Jointer/planer how to use?

    I'm very frustrated right now. I have a planer/jointer it's not very long maybe 3 or 4 feet. The wood was just slightly bowed. I picked the side that is most straight to plane but the more I run it through the more bowed it becomes.


    I don't understand the concept of the jointer/planer. I understand the concept of the planer it's very simple. You have one straight side (the bottom) and it reduces the top surface until it's the same as the bottom. But I can't reason out the jointer/planer. Can someone explain it to me? It seems no matter how I run the wood through as soon as it starts cutting I know by the sound that it's cutting at the wrong spot.

    Dan - Can you post a picture (or link to a picture) of the planer / jointer that you have? Wood Guy can probably answer many of your questions, but it may help him to know exactly what you are working with.

    Thanks, this is exactly the one I have.





    I've switched now from trying to figure out how to make it do its job automatically and rather use it as a shaping tool by marking spots that I feel should be reduced. I'm having moderate success and feel that eventually I may get the wood straight. But I feel I'm missing something, it should be easier than this.

    I give up on this machine. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It may be good for creating a perpendicular surface to an already straight surface but for straightening forget it. What a POS. I think I can do better with a hand planer. Somebody please tell me I'm not nuts and that this machine is really good for nothing. I can't believe I managed to get one gun stock semi straight with it a few months back.

    Quote from pargo

    I give up on this machine. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It may be good for creating a perpendicular surface to an already straight surface but for straightening forget it. What a POS. I think I can do better with a hand planer. Somebody please tell me I'm not nuts and that this machine is really good for nothing. I can't believe I managed to get one gun stock semi straight with it a few months back.


    Pargo :nono: you sound really frustrated. Take a break and wait for the teak wisperer (Wood Guy) to light your day:D

    I did a close enough job with the hand planer in 5 minutes, got the blank a little concave. Then finished it off with a couple of runs through the jointer. Not nearly as straight as wood guy makes the stocks but it will do.




    Maybe I should have gotten an electric hand planer. I've really come to hate that jointer.


    Hi Dan,


    How long is the bed on the jointer? I would start by making sure the machine is set up right, but I can tell you the shorter the bed, the more technique sensitive it is.


    Make sure the blades are set so when a straight edge is set on the table, the blades just barely touch the straightedge- not enough to lift it, just touch it.


    Then level the infeed table by raising it to the outfeed table level and using a straightedge with a feeler gauge. Lower the infeed table and check it for level again at 2 lower levels- all the way down and about where you usually set it. You've probably already done this but if these settings aren't right you will get shitty results- I guarantee it.


    When I had a jointer with a short table I always had a problem with it taking too much off the first 6-12" of the board. It's very difficult to apply exactly the right pressure to the infeed table, then transfer the pressure to the outfeed table in just the right way. I finally would do what you are doing- set the board down on the blade where I needed to take some off. I would set the table for a fine cut, then take small amounts off the ends until it was pretty flat. Then I would run it through the planer to level it up. Thats why I got the 76" long jointer. It's much less technique sensitive than a short table.


    You've got the right idea planing the start and finish of the concave side of the board first. I got so I could do pretty well doing it that way, but it's just really tough with a short table


    I have a portable planer and the only thing I've ever done with it is screw up a perfectly good piece of wood. Maybe it's just me but my brother feels the same way.


    Sorry I can't be more help but I've never been able to plane long boards consistently with a short bed jointer.


    Bill

    Thank you Bill. Your description of what happens is similar to my experiences. I believe the problem to be the short bed. I was looking at the jointer as a machine that should pretty much work on its own like a planer. Obviously this is not the case. Between the hand planer and the jointer I got two blanks more or less ready for the planer.


    I'll take your word about the electric hand planer and not buy it.

    Hey Dan,


    Before you use your jointer for a boat anchor, try one more thing. Lower the infeed table to the level you usually cut at, make sure it's level, then lower the outboard end of the infeed table about .010" (the extreme right end in the picture you showed). Use the same technique you were using where you start the cut with pressure on the infeed table, then transfer pressure to the outfeed table as you have more board on the outfeed table.


    Let me know how it works.


    Bill

    I'm not specifically familiar with Delta, but there are usually two studs with locknuts under each end of the table. You might have to look under the table itself to find them. If you loosen/ tighten the jackscrews you will raise or lower that end of the table. The two jack screws at the end have to be turned the same amount since they are used to level the table from one side to the other.


    Set the inboard end of the table height at zero, then drop the outboard end about .010 or so. I found it helped with my short bed jointer. It also helped to make sure you don't push to hard on the wood. In my opinion, of all the woodworking and metalworking tools in my shop, jointers are the most technique sensitive, so don't give up.


    What is the model number of your jointer?

    Hey Dan,


    I looked at your jointer manual on line and it's different enough from the old Craftsman I had for me to have a hard time figuring out how to adjust the table. I'm still not sure how to do it after looking at the parts diagram and the manual, although I still think there is an adjustment. I'll look some more, but in the meantime I'd do what you have been doing- plane the board only where it's high, and use the table saw with a long straight edge to take out bow and square the blank. It sucks, but maybe there are some wood wizards out there who know how to adjust the thing.


    Have you considered going to some of the woodworking forums and asking?


    Bill

    Thanks Bill. I'm thinking that it's the length of the feed tables that's the key. Like you said it's a user sensitive machine and having a short table makes it even more user sensitive. I would concentrate on trying to find and use a longer jointer one time to see if there's a difference. I did in my searches stumble on a couple of forums where this very issue is discussed. Seems there's not much more to it.

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