer is for a hobbyist? I already have a table saw, router,
drill press, hand tools, and most of the basics.

However, I really only have time for a few projects a year... things
like bookcases, chests, shelves, side tables, etc. All of the wood I
buy is surfaced on four sides (i.e. I don't have the time to buy rough
cut wood and clean it up, plane it down, etc). Is a jointer really
worth the investment in this case?

The following is a repost of the purpose of a jointer and a planer. As to
whether you really need one or not, that's pretty much up to you now isn't
it?

Steps for truing stock.

Absolutely necessary. A flat face to work from.

Joint (make flat and straight) one face (reference face) so you have
something to true (reference) the remaining three sides to. Not to be done
on a planer because the feed rollers will push out any warp and it will
reappear as the stock exits the planer. For the same reason use very little
down force when jointing.

Joint one edge with the reference face against the jointers fence. This will
give you a straight edge that is at 90 degrees to the reference face. Also
an edge to reference the next edge.,

Rip a second edge on the table saw with the reference face against the table
and the reference edge against the fence. Try to do it on the jointer and it
will give you a straight edge but not one necessarily parallel to the first
edge.

Now you can plane the piece to a proper thickness with the reference face
flat down on the planers feed table. Since the reference face is flat the
planer has no warp to press out so the face being planed will be not only be
flat but parallel to the reference face.

The jointer performs the two most critical steps in the process (the
reference face and edge) but, with sufficient dicking around, there are work
arounds. but, without the dicking around, the planer will not perform the
functions of a jointer and the jointer will not perform the functions of a
planer.



--
Mike G.
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"JVG" wrote in message
om...
I have recently taken up woodworking and I am thinking about buying a
jointer (6" floor model). My question is how useful/essential do you
think a jointer is for a hobbyist? I already have a table saw, router,
drill press, hand tools, and most of the basics.

However, I really only have time for a few projects a year... things
like bookcases, chests, shelves, side tables, etc. All of the wood I
buy is surfaced on four sides (i.e. I don't have the time to buy rough
cut wood and clean it up, plane it down, etc). Is a jointer really
worth the investment in this case?

I would add to the other posts, that I have a 22 inch jointer that
cost as I recall less than $45... Made by Stanley.


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

I think you refer to the No.7 Stanley. I have one and it is nice-after
you sharpen it. He is a tackling some projects that I would also like
to have a motorized jointer for. But a lot of furniture has been built
with a No. 7. And, the weather is getting right for a No. 7.


On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 17:29:44 GMT, (Lawrence
Wasserman) wrote:

I would add to the other posts, that I have a 22 inch jointer that
cost as I recall less than $45... Made by Stanley.

Lawrence Wasserman wrote:

I would add to the other posts, that I have a 22 inch jointer that
cost as I recall less than $45... Made by Stanley.

--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland


Mine cost less than $20.00 for the maple plank and the iron. Should
have made it 30" long instead of 24.

Ripping with a jointer. That's a new one.

"Grandpa" wrote in message
news
Yes, in fact it'll probably be the next tool I buy. Quite often you
will need to rip a piece to make facing or other pieces for the projects
in your list and only a joiner will accomplish this.