Jointing boards


bob493

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I wanna ask this before I dive into my next project. I always have a terrible time jointing boards. I've tried shooting boards, i have a nice 4" jointer (does what I need it to do), and Im familiar with the overall technique. 

 

Yet, it takes me an extremely undue amount of effort to joint perfectly flat. Are there any suggestions or guides? I'd prefer to go the shooting board route, as I can precisely control the cut, but I guess I just don't know what Im doing for that. 

 

Barring that, the rest of my joints are fine, just edge matching a bookmatch drives me nuts. 

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I can't find this section, can you point this out? All I see are places to ask questions and discuss wood working...

if you do find it in your travels, come back and get me…

 

As far as your question goes, have you checked the input and out put tables to make sure they are parallel?

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if you do find it in your travels, come back and get me…

 

As far as your question goes, have you checked the input and out put tables to make sure they are parallel?

 

 

It really seems incredibly cut and dry, I just don't understand what on earth I could possibly be doing wrong. The blades are sharp too, no chip outs on figured maples, just always seems to have a "wobble" or slight gap in random places. Only reason I'm even asking, is maybe Im just not doing something I should be doing, or Im missing something rather silly, Im at a complete loss. 

 

 

Topic moved to "Hand Tool Village", the place for practitioners of human powered woodworking, AKA "neanderthals".

 
Ah, missed the joke, my apologies particle board. I was discussing jointer operation as well, wasn't quite sure where to put this. Thanks. 
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well, if it has a wobble or low spots, something is moving up and down, bearings in the cutting head, you would probably need to remove the drive belt to see how it feels

 

Hmm, haven't given that a consideration honestly. You think I could just be "pushing down" too hard and it makes it lower or something? That actually would make a ton of sense... 

 

 

 

Really confused, is the four inch jointer not a power tool? Are we questioning how to improve its results vs whether to replace it? Or, have you already elected to replace it?

 

 

My jointer just isn't doing what it's supposed to be doing is the problem. I think mr Raefco may have hit the nail on the head honestly. 

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Apologies in advance.  As the forum curmudgeon, it's often left up to me to state the obvious because everyone else is too nice or too timid or whatever else...

 

A nice 4" jointer...well, I'm not sure I've ever seen one.  Sorry.  If I had a gun to my head, I would have to guess the machine in question is not up to par.  Out of calibration at the very least.  Try to tune it up, and pray that nothing bumps it.

 

After that, ask yourself if you do actually know proper jointer technique.  There's more to it than turning it on and running a board over the cutterhead.

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To compound or confuse what Eric said, a 4" jointer (powered) may be "nice", rock solid, well aligned etc...but it is still small. I've never seen a 'floor model' 4" jointer. The bench top jointers are generally in the neighborhood of 24" long. That means the outfeed table is maybe 12 - 14" long at best. Trying to joint an edge more than a couple feet long on that is going to be problematic. I used to own one, and know whereof I speak. A tool that size would probably be more effective if you could flip it over and run it along the board like a hand-held unit.

Now, given that the OP didn't say how long his boards were, maybe he IS jointing short stuff that is suitable for that machine. Assuming the tool is in good working order, no alignment issues, etc., that leaves technique. Are you keeping the board held firmly against the outfeed table, and flat against the fence? I struggled with the outfeed pressure issue before I fully understood how the machine needed to work. Struggled even more attempting to use it for longer boards that wanted to lever themselves up off the outfeed table at the end of the pass.

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Hey guys, Im using a grizzly H2801 4" jointer. It "Feels nice". My stock that Im jointing is roughly 24-30" long, not talking about long huge boards here. I frankly dont even need a 4" jointer, a 2" (if it existed) would suffice my particular needs :)

 

 

That said, I did buy it second hand, so its entirely likely theres something going on with the cutter moving down ward.  I'm pretty confident in my technique however, but I'll make sure Im paying extra special attention. I'll set up a dial indicator and see if I get deflection tomorrow. 

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OK, my bad.  I had never heard of a 4" (powered) jointer, so when PB said "neanderthal", I assumed that a 4" jointer was some sort of hand plane.  Plus, "shooting board".  But a 4" (hand plane) jointer is even more unlikely than a 4" (powered) jointer.

 

So, maybe this thread should be in "Power Tool City"?  But there was that "shooting board" thing.  I'm just going to pretend that today never happened and move it back to "General".  Sorry, Bob, for the confusion.

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hahaha, lemme totally start over.

 

 

whenever I use my jointer (4" grizzly powered jointer), I have to make some make shift shooting board (Which Im terrible at) and takes me a LONG time to get flush boards (imperative) jointed properly. I was asking if there was a technique Im just missing, or another culprit that could be at hand. It applies to both power and hand tools, hence my post in general questions. Wasn't sure where to put it haha. 

 

I will be going over my jointer with a fine tooth comb tomorrow, never thought about the blade itself pushing down. 

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Just curious, Bob...how do you make your boards flat?  It sounds like you're not face-jointing with that 4" jointer...are you using hand planes to flatten?  Because if you have the skills to flatten with hand planes, you should surely have the skill to joint a straight and square edge with a hand plane.

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This is my process, should help answer some of the questions.

 

I purchase rough cut or precut lumber, then my first order of business is cutting it to size, then planing. I use a Rigid R4330 13" planer, run it through both sides getting it flat to the table. I've never had a problem with face planing, this machine does a great job. Then Ill trim it size on the table saw. From there its usually pretty square, but not enough for joinery. Then I will spend a long time getting the pieces face jointed. 

 

The only part of the process that has any difficulties is always jointing boards together. 

 

 

Got a router table? A straight bit and a simple fence make a decent edge jointer if that's really all you're after...

sure do, I've tried this method, but its SOOOOO time consuming setting it up for that. 

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OK, I got into the shop tonight. I checked over the jointer, and it seems like a an axial bearing on the portion is worn out. Theres a bit of play side to side, but not really any up and down. I think I'll just cut my losses and get a proper jointer, thats probably going to solve all (most) of my problems. 

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