I have a powermatic 54a jointer (6" long bed) purchased new in 2003. It's always worked consistently and as designed. But it was the least used power tool in my shop. It's noisy and requires more attention to stock handling for consistency. There's nothing wrong with it - just the nature of the beast, probably like other straight blade jointers.

I have a small shop and the jointer got relegated to a side wall. I had to wheel it out and plug up the dust hose every time I used it. Its like docking a battleship. I have been known the use my Stanley no. 7 hand plane, rather than tackle setting up the powermatic.

A couple of months ago, on a lark, I installed a Byrd tool helical head. Whoa! -- quiet, precise, easy to use. The jointer is now sitting in a fixed accessible location with a fixed dust connection. I have used it more in the last month than I have in the last 15 years. I did not realize how wonderful it is to have consistently square and flat wood. My table saw and planer do a lot of good, but the jointer is better for many jobs.

Bob

On 3/10/2021 5:55 AM, Bob D wrote:
I have a powermatic 54a jointer (6" long bed) purchased new in 2003. It's always worked consistently and as designed. But it was the least used power tool in my shop. It's noisy and requires more attention to stock handling for consistency. There's nothing wrong with it - just the nature of the beast, probably like other straight blade jointers.


I had a 6" Craftsman jointer for too many years. I did use it to tie
one of our dogs to when I was working in the shop. So it was good for
that. Selling the majority of my work I bought good S4S lumber and had
no need for a jointer and got rid of it. I was not going to charge my
customers for milling the stock for use too.


I have a small shop and the jointer got relegated to a side wall. I had to wheel it out and plug up the dust hose every time I used it. Its like docking a battleship. I have been known the use my Stanley no. 7 hand plane, rather than tackle setting up the powermatic.

Been there!


A couple of months ago, on a lark, I installed a Byrd tool helical head. Whoa! -- quiet, precise, easy to use. The jointer is now sitting in a fixed accessible location with a fixed dust connection. I have used it more in the last month than I have in the last 15 years. I did not realize how wonderful it is to have consistently square and flat wood. My table saw and planer do a lot of good, but the jointer is better for many jobs.

Bob


And I feel pretty much the same about my new 12" Jet jointer/ planer
combo. I do have mine on a Bora mobile base in case I want to move it.
Sooooo quiet.

And yes flat and square is good. Unfortunately if S4S is not flat
milling it makes it to thin. Sooo for my personal work I'll likely go
back to S2S 4/4 as it comes 13/16" thick. Or 5/4 S2S.

I would still like to find a more accurate way to way to set the final
passes for the planer portion of the planer portion.

And changing the subject.....

Bob! Don't you have the JeesEm Clear Cut TS Stock guides? For your TS?
I'm looking into going that route. I am tiring of feather boards and
not being able to use feather boards in many cases. I'm thinking they
will be helpful when cutting long boards and or
5x5 sheets of Baltic birch.

And then JessEm has a similar set up for the router table fence. How
about those?
I watched a YouTube video on those yesterday and the guy was showing the
normal use of 4 feather boards, two on the fence and 2 on the table. I
was using that set up when milling the cope and stick joints for the 29
kitchen cabinet doors I just completed. Two roller hold downs seem much
better, if they work as advertised.

Thoughts?