Making jointer bed extension tables?

[Ken Platt]

Folks -

I've been struggling with jointing long boards (80") on my current project. I have a pretty decent size 8" jointer, and I know that this can be done, but it's a battle for me. Some of the boards I manage to kinda hit that sweet spot and get them face-jointed quickly, some I more or less end up turning the majority of the board into shavings or giving up on that board.

I've read how to do this, I've used my rollerstands to support the end of the board which is off the jointer bed, I even made little tables for the top of the rollerstands to get more support, but am still getting crummy results. It doesn't help that my basement shop floor has a wildly uneven surface. It looks as though the concrete was surfaced by a hyperactive 8 year old with a garden rake.

So I'm thinking of making some sturdy tables which can be aligned with the infeed and outfeed tables, and was hoping that maybe others have beaten down this path before me and were willing to share, post pics, etc.

My plan at the moment is to have the tables be about 8" x 24", laminate, with an apron underneath. One short end will be supported by being clamped to the end of the jointer from underneath. I was going to put some magnets in that apron end to hold it while I get it aligned for clamping. The far end of the table I was planning to support off the ground with a piece of 2x material, with leveler feet at each bottom corner. All comments on this idea appreciated.

Thanks for all help -

Ken

[Mike Heidrick]

Any room to drill and tap the ends of the jointer beds?

Aigner makes some awesome extension tables that hook to a metal cleat installed on the machine.

I would love some on my planer.

[Chip Lindley]

GO FOR IT and drill the ends of your jointer tables for a couple of 5/16 bolts. Affix your new extensions to the jointer so they can be flushed perfectly. With one end of the extensions supported firmly, a *monopod* support can be fashioned to support the outboard ends. I see no need to have 2 feet with a width of only 8". Use all your *Yankee Ingenuity* to include an adjustment bolt (and perhaps a rubber foot) on the bottom for perfect levelling.

Jointing 80" stock should be *No Step For a Stepper* as the old men usta say! I jointed a 20-foot piece of 1x6" red oak on a little 6" Delta/Milwaukee jointer with only a 32" bed! I used some very shoddy supports for the one-time operation. You are light years ahead with a bigger longer 8" jointer!

[Ken Platt]

Mike, can you point me to a source for these Aigner tables? Google can't seem to find one for me.

There is room to drill a hole on the end of the jointer, but I'm leery of messing with the cast iron as I worry that removing some might release stresses, or cause stresses, or just cause bad mojo. Also, I don't have a tap set, but I could certainly drill a through hole and just use bolts and nuts. I might still do that if I could - no pun intended - steel myself up for it.

Ken

[Barry Vabeach]

Ken, I think all the ideas have some merit, clamping, using through bolts, or tapping. OTOH, are you sure you need extensions. In general, I try to layout the pieces to size with chalk, then cut slightly oversize, before I go to the jointer or planner. Are you making something that is going to be 80" long? If you are talking about edge jointing, 80" should be no problem with a jointer with tables that are 40 inches or longer, and I would be stunned if your tables are much shorter than 60" combined. It could be that your jointer setup or technique isn't the greatest - if so , extension tables won't help much. there have been a number of jointer adjustment threads recently, and you can always check http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/usejntr.html at the bottom of the page there is a link to his tips and tricks page on jointers which has some great info and pictures.

[Rod Sheridan]

Mike, can you point me to a source for these Aigner tables? Google can't seem to find one for me.

There is room to drill a hole on the end of the jointer, but I'm leery of messing with the cast iron as I worry that removing some might release stresses, or cause stresses, or just cause bad mojo. Also, I don't have a tap set, but I could certainly drill a through hole and just use bolts and nuts. I might still do that if I could - no pun intended - steel myself up for it.

Ken


http://usa.felder-gruppe.at/?page=shop_node&node=467

Hi Ken, click on the above link to see the Felder/Hammer table extensions.

Look at the 16" and 31' Hammer table extension, and the bracket for mounting on your jointer.

Drilling and bolting the bracket to your jointer won't be a problem.

Regards, Rod.

[Steve Rowe]

I had previously posted on the Aigner extensions for the bandsaw. I have also attached mounting rails to both the infeed and outfeed table of the J/P. I wasn't aware that Felder carried these tables or mounting rails. I purchased mine from Martin USA and have also bought some Aigner items from Simantech.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=73025

Edit: A word of caution on the Felder link. This table may be for the Felder 'F' channel connection. There are some ever so slight differences in height of the lip between the Aigner mounting rail and the F channel lip. This allows one to work with the other but not vice versa. I just don't remember which and don't have anything to verify.

http://www.simantechinc.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=5
http://www.martin-usa.com/

Hope this helps.
Steve

[glenn bradley]

Those aligner extensions look slick. At the price I would probably make some ' shop made' equivalent. Drilling the ends of your tables for a connector position is no big deal. I hemmed and hawed while folks told me it was easy. I finally went for it and . . . it was easy (drill it dry). I drilled several wings on my TS to add additional cast iron and bolt up my router cabinet. No worries, just be sure to support the extensions; don't trnsfer that stress to your DT ways or eccentric rings.

[Johnnyy Johnson]

At the cost of some of the feed table extensions I just saw, I would be in favor of going to a local welding shop and buy cold roll flat bar. Get the right length and width. Then buy 1 inch cold roll the right width and length. Drill and tap the sides and attach to the 1 " bar Then attach the bar to the sides of the out feed table. Of course you will have to grind some of the 1" bar to cope it out to accommodate the new table top material.

Drawing: Top view
---------------------
I cold roll II out feed table
I new table II on jointer
---------------------
--- = 1 " flat bar down the sides for support.
I = new wide cold roll
II = connection to out feed table.

[Quinn McCarthy]

Ken,

I do 16-18' material quite frequently. I just use rollers on stands. I use my 6' level to get them too the right height. I use 1 infeed and 2 out feed on the real long stuff. With 80" you could get away with 1 outfeed. I am not sure the cost of the auxiliary fence everyone is talking about. but the rollers are about $20.00 at the big box stores. Buying rollers gives you some flexibility. I use mine on every machine that I have.

When I do 18' material on the jointer I have to open the man door behind it. Sometimes on wide boards I need somebody to hold the front of the board down until I get started.

I hope that help.

Quinn

[Johnnyy Johnson]

Here is a drawing of more what I had in mine.

[John Harden]

Here's the Felder/Aigner extensions on my 16" Jointer/Planer. The small one is about 5"W X 20" long and made of cast iron.

The larger one is about 12"W X 20" long and made of aluminum. The aluminim one normally lives on the outfeed of the planer table. It is extremely beefy as the castings are nearly 1/4" thick.

Felder is having a 15% off Christmas sale if you're interested.

Even if you don't go this route, the photos might give you some ideas on how to make your own.

Regards,

John

[Dick Parman]

I made extension tables for an 83 inch grizzly bed, which increased the
total length to about 15 feet. They worked great. Go to my review on this
site for pictures. (Grizzly 609x review and bed extension construction)