Parallelogram tables on a jointer

[Seth Poorman]

Hey Guys
Im thinking on buying a larger jointer,and have the chance to buy a new one for about half price (Delta DJ-30) 12"
My PM mdl 60 8" has served me well,and its always been pretty easy to keep it set. But anytime I think about somthing different ,I geta little sceptical and the Parallelogram tables on these newer jointers has me wondering If they would be a nightmare to work on if the tables got out wack!!!!
Anybody have this type of jointer? ....Comments ?

Thanks in advance...Seth....

[Ron Bontz]

Well I just have the DJ20 and no problems. The Parallelogram beds were easy to adjust . But I did not have to do a lot of adjusting. Best of luck.:)

[Rick Fisher]

Well..

When I read this, it occured to me that I have on sitting in the garage with the side cover off. I just got a jointer that has some minor blemishes and I am doing a bit of "pretty" work.

Its not a Delta, but its a 12"..

I bet they are the same overall design..

This is a picture of what I believe you would have to adjust..

Personally, I will never touch these bolts..

http://i335.photobucket.com/albums/m455/jokerbird_photo/P1140311.jpg




On this one, its a whole bunch of these heavy bolts .. I assume you would turn them to raise or lower a part of the jointer..

Seems like a simple system.. Hope this helps..

[Joe Jensen]

I went from a PM 60 jointer to an SCMI 12" with parallelagram beds. The SCMI was out of alignment when I bought it used (1975 model). It took about 1 hour to get perfect. Oddly, the last little bit of adjustment went better with test cuts than with the precision straight edge :confused:

When I bought the US made PM60 in 1990, the dealer also sold the new Delta DJ20. He said the Delta had parallelagram beds because it was cheaper to manufacture (less precision required). With a dovetail way bed, there are several tolerances that all have to be just right. As an engineer I can see this. larger Jointers have parallalagram beds because the size and weight of dovetail beds becomes prohibative.

I am very comfortable with either, but the dovetail ones have to be machined right from the beginning.

[Larry Edgerton]

I have a Porter [dovetailed] and a DJ 20 and I never use the Porter any more. Its just too slow. In fact I am going to get rid of it when I move my shop soon and buy a large parallelagram jointer.

I adjust the depth of cut constantly, I don't have time to make pass after pass. A bad curve will get a quick pass at the depth I think will clean it up and then a light pass at slow speed to give me a finish cut. When I am roughing out stock I change the depth of cut on almost ever board so as not to waste time or material.

I have beat the daylights out of that little jointer, originally bought for a jobsite jointer, and it has never needed adjustment. I am talking many, many thousands of feet. Oh, buy the Esta knife system right off of the bat. Better knives and 5 minute blade changes. I use the Cobalt steel knives.

I/2 off? Just one or do they have more? Hmmm..... I want an F1, but if the price was really tempting.......

[Jeff Duncan]

Personally I think they are easier to adjust than dovetailed ways. My 16" jointer has the parallelogram tables and the adjustments were locked from the factory. Even with that added headache I got the tables set up in under a half day. Which for me meant drilling and tapping all 8 cams after getting the tables set just right. So on a normal machine like the DJ30 you should be able to knock it out in a couple hours tops. And once it's set up (assuming you even need to touch the adjustments) you shouldn't have to tincker with it again.
good luck,
JeffD

[Rick Fisher]

Larry, keep an eye on the Mini Max website, in the Demo machinery section.

http://www.minimax-usa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47:reconditioned&catid=11:news&Itemid=37

They have an F1 on there right now for $5600.00 but I remember seeing better deals..

They sold an F1 for $4995 earlier..

There was a good deal on a 12" Griggio at Laguna as well... But not enough machine for a guy like you.. Good that you passed on it. :)

[glenn bradley]

One of the reasons p-beds were top on my requirements for my current jointer was the reported ease of adjustment if ever needed.