Jointer and Grain Question
 

Yesterday in a post I saw something indicating that if you try and
joint pieces larger than the width of your jointer you run into
problems with the grain direction. Can someone explain this to me? I
have a newly aquired jointer and am trying to get it all dialed in, and
running properly, but if I need to be careful of feed direction I would
appreciate the help.

So if grain direction matters, which way should I feed and how do I
tell which direction the grain is going in along the length of a plank?
I know this is probably a very basic question, but I don't know the
answer.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Tattooed and Dusty wrote:
Yesterday in a post I saw something indicating that if you try and
joint pieces larger than the width of your jointer you run into
problems with the grain direction. Can someone explain this to me? I
have a newly acquired jointer and am trying to get it all dialed in, and
running properly, but if I need to be careful of feed direction I would
appreciate the help.

So if grain direction matters, which way should I feed and how do I
tell which direction the grain is going in along the length of a plank?
I know this is probably a very basic question, but I don't know the
answer.

Thanks in advance for the help.


In order to joint a board wider than your jointer, you would have to
remove the blade guard and run the board through (doing 6" or 8" of
width) then flip the board around and do the rest. Either way, on one
of the passes the grain will be in the wrong direction.

As for grain direction, there have been several articles recently posted
to this forum, and also in FWW magazine (check your library). It's way
too complicated to try to explain with words alone (at least for me).

Rob

If the grain intersects the edge you are jointing, go the direction that
lets the grain "go down" toward the back. If you cut toward rising grain,
you may get chipping. If the grain is parallel to the edge, it doesn't
matter.

"Tattooed and Dusty" wrote in message
ups.com...
Yesterday in a post I saw something indicating that if you try and
joint pieces larger than the width of your jointer you run into
problems with the grain direction. Can someone explain this to me? I
have a newly aquired jointer and am trying to get it all dialed in, and
running properly, but if I need to be careful of feed direction I would
appreciate the help.

So if grain direction matters, which way should I feed and how do I
tell which direction the grain is going in along the length of a plank?
I know this is probably a very basic question, but I don't know the
answer.

Thanks in advance for the help.

"go down toward the back". Hmmm I'm afraid I just don't get that
description. Which way is down? ...toward the floor? Which way is
back? Back of what? the wood. The jointer?

I'm not trying to be a smartass here. I just really don't follow your
description at all.

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 13:50:13 -0500, Rob Mitchell wrote:


In order to joint a board wider than your jointer, you would have to
remove the blade guard and run the board through (doing 6" or 8" of width)
then flip the board around and do the rest. Either way, on one of the
passes the grain will be in the wrong direction.

As for grain direction, there have been several articles recently posted
to this forum, and also in FWW magazine (check your library). It's way
too complicated to try to explain with words alone (at least for me).

You were doing OK up to the part about flipping the board aroud etc.

What you want to do after jointing the first pass is to fit a 1/4" ply
sled to the partially jointed part and run the workpiece and sled
through your thickness planer to flatten other side. Then, flip the board
over and without the sled run it through the thickness planer to flatten
the originially jointed side.

- Doug

--

To escape criticism--do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." (Elbert Hubbard)

wrote in message
ups.com...
"go down toward the back". Hmmm I'm afraid I just don't get that
description. Which way is down? ...toward the floor?

Yes.

Which way is back? Back of what? the wood. The jointer?

Yes, the infeed end of the jointer


I'm not trying to be a smartass here. I just really don't follow your
description at all.

Beauty!

"Rob Mitchell" wrote in message
...

As for grain direction, there have been several articles recently posted
to this forum, and also in FWW magazine (check your library). It's way
too complicated to try to explain with words alone (at least for me).

Rob

To simplify grain direction, if the grain is not parallel with the edge that
you are jointing it should high on the leading end of the board angled down
towards the back end of the board.

"Rob Mitchell" wrote in message
...
In order to joint a board wider than your jointer, you would have to
remove the blade guard and run the board through (doing 6" or 8" of
width) then flip the board around and do the rest. Either way, on one
of the passes the grain will be in the wrong direction.



Did'ja notice that if you take the fence off the 6" clones that the slide
table is flush?

Not that it's a big deal. if the jointer's sharp, it can take some fairly
steep uphill grain with out hacking it out so far that a final pass through
the thicknesser can't recover a smooth surface.

What you want to do after jointing the first pass is to fit a 1/4" ply
sled to the partially jointed part and run the workpiece and sled
through your thickness planer to flatten other side. Then, flip the board
over and without the sled run it through the thickness planer to flatten
the originially jointed side.

Can you please clarify the part about the 1/4 ply sled?
I cannot visualize where and how it is attached, and precisely what it does
Thanks

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 21:55:41 +0000, ks wrote:


What you want to do after jointing the first pass is to fit a 1/4" ply
sled to the partially jointed part and run the workpiece and sled
through your thickness planer to flatten other side. Then, flip the
board over and without the sled run it through the thickness planer to
flatten the originially jointed side.

Can you please clarify the part about the 1/4 ply sled? I cannot visualize
where and how it is attached, and precisely what it does Thanks

It can be attached with a few dots of hot melt glue or a few short brads
through the ply - just so lang as the brads don't approach the side to be
planed. It is placed under the partially jointed area and raises the
unjointed area of that side above the bed of the thickness planer so that
the board will ride through the thickness planer as if one side were
already completely flat. This assures that the unjointed side will be
parallel to the partially jointed area and therefore will also be
completely flat after planing.

In practice, you should be able to flatten an 8-9" wide board on a 6"
jointer with the help of a thickness planer and plywood sled.

- Doug

--

To escape criticism--do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." (Elbert Hubbard)

Thanks for that tip
Kelly

Doug Winterburn wrote:
On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 13:50:13 -0500, Rob Mitchell wrote:



In order to joint a board wider than your jointer, you would have to
remove the blade guard and run the board through (doing 6" or 8" of width)
then flip the board around and do the rest. Either way, on one of the
passes the grain will be in the wrong direction.

As for grain direction, there have been several articles recently posted
to this forum, and also in FWW magazine (check your library). It's way
too complicated to try to explain with words alone (at least for me).


You were doing OK up to the part about flipping the board aroud etc.

What you want to do after jointing the first pass is to fit a 1/4" ply
sled to the partially jointed part and run the workpiece and sled
through your thickness planer to flatten other side. Then, flip the board
over and without the sled run it through the thickness planer to flatten
the originially jointed side.

- Doug


The first time I read this (in another comment) I was really
confused. This time, all of a sudden, I realized (rather
slow, I am) that this was about a jointer AND a planer.

The answer is ok, however, it doesn't answer the question,
of how do you joint a board wider than your jointer, which
to me assumes you don't have a planer. Maybe the answer is
that you can get close but you can't truly joint the board.