4" jointer questions

[lafester]

Recently picked a delta homecraft and am in the process of getting it ready for use. Had to replace a bearing and now am sharpening the knives as they are quite dull along with a few dings.

I see a lot of comments on 4" jointers saying they aren't good for anything. Seems to me though if one is mostly using 2x4 and scrap for hobby projects shouldn't this be the perfect size to work with? Use this to do one side and edge and then use the table saw for the other side and edge.

Anyway I would like to hear from any 4" jointer users on their experiences.

I am also looking for the dual sided socket handle if anyone has a parts machine. I believe the 6" and 4" use the same fence lock parts.

 

[kctyphoon]

When I took woodworking in HS - it was always jointers for edges, surface planers for faces..

 

[atthebeach]

I have a 6" jointer with granite in-feed and out-feed tables. I was just noticing the other day there is a dust free 3 1/2" path along the table against the fence. I almost never run stock larger than 1x4 or 2x4. Among many things, I also do cabinetry work which involves plywood and again stock less than 4". Unless you are planning some fine furniture work, a 4" jointer will probably cover most of your needs.

Rather than using a table saw to cleanup the other two sides, you would find a planer to be a terrific option. My planer has become an indispensable piece of equipment in my shop.

 

[atthebeach]

You generally get better results by making two sides perpendicular and flat on the jointer before running stock thru the planer.

 

[lafester]

I do want a planer, just don't see spending 4-$500 minimum for a good one.
If I can find an old craftsman alien head planer I will probably grab it.

I have a 6" jointer with granite in-feed and out-feed tables. I was just noticing the other day there is a dust free 3 1/2" path along the table against the fence. I almost never run stock larger than 1x4 or 2x4. Among many things, I also do cabinetry work which involves plywood and again stock less than 4". Unless you are planning some fine furniture work, a 4" jointer will probably cover most of your needs.

Rather than using a table saw to cleanup the other two sides, you would find a planer to be a terrific option. My planer has become an indispensable piece of equipment in my shop.

 

[Maui]

I have two of the Craftsman alien head planers. Too bad you aren't closer lafester.

Maui

 

[DavidB]

I'm not sure what there is to say specifically about a 4" jointer. If it fits your needs, congrats! Most of the ones I have seen have short infeed and outfeed tables which may be an issue depending on how you use it. Blades should be cheaper and easier to maintain/replace.

 

[Hugemoose]

I have a no name 4" jointer I picked up recently as a package deal with a Atlas drill press that I wanted. My plan was to sell it quickly and make some money back, but it has already proved useful. Even with a larger piece of stock, I simply removed the fence and ran it over twice. I was doing very imprecise work, but it worked well.

I'm sure you'll find plenty of uses for it, and unless it is a tool you use very often, it will probably suit you just fine.

 

[jimreed2160]

There is nothing inherently wrong with a jointer that is only 4" wide. As you pointed out, edge jointing is rarely done on wood thicker than 12/4. I think the reason the small jointers get no love is fit/finish and power. Most of these were made for light hobby work. That definition changes over time, however, and the light duty cast iron machines of yore can outperform sheet metal tools of today. The Delta Homecraft stuff was well made and as long as your jointer is dialed in well it will earn its keep in your workshop.

 

[rslaback]

When I took woodworking in HS - it was always jointers for edges, surface planers for faces..

The generally accepted rule is that jointers are used to pull the bow out of material. Since a planer uses pressure of a top and bottom feed it tends to flatten out a bow while it goes through the cutter and then that just pops back up once it is out of the machine. Face jointing takes the bow out on one side because unless you are Hercules there isn't enough pressure to flatten out the bow while it is being surfaced. The jointer will surface the leading and trailing ends of the board leaving the high spot in the middle. With enough passes the entire bottom surface will become planar. That surface is then placed on the bottom as it goes through the planer allowing you to end up with two flat, smooth and parallel faces.

 

[Git]

I'm not sure what there is to say specifically about a 4" jointer. If it fits your needs, congrats! Most of the ones I have seen have short infeed and outfeed tables which may be an issue depending on how you use it. Blades should be cheaper and easier to maintain/replace.

^^^ This would be the issue with a 4" joiner. The tables aren't really long enough to get a good straight edge on longer pieces. If you're just working with short of pieces of wood, then it shouldn't be a problem

I am not familiar with that particular joiner, but if this is it, it looks like the total length is less than 30"?

http://www.old-woodworking-tools.net/delta-homecraft-jointer.html

Since you have it, you might as well use it and see if it works out for you

 

[lafester]

Yeah that's close. Currently waiting on some knives as my sharpening skills failed me.



Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk

 

[lafester]

Might have a deal on a ridgid planer. It's the older 2 blade model with stand. Any thoughts on these?

 

[lafester]

Oh and the jointer is all set up.. at least I think so. I got a jointer pal and set the blades. They look to be good and I can get a smooth finish most of the time. I think the quality of wood I was using might have been a factor along with my general lack of knowledge on using the tool properly.

 

[never enuf time]

That's an awesome planer, had mine for 17 years. I've worked it hard too. No failures

I have 6" delta joiner, I hardly ever run anything wider than 2" thru it.
I only wish I had an 8" for the longer table.

 

[captaindiode]

Be extra careful as a jointer can really kick back on you. Use a proper hold down block and stand to the side.

 

[lafester]

That's an awesome planer, had mine for 17 years. I've worked it hard too. No failures

I have 6" delta joiner, I hardly ever run anything wider than 2" thru it.
I only wish I had an 8" for the longer table.

Thanks, just got back with it. This one has been worked hard too and the blades are a bit dull, but no big nicks that I could see. It also came with a new set of knives so that was good. Ran a board through and it seemed to do its job.

I think it was a good deal for $125 and might now also have a contact for rough lumber.

 

[lafester]

Be extra careful as a jointer can really kick back on you. Use a proper hold down block and stand to the side.

I was having trouble feeding it and would get a rough edge at the beginning but the rest would be pretty smooth. Flipped it over and got a smooth edge all the way across. Also worked great on the face of a 3 1/2 " board. Figured it just had a weird grain there at the beginning. Curious how much pressure to put on the edge when first feeding it into the knives.

 

[jimreed2160]

I find that the push pressure varies with the wood and the level of friction on a particular board. I hold the boards tightly to the base and the fence so I get a proper cut. The surfaces are shiny and waxed. Yes I did say waxed. But before someone mentions that wax is bad for finishes let me add that I polished and waxed the surfaces ONCE and that was twelve years ago.

My jointer is set up to take a very light cut so it is pretty easy. On most boards, it takes two or three passes to get full contact.

 

[jhnlngn]

When I took woodworking in HS - it was always jointers for edges, surface planers for faces..

Planers will make your faces parallel but they won't make them flat. That's what a jointer is for. You get a face jointed flat first, make an edge perpendicular and then thickness it at the planer. Then head over to the table saw and run your jointed edge along the fence and you have a properly milled board.

Nothing wrong with a 4" jointer if it fits your needs. I have an 8" DJ-20. It seems like, as with all my woodworking tools, no matter what size they are at times I find myself wishing I had something bigger. That said, an overwhelming majority of the stock I work with is under 6".

 

[6PTsocket]

I have a 103.*** 4 1/4 jointer and it is fine for edges and narrow boards. I had never heard of the Alien planer so I just looked it up. I see it is also a Seeley 103.*** machine. It looks pretty heavy duty. What is the cut width and vintage? It looks 40s or 50s. Can you feed one side and then the other, like an open drum sander? The two step nut handle the OP is asking about is also on my jointer. I got parts for mine on ebay. Somebody is always parting one out. Do a search for the Craftsman part number or for Craftsman jointer parts. If somebody is selling related parts, contact them. They may have the handle. It just takes patience. You'll find it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[lafester]

I have a 103.*** 4 1/4 jointer and it is fine for edges and narrow boards. I had never heard of the Alien planer so I just looked it up. I see it is also a Seeley 103.*** machine. It looks pretty heavy duty. What is the cut width and vintage? It looks 40s or 50s. Can you feed one side and then the other, like an open drum sander? The two step nut handle the OP is asking about is also on my jointer. I got parts for mine on ebay. Somebody is always parting one out. Do a search for the Craftsman part number or for Craftsman jointer parts. If somebody is selling related parts, contact them. They may have the handle. It just takes patience. You'll find it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Not sure on the specifics of the alien planer... I think it is a 9" ?
I know FrankLee had one and talks about it in his dp thread.

Believe me I've been checking ebay for parts and did order the clamp bolt already. I've seen a couple handles but so far they are all missing parts as well. I'm looking for delta parts though, not craftsman. Almost bought the whole damn fence but the seller was an idiot so it's still for sale. I'm also in no hurry now that I have the clamp at least I can lock it down tight.

 

[lafester]

Just got back with a band saw.
This is going to have to be it for bench tools, except for upgrading if I find an awesome deal. I know it's not cool and vintage but they are common and it's as big as I can get for now. At least it isn't a Chinese direct drive.

 

[jimreed2160]

laf--I am sure you will enjoy that bandsaw because they are so versatile. I acquired a bs when I was 10 and it was the only power tool I had for years. So, of course, I pushed it to its limits. Good luck.

 

[lafester]

I know it will be plenty fine for what I need. I just see so many negative posts about smaller power tools and how they are junk and worthless. Looking at how much these are going for and how quick they sell I know they must be good for something.

Got this one for $90 and missed 3 of them last week for $100 or less (all selling within hours of posting). Everyone else is asking $200+ for these although I'm not sure if they will end up selling. Could get something much better for that price but again... no room.

There are also the tilt ones but they are huge and one more thing to break.

 

[Git]

... The surfaces are shiny and waxed. Yes I did say waxed. But before someone mentions that wax is bad for finishes let me add that I polished and waxed the surfaces ONCE and that was twelve years ago.

I wax all my cast iron tables and even other painted parts all the time, but I am careful to only use Johnson's paste wax in the yellow can (no silicon). Lowes and Home Depot usually carry it. Don't apply it and let it dry or it will be really hard to polish off

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johnson-16-oz-Floor-Polish/3384826

 

[jimreed2160]

+1 on the J-wax

 

[lafester]

Just picked up a can of Johnson wax from HD.

Any thoughts on blades for the band saw?
Sears is doing a 20 back on 20 so I thought I would order a couple from them.

They really only carry craftsman and powertec and craftsman takes a month to deliver. I was at the store this morning and the entire section was empty except one lonely blade that was the wrong size.

Powertec gets decent reviews on amazon so I guess I'll give them a shot. 4 blades for $25 is pretty good though if I use the points toward 2 more. Also they only carry 1/8th and 1/2" blades. Kind of wanted at least one 1/4".

edit: ended up getting a 20 off 20 from sears so I got two 1/2" blades for $4.

 

[lafester]

I now have 3 stands that I need to get wheels for. Looking at HF and they have some good prices on non locking wheels but nothing really good for a locking set. Does anybody carry a $5 locking caster that isn't junk?

My bandsaw blades should be in today so I can finally get that set up. The planer tested out pretty well. with my limited knowledge I think it will be just fine. It is missing a the depth/height indicator so I will have to rig something up.

Update: ended up getting these from lowes. With $10 off $50 they came out to around $4 ea before tax. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Waxman-2-in-Rubber-Swivel-Caster/3026956

 

[jimreed2160]

The saw should have upper and lower blade guides to keep the blade from deflecting along with back thrusters to keep it from moving backward. The guide blocks may need some attention. Most new saws come with nylon blocks. Some people use hardwood instead. I use bandrollers. Adjust all of these guides so that they are off the blade about the thickness of a $1 bill. If you have been hit with inflation lately, you can use a $5 and get the same results.

Adjust tracking so that the blade rides on the crowns of both wheels. Tighten the tension as much as you can so the blade will not deflect easily.

When you use your saw, you should notice when the blade deflects. Slow down a little to control it. If you hit the rear thruster, slow your feed rate. Once you notice too much deflection, change the blade. In my experience, 95% of all bandsaw problems are due to dull blades.

Good luck making sawdust.

 

[lafester]

The saw should have upper and lower blade guides to keep the blade from deflecting along with back thrusters to keep it from moving backward. The guide blocks may need some attention. Most new saws come with nylon blocks. Some people use hardwood instead. I use bandrollers. Adjust all of these guides so that they are off the blade about the thickness of a $1 bill. If you have been hit with inflation lately, you can use a $5 and get the same results.

Adjust tracking so that the blade rides on the crowns of both wheels. Tighten the tension as much as you can so the blade will not deflect easily.

When you use your saw, you should notice when the blade deflects. Slow down a little to control it. If you hit the rear thruster, slow your feed rate. Once you notice too much deflection, change the blade. In my experience, 95% of all bandsaw problems are due to dull blades.

Good luck making sawdust.

Thanks, going to pick them up now.

Sent from my ZTE Axon 7 using Tapatalk

 

[derosa]

Check the tires on the saw, if they're dry rotted they'll need replacing. I'll agree with people who say to wax surfaces, I've always used turtle wax and never had a problem with it effecting finishes either but properly waxed there really isn't that much actual wax on the surface. Small tools have their place no doubt; I typically prefer bigger tools but my first bandsaw was a 12" delta that produced nice work. Like others have mentioned, my biggest issue with a 4" jointer is the length not the width, though admittedly it would do 80% of what I need a jointer to do. Unfortunately even my 6" isn't big enough for most of the other 20% of jointer use but I make it work, just as I'm sure you'll make the 4" work. Two small tools I really like though are my 4" belt/6" disc and 1"belt/5" disc delta sanders, they're real work horses. I've got a 6"belt/9" disc but it gets no love, if I need a disc I either need small or I need the 12" disc that my lathe has. And the 6" belt will turn a lot of wood items into missiles while the 4" is big enough to do the job but not rip the work out of my hand.

 

[lafester]

Re: 4" jointer questions

I got the saw set up, although I am not completely sure it is right. the blade was knocking against the thrust bearing so I pulled it out a little further then what the instructions suggest. Can't believe how dull that old blade was... it was practically burning its way through the wood. The new blade cuts like butter at least for now.

Turning my attention to the planer I discovered it was not level and very hard to crank up and down. Simply adjusted one side so it was level and now it is much much better. Also sprayed the chain and wiped it down. Currently waiting on the wax to dry so I can finish cleaning it up and test. Also welded some tabs and put on the wheels I picked up the other day.
update: seems to be working great now. nice flat boards and I can adjust the height easily.

All three benches now have wheels and I can pull them out when needed. At this point I just am looking for deals to upgrade what I have. Already missed out on a cheap dewalt planer that looked much nicer then mine, but thats ok since I at least have one to use. I think it lasted 6 hours on cl.

 

[jimreed2160]

Lookin' good. Time to make sawdust.

 

[lafester]

Lookin' good. Time to make sawdust.

Yeah I know. First I need to get some room back and sell off a few things.
Working on putting together and selling my tiny companion table saw. Just a reminder to take pictures of stuff before ripping it apart.

 

[rharman]

I have a Shopsmith 4" jointer that is still in the box from 30+ years ago. Just never found the need to unpack it and use it.

 

[PNWguy]

Recently picked a delta homecraft and am in the process of getting it ready for use. Had to replace a bearing and now am sharpening the knives as they are quite dull along with a few dings.

I see a lot of comments on 4" jointers saying they aren't good for anything. Seems to me though if one is mostly using 2x4 and scrap for hobby projects shouldn't this be the perfect size to work with? Use this to do one side and edge and then use the table saw for the other side and edge.

Having a larger jointer will open you up to working with larger pieces of wood that are roughsawn.

You can buy several "grades" of wood
S4S = surfaced 4 sides
S4S means that the wood is flat on each surface, and each surface is parallel to perpendicular to the other surfaces. You can buy this at Home Depot, but it's limited to a few sizes and species.

S2S means that the 2 faces are flat and parallel, but the edges aren't.
If you're serious about woodworking, this is the roughest grade you should buy.

You can buy roughsawn wood, which means that it's fresh from the sawmill - the sides and edges will be kind of parallel and perpendicular. A jointer cannot fix this problem.

The standard order of operations for making roughsawn wood into S4S is to joint a face until it's flat, the palce the flat face against the fence and joint an edge. Put the board (flat face down) into the planer to make the two faces parallel. Make it square on the tablesaw.

If you take that same board and only use a jointer, you'll get 4 flat surfaces, but they may not be parallel.

With a 4" jointer, the widest board you'll be able to surface will be 4".

If that fits with the woodworking you plan to do, then a 4" jointer is fine for your needs.

I have a 6" jointer and a 13" planer. If I want 12" wide boards, I need to buy wood that has at least 1 flat face (or just run it through the planer and hope it comes out flat eventually).

In any case, have fun. Learn some wood working, and perhaps someday you'll need a new jointer (or not).

 

[lafester]

Picked up a second planer today. Only $50 and I think it's in better shape then my first one. Also last night I saw that they are still making a clone of these with a spiral cutter head, so lots of parts are available. https://www.cutechtool.com/



Sent from my ZTE Axon 7 using Tapatalk

 

[jimreed2160]

Cool tool.

 

[lafester]

Man that new planer was PACKED with sawdust everywhere. It's all cleaned out now for the most part, just working on my first one a bit before deciding on which base to keep. I think the motor on the first one is better but the belt is pretty ratty. The new one has a pristine belt but the motor looks beat up and doesn't sound as clean. I don't want to completely strip them down to the rollers but I might end up doing it anyway.

So oddly enough this new one is a 1302 while everything I see says those are orange.
I also see a lot of posts boasting a lifetime warranty but have not seen anyone actually use it.

Any ridgid planer gurus out there?