Help pick my first jointer!!!!!

[Pete Rosenbohm]

Need some help did some research on jointers and just as confused before i started, Grizzly, Delta, Sunhill , Jet, etc. (not sure about the etc.)LOL. Want to get 6" jointer wheels or knobs makes no diff. once its set doubt if it will get changed. Kinda leaning to the Griz what do yall think.

Pete

[Jeremy Bracey]

I have a Jet, so that is what I like:rolleyes: . A good friend of mine has the ShopFox and I really like the high mounted switch on it. Personnaly, I like the front hand wheels. I think you will change the infeed side more than you may think.


In restrospect, if I could have afforded it, I should have gone for 8".

But I still really like my Jet 6".

Best of luck.

[James Giordano]

I dont have a jointer yet but when I am ready to get one I'll be looking for an 8". I've seen some nice Jets.

[Jim Becker]

Pete, jointers are pretty simple machines and any of the brands you cite have decent offerings. I do suggest you consider what James plans on doing and go larger right from the start. It's difficult to flatten lumber on a 6" jointer when you know it's going to be wider coming off the rack! If you can budget a bit more and your shop can handle the longer tables, that's what I recommend...bigger. Do it now, rather than upgrading later. Remember, straightening edges is only one thing you do on the jointer. Flattening the boards is generally a more important task for that tool, IMHO. Straight, flat and true lumber is so much easier to do joinery with.

I have a review on my site written by Terry Neilson on the Grizzly G0500 8" jointer in case you might find that commentary useful.

[Bart Leetch]

Grizzly has a good following I would have purchased one but did not know much about them at the time. I have several of their tools. As does a friend of mine who's shop is almost all Grizzly. I like the way the hand wheels work & where they are there is less chance of something hanging up on them or just maybe something falling against the jointer & damaging them.

I leave mine set for 1/32" most of the time but when needed its easier to sneak up on a setting with hand-wheels. It may cost a little more but over the life of the tool it doesn't amount to much.

If you can go with the 8" G1018HW my Friend has one its a real nice machine. :D ;) :) :) :)

[JayStPeter]

I agree w/Jim. But, if an 8" is out of consideration for some reason, I'd go with a used 6". It'll cost less up front, and you'll likely get that back out of it when you sell it to upgrade to an 8".

Jay

[John Miliunas]

Pete, if you have the room & $$, go for an 8"-er. If you have the room, but not the $$, then wait until you do! It'll be worth it. About a year ago, I was in the "don't have the room" category and went with the Grizz. I believe it to be one of the best values out there in that size jointer. Just MHO, of course, and YMMV. Good luck in your quest! :cool:

[Joe Meazle]

Pete,
I wish you were a little further north. I just bought a DJ20 a couple of month ago. I still have my Jet 6" I need to sell. The jet has served me well for about 3 years and was a great first jointer. At the time the Jet 6 was about the best value out there IMHO. I probally didin't even need the 8" but the deal was too good to pass up. that being said let me echo every thing else that you have heard, save up and buy an 8". There are a lot of good ones out there. I have a lot of jet stuff in my shop but it seems to me that Jet 8 is a little over priced. Sunhill bridgewood grizzly woodtec transpower star and lobo all come from the same factory as the Jet and are less$. sure there are other considerations waranty, reputation, parts, service, and ect. If you like the Jet 8 check out General ind. supp. in nashville. shipping wouldnt' be much more than sales tax in LA and they usually have good deals on Scracth and dent stuff. Nice guys to deal with too. They have a website but it is easier to contact them on the phone. Used 8' were hard for me to find but there 6" around if you don't mind hunting. Stay away form shortbeds and bench top models. Hope that helps.
Joe

[John Shuk]

I have the Rigid 6" and am happy with it. A nice thing is that the price at Home Depot is down on it. Some times you can save a little more for getting the credit card or for some other promotion. It was rated well when Fine Woodworking did a review of 6 inch jointers and is preety user friendly as well. On the other side of the coin If you can either wait or swing it now an 8" will probably be a good thing.

[Michael Barry]

I'm going to have to echo what every one else is saying about getting a 8" instead of a 6". I have the Jet 6". Got it for a super price at International Tool's fall sale. It works great. No problems at all except I think I would of been happier with wider capacity. I find my self ripping boards down and gluing them back together after I flatten them. A wider capacity jointer would save quite a bit of time and effort.


Mike

[Larry Crim]

I started with a 8" Griz and am glad I went larger right off the start, I echo the rest, If you can afford it go larger I really have no regrets going with the Grizzly it's been a fine machine but if you want it mobile I would not recommend the shopfox mobile base the machine is too heavy for it and you would do better with a more stable base. The shopfox is fine for the lighter stuff but on heavy machines the base is too hard to roll.
Pat

[Mark Singer]

I have the DJ 20 used to have the 6" Jet....try to get an 8" and the DJ 20 is great!

[Frank Pellow]

I was planning on getting a 6" jointer too. But, after all the advice I see here, I had better rethink these plans.

[sascha gast]

don't get a 6". i have mine (jet) for 1 1/2 years now, couldn't take ripping stock down anymore and will be buying either oliver 10" or grizzly 12". i will sell my 6" soon and can't wait to get the larger one

sascha

[James Giordano]

Now your talkin':D

[Don Martindale]

I have the Delta 275X 6" jointer, & I'm very happy with it. I mostly use mine for instrument building, so I don't have use for an 8" (in fact, I could get by with my plane to shoot the edges, but 1" maple was a bear to shoot). I have had great luck with mine, & quickly got used to the lever adjustment. I also took advantage of the free router with the special Delta is running. Unlike those above, I feel that since I don't have use for an 8" jointer, it would be money & space ill spent. I can plane or drum sand if I needed to handle wider boards. Just my $0.02......don

[Mike Cutler]

Pete. I gotta go with the herd on this one. I own the Jet 6" and it's a great little machine, but it's the first machine on the upgrade list for me. I like the Delta DJ-20, but I've also been eyeballin' the bigger Grizzly's. I'm looking for the longest tables I can find.
If bucks, or space are an issue though, any of the machines you mentioned would be good. Good Luck, and have fun lookin'

[Christopher Stahl]

Follow the crowd on this one. I initially was going to buy a 6" Grizzly, but after listening to the same opinions, I went for the Grizzly G0500. Like Jim said, bigger is better and this is an important piece of equipment worth spending a little extra on if you have the budget. I certainly don't regret it. :)

Good Luck,
chris

[Ed Moehlenpah]

I got a used DJ20 in fair/good condition. I had a Jet 6" jj-6 jointer. There is no comparison. I love this jointer! I would recommend getting an 8inch. I think the weight of the jointer (plus the lengh of the table, in my case 76 vs 42) makes a huge difference.

Ed

[Charlie Plesums]

Keep in mind that (for most species) good graded wood must be at least 6 inches wide after planing. So any time you buy better grades of rough cut lumber, it must be over 6 inches wide which means it doesn't fit on a 6 inch jointer (like mine).

In the walnut and cherry that I use most, not a lot of the wood is much over 6 inches wide unless I am paying a premium, so I was considering an 8 inch jointer (until my wife suggested a combo with 12 or 16 inch jointer - but that is another whole story!)

Bottom line, I suggest at least 8 inch jointer width. I have been very impressed with Grizzly, and was planning to go with their jointer when I did the upgrade from 6 inches.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I have the 1182hw from Grizzly and love it. I wanted the 8" but couldn't swing the tab. The guys are right about getting the biggest one you can.