granite tops on tools

[woodtinkerer]

Heloo,

i had a question about granite tops on tools. Specifically i was looking to buy a jointer but i dont have $500 or more to put into it but i found one, i found one that i think the brand name was Mastercraft ( i know its a noname brand). Its price was $320 but it had a granite top on it, i heard that some tablesaws had granite tops as well. My questions are is it worth it to get a granite top for the jointer compared to another with just iron? And does the weather affect the granite any, i live in a climate that can sometimes in winter get to 0 degrees or a little below everyonce in a while, would the granite have a chance of cracking?

Thanks all

[knotscott]

Steel City has been the main proponent of granite topped tools. There are some definite advantages with granite, but there are also some drawbacks. Granite won't rust, so there's less maintenance. It's also flatter and heavier than cast iron. The downside is that it's more prone to cracking if impacted, and magnetic jigs and featherboards won't stick to granite. Granite is millions of years old, so I doubt cold weather will effect it on its own, though it may become more brittle when it's extremely cold.

AFAIK, Steel City's Orion subsidiary did make some table saws for Duracraft...not sure about Mastercraft, so it's certainly possible that they have a jointer under one of those names too. Is this a 6" or an 8" jointer?

[jHop]

If you are in an area that sees sub-human (sorry, I mean cold) temperatures, I'd be very cautious around the granite top. It won't chip or crack if you look at it funny, but you need to be gentle (or at least not a monkey with a Samsonite suitcase) when you set material on the top. One of my other areas that I spend money in is leather projects, where granite is the preferred backing material underneath the protective covers. My local Tandy manager uses as a doorstop a chunk of granite that somebody whacked too hard during a leather class at the store. Mostly because it's available and heavy, but also as a lesson to people that inch thick granite can, indeed, break if you are not careful.

(That said, I'm becoming a fan of granite. I'd recommend taking a chamois to it and clean off moisture if it's sitting too long, but I'm slightly paranoid and don't want to spend more money to replace expensive and quality tools.)

[PaulMarcel]

On a jointer, the inability to use magnetic feather boards wouldn't be much of an issue, certainly not as much as a table saw.

The only time granite could have an issue in freezing weather is if it has fissures with water. Pretty sure they wouldn't sell weathered granite tops. If you want to woodwork in a freezing shop, granite would be better, too as the sweat on your hands will freeze you to the cast iron table.

If you keep the dead-blow mallet away from the table, you should be good to go. Whether Mastercraft is good or not, I don't know, but I'd hardly be reluctant to buy a granite top. BTW, if you do drop something and chip it, you can fill the chip with epoxy and level it.

[JerrySats]

Never heard of MasterCraft so I won't comment on them . If you have doubts about them keep an eye on craigslist , you should be able to pick up a used 6" in your price range , either a Jet or Delta. I bought a used Jet for $300 .

As far as the granite , don't worry about it , I have it on my table saw .

[woodtinkerer]

Thank you all for replying

Steel City has been the main proponent of granite topped tools. There are some definite advantages with granite, but there are also some drawbacks. Granite won't rust, so there's less maintenance. It's also flatter and heavier than cast iron. The downside is that it's more prone to cracking if impacted, and magnetic jigs and featherboards won't stick to granite. Granite is millions of years old, so I doubt cold weather will effect it on its own, though it may become more brittle when it's extremely cold.

AFAIK, Steel City's Orion subsidiary did make some table saws for Duracraft...not sure about Mastercraft, so it's certainly possible that they have a jointer under one of those names too. Is this a 6" or an 8" jointer?

I believe it was a 6" jointer.

If you are in an area that sees sub-human (sorry, I mean cold) temperatures, I'd be very cautious around the granite top. It won't chip or crack if you look at it funny, but you need to be gentle (or at least not a monkey with a Samsonite suitcase) when you set material on the top. One of my other areas that I spend money in is leather projects, where granite is the preferred backing material underneath the protective covers. My local Tandy manager uses as a doorstop a chunk of granite that somebody whacked too hard during a leather class at the store. Mostly because it's available and heavy, but also as a lesson to people that inch thick granite can, indeed, break if you are not careful.

(That said, I'm becoming a fan of granite. I'd recommend taking a chamois to it and clean off moisture if it's sitting too long, but I'm slightly paranoid and don't want to spend more money to replace expensive and quality tools.)

I thought granite was suppose to be better that cast iron but i wasnt sure. I figured it would make the tool more stable.

On a jointer, the inability to use magnetic feather boards wouldn't be much of an issue, certainly not as much as a table saw.

The only time granite could have an issue in freezing weather is if it has fissures with water. Pretty sure they wouldn't sell weathered granite tops. If you want to woodwork in a freezing shop, granite would be better, too as the sweat on your hands will freeze you to the cast iron table.

If you keep the dead-blow mallet away from the table, you should be good to go. Whether Mastercraft is good or not, I don't know, but I'd hardly be reluctant to buy a granite top. BTW, if you do drop something and chip it, you can fill the chip with epoxy and level it.

I was planning on working in the shop when it is really cold, what i was worried about was it sitting for a month or two in cold weather and then when it started to warm up and i head back to the shop i would find a crack in it.

Never heard of MasterCraft so I won't comment on them . If you have doubts about them keep an eye on craigslist , you should be able to pick up a used 6" in your price range , either a Jet or Delta. I bought a used Jet for $300 .

As far as the granite , don't worry about it , I have it on my table saw .

I was wrong on the brand name, its MasterForce not MasterCraft. Not sure it makes much of a difference though. I am a little worried now because if i google MasterForce it doesnt come up with a manufacturer or manufacturer's website. So i think it is just a knock off that has been relabled. Has anyone heard of the MasterForce now that i have the name right?

[jHop]

The issue I have with granite cracking is not from sitting and going through the freezing/thawing cycles. It stems more from freezing and being subjected to heavy impacts while cold. When working with leather, you take a mallet and smack the end of the tool against the leather. Usually, you have what's known as a "poundo board" under the leather and on top of the granite, and you are fine. It's when you get ridiculously heavy-handed with the mallet that you can crack the granite.

I've seen this half-slab of granite in the store for two years now. Nothing else has chipped off it, and it grates against concrete several hours a week.

as Paul-Marcel stated, it's the voids inside the granite that lead to the most cracking, and most tool manufacturers know that granite is an expensive failure to replace in warranty. They aren't going to sell you (in theory, anyway) a lower grade top.

I didn't mean to scare you away from granite, merely add my cautionary tale. Not having a jointer, but hearing Marc's moment with the movers standing on top of his, I presented the information I have as a "be careful" tidbit. Dropping a stack of lumber on top of the jointer top, having your hammer, wrench, impact gun, etc, drop on top of the granite, or standing on the granite can all lead to potential damage, but you should not have too many fears of it lasting during regular use.

My first choice for a jointer might not be an "off brand," but the granite top more than outweighs that issue and makes me want it, in my mind.

[woodtinkerer]

The issue I have with granite cracking is not from sitting and going through the freezing/thawing cycles. It stems more from freezing and being subjected to heavy impacts while cold. When working with leather, you take a mallet and smack the end of the tool against the leather. Usually, you have what's known as a "poundo board" under the leather and on top of the granite, and you are fine. It's when you get ridiculously heavy-handed with the mallet that you can crack the granite.

I've seen this half-slab of granite in the store for two years now. Nothing else has chipped off it, and it grates against concrete several hours a week.

as Paul-Marcel stated, it's the voids inside the granite that lead to the most cracking, and most tool manufacturers know that granite is an expensive failure to replace in warranty. They aren't going to sell you (in theory, anyway) a lower grade top.

I didn't mean to scare you away from granite, merely add my cautionary tale. Not having a jointer, but hearing Marc's moment with the movers standing on top of his, I presented the information I have as a "be careful" tidbit. Dropping a stack of lumber on top of the jointer top, having your hammer, wrench, impact gun, etc, drop on top of the granite, or standing on the granite can all lead to potential damage, but you should not have too many fears of it lasting during regular use.

My first choice for a jointer might not be an "off brand," but the granite top more than outweighs that issue and makes me want it, in my mind.

Ok i see what you are saying.

I also kind of thought that since it had a granite top that it out ways the issue of being off brand but i am not sure. It looked like a nice machine but maybe they cut corners on other parts of the machine to justify putting the granite on it, but maybe i am just over thinking it. I just dont want to sink the $300+ dollars into it and it become another tool that i get nervous about using because nothing every comes out right on it.

[bywc]

From what I can figure out with a little digging it appears that master force is a "home brand" of Menards in the same way that Kobalt is a home brand of lowes.