Joiner - Planer Confusion
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shoot summ
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A "jointer" is used to create a straight edge on a board. They look alot like a miniature aircraft carrier on stand; the longer the "wings" the longer the board you can put through it. Some have options to cut a rabbet to facilitate stronger joinery. Benchtop models can be smaller, but 6" or 8" is most common I think.
A surface planer is what is used to flatten out imperfections on the wide face of a board. A good example is when laminating up hardwood strips to make a cutting board; after gluing the strips together, a pass or two through a surface planer makes everything perfectly flat. They look like 2 VCRs stacked on top of each other & separated by a couple inches; a wheel or other device adjusts how far apart the separation is. Common sizes are 11-13" with larger ones increasing in price dramatically.
A "jointer-planer" is synonymous with a jointer. A "planer" can mean either the small handheld things that look like handheld belt sanders or can mean a surface planer.
Some more experienced woodworkers may chime in with add'l details/ corrections, but this is accurate as far as I know. A common question for beginning woodworkers is what tool to get first: the jointer or the surface planer. I use a router with a straight bit and a board with a straightedge as a DIY jointer; haven't figured out how to save on the cost of the surface planer yet unless I want to get a set of hand planes and do it the old fashioned way.
-burs0028
A surface planer is what is used to flatten out imperfections on the wide face of a board. A good example is when laminating up hardwood strips to make a cutting board; after gluing the strips together, a pass or two through a surface planer makes everything perfectly flat. They look like 2 VCRs stacked on top of each other & separated by a couple inches; a wheel or other device adjusts how far apart the separation is. Common sizes are 11-13" with larger ones increasing in price dramatically.
A "jointer-planer" is synonymous with a jointer. A "planer" can mean either the small handheld things that look like handheld belt sanders or can mean a surface planer.
Some more experienced woodworkers may chime in with add'l details/ corrections, but this is accurate as far as I know. A common question for beginning woodworkers is what tool to get first: the jointer or the surface planer. I use a router with a straight bit and a board with a straightedge as a DIY jointer; haven't figured out how to save on the cost of the surface planer yet unless I want to get a set of hand planes and do it the old fashioned way.
-burs0028
Thank you. I hate to ask dumb questions be they are all I got!
Simplest terms.
Jointer--> Makes things flat
Planer --> Makes things parallel
Jointer/planer--> Can make a wide side of stock flat more of a marketing term for jointers than anything else.
If you only have room or budget for one, I would go with a jointer first. If you enjoy milling your own lumber, both are really needed.
Typically you would joint one edge, joint or plane one face, both on the jointer machine. Then run it through the planer wide, freshly "planed" (from the jointer) face down. You now have the wide faces parallel to one another. Then off to the table saw to rip the other thin edge parallel with the previously jointed thin edge. Finally cross cut so the ends are 90° to the sides. Then your board SHOULD be square and parallel in all directions
Usually the machine order is.
Jointer (push through)
Planer (auto feed)
Table saw
Table saw or miter saw or RAS
Jointer--> Makes things flat
Planer --> Makes things parallel
Jointer/planer--> Can make a wide side of stock flat more of a marketing term for jointers than anything else.
If you only have room or budget for one, I would go with a jointer first. If you enjoy milling your own lumber, both are really needed.
Typically you would joint one edge, joint or plane one face, both on the jointer machine. Then run it through the planer wide, freshly "planed" (from the jointer) face down. You now have the wide faces parallel to one another. Then off to the table saw to rip the other thin edge parallel with the previously jointed thin edge. Finally cross cut so the ends are 90° to the sides. Then your board SHOULD be square and parallel in all directions
Usually the machine order is.
Jointer (push through)
Planer (auto feed)
Table saw
Table saw or miter saw or RAS
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green.bubbly
Well-known member
There are also combo machines that do the jointer work and the planer work on one machine. The six inches refers to the maximum width of the cutter blade. On a six inch jointer, the board can not be more than six inches wide.
firecracker
Well-known member
This has had me confused for a while 
I used to have a 12" wide planer that I could use to plane over the top and thickness under the blades, but I thought it was a planer. and another one is a dado, I thought that was a fancy piece of wood round a room to split the height. and a rabbet!! I think thats a rebate.
I used to have a 12" wide planer that I could use to plane over the top and thickness under the blades, but I thought it was a planer. and another one is a dado, I thought that was a fancy piece of wood round a room to split the height. and a rabbet!! I think thats a rebate.
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Zeke
Well-known member
And a joiner is a carpenter who "joins" wood mostly w/o nails and screws.
58Yeoman
Well-known member
Firecracker, that's not Shelby Lynne in your avatar, is it?
rieferman
Well-known member
zkling's post above is good and clear.
One minor adjustment though.... I aim to edge joint after face jointing since the wide flat jointed face gives me a nice surface to ride against the fence to ensure a 90 degree angle. If the board is wider than my jointer can handle, I will edge joint, rip cut on table saw, then face joint and finally edge joint for 90 degree corner. Lastly through the planer.
One minor adjustment though.... I aim to edge joint after face jointing since the wide flat jointed face gives me a nice surface to ride against the fence to ensure a 90 degree angle. If the board is wider than my jointer can handle, I will edge joint, rip cut on table saw, then face joint and finally edge joint for 90 degree corner. Lastly through the planer.
Voi
Well-known member
Good information so far. This is not the first time this has been discussed on GJ. It can be confusing.
I wanted add that you cannot plane on a jointer but you can joint on a planer with the use of jigs. If I could only have one it would be a planer for this reason.
However, I do use a jointer more so it is nice having both.
For what it is worth, this is my "order" of milling wood if I have a jointer and planer (and a table saw for that matter):
1) Flatten one face of a board on jointer.
2) Flatten one edge on the jointer with the previous flattened face held against the jointer fence.
3) Make opposing edge and face parallel on the table saw and planer respectively.
My order for milling wood if I only have a planer and table saw (no jointer):
1) Flatten one face with use of a jig on the planer.
2) Make opposing face parallel on planer without the planer jig.
3) Joint one edge on the table saw with another jig.
4) Make opposing edge parallel on the table saw without the jig.
I have heard of wood workers also edge jointing on a planer with the use of yet another jig. I have not done this myself.
I should add that in all of my above points I'm referring to regular power planers and power jointers, not the hand held versions.
I wanted add that you cannot plane on a jointer but you can joint on a planer with the use of jigs. If I could only have one it would be a planer for this reason.
However, I do use a jointer more so it is nice having both.
For what it is worth, this is my "order" of milling wood if I have a jointer and planer (and a table saw for that matter):
1) Flatten one face of a board on jointer.
2) Flatten one edge on the jointer with the previous flattened face held against the jointer fence.
3) Make opposing edge and face parallel on the table saw and planer respectively.
My order for milling wood if I only have a planer and table saw (no jointer):
1) Flatten one face with use of a jig on the planer.
2) Make opposing face parallel on planer without the planer jig.
3) Joint one edge on the table saw with another jig.
4) Make opposing edge parallel on the table saw without the jig.
I have heard of wood workers also edge jointing on a planer with the use of yet another jig. I have not done this myself.
I should add that in all of my above points I'm referring to regular power planers and power jointers, not the hand held versions.
that's exactly my understanding too. You can also "joint" on a tablesaw using a clamping rip jig like this one:
http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/104/104-taperrippingjig.pdf
you can also make a sled for your planer and get a straight, flat edge that way:
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/viewer-projects/planer-sled/
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Jointer is corect, but if you are shopping CL or eBay check the second mis-spelling as it is very common.
This video explains it pretty good
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/announcements/tww-rewind-the-jointers-jumpin/
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/announcements/tww-rewind-the-jointers-jumpin/
For burs0028: There is a way to use a router as a planer. I haven't done it so it would be best to google for a good article explaining the method. Basically, it involves setting up a jig on a good flat work surface for the router to ride on. The work is fastened to the surface with the jig and router on top. Router is set to take a small cut and is moved across the jig, taking a cut full width across the work. Jig is moved forward for another cut. Very slow process. It's used sometimes by woodworkers who want a perfectly flat workbench, in which case the jig is attached to the bench top.
KEH
KEH
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
This has had me confused for a while
Be careful! If a Rabbit does the DaDo with a Joiner, you might end up wth Bunnies!
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Voi
Well-known member
Mandres posted some nice links in post #13. I will add a couple of points.
A table saw jig that edge joints can be as simple as a piece of plywood/melamine/lumber with only one edge straight. The stock to be jointed can then be attached to the jig with the appropriate two sided tape and the straight edge of the jig ran against the table saw fence. A friend of mine has a wood working shop with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and this is how he does tapers or the rare edge joint on his table saw.
The planer sled Mandres linked to really doesn't edge joint per say. In simplest terms that's really only for jointing the wide faces of boards. Of course a board with proper dimensions (a 4x4, to name one) could be run through a planer on that jig both face side or edge side up. But a typical board, say one with 2x4 dimensions, could not be edge jointed on that jig.
I mentioned jigs for edge jointing on a planer but I haven't actually seen one in pic or video form. I assume it's a much more complex jig with clamping devices for holding a board on edge.
SlowPoke-Canada
Well-known member
You won't need jigs with your setup unless you have a planer/molder but to answer your question...
To joint on a planer requires a jig that will keep your board 90* to the surface of the planer. Several ways to do this but for simplicity sake... take two lengths of 3" aluminium angle stock roughly the length of the planer in/outfeed tables. Clamp the aluminium to the bed with just enough allowance between them for your board to slide through on its edge. This is not an effective way to replace a jointer but it'll do in a pinch. You're just as well off (or better) face planing and running it through your table saw with a quality rip blade.
What's a planer molder you ask? A pretty effective way to make decorative trim by replacing your planer blades with molder blades... or in some machines, you remove the shims and add molder blades while the planer blades stay put. Ideal for case moldings, chair rails etc. Crown moldings are do-able in theory but very hard on a homeowner machine and I'm not even sure you could buy blades. Better off just to purchase the moldings.
PS!!!! Always cut your board stock to length AFTER jointing and planing. Planers and jointers often cause snipe attacking the last 1/2" of the process.
pauls_workshop
Well-known member
Lots of great posts - thank you all! - Paul
firecracker
Well-known member
Hi 58 My avatar is Pink at a Manchester Arena gig she is looking at a leash that my daughter threw on stage, inscribed " Bubba "on it one of Pinks dogs.
