Jointer problem

[Rob Holcomb]

I have a 6" Ridgid jointer that I bought last fall. It wasn't used at all over the winter and last week I needed to joint an edge on a piece of Maple. The edge was pretty straight to begin with so it would only require two or three passes. Since I hadn't used the jointer in several month's, I checked to make sure everything was alligned as it should be and turned on the machine. As I moved the board into the knives, they began taking off the 1/16" cut I had set it do. About 2 inches into the cut, the board stopped. Like it got caught on something. I shut the machine off and looked for anything on the wood and the outfeed table that would have caused this to happen. Nothing on the wood, nothing on the outfeed table. Since the board I was jointing was wider than I needed, I thought..OK, I'll joint the other edge. When I began, the exact same thing happened and I can't figure out what is causing this. I've tried with a scrap piece of Oak, pine and after ripping the maple piece again on the table saw, every piece I'm sending into the cutters on the jointer, stops after 2". Does anyone have any ideas what might be wrong? Thank you!

[Robert Reece]

My guess is dull knives. Makes it harder to push so you push down harder and then the board just won't go. Try raising the infeed table until you take off 0" and you are perfectly aligned with the outfeed. Give it a pass and see how it feels.

[Lee Schierer]

An 1/16" cut is a very heavy cut for a jointer. The I normally keep my cuts to 1/32" or less.

It sounds to me like you out feed table is set below the top of the cut for your knives and the end of the board is hitting the leading edge of the out feed table.

Try this test: With the power off and the jointer unplugged lay a 12"-18" long straight piece of wood on the out feed table so that the end of the piece is not quite over the in feed table. Then rotate your cutter head by hand in its normal direction of rotation. As a knife comes past the wood surface you should hear a slight "snick" and the board should move no more than 1/4" toward the in feed table. If it moves more it shows your cutter head is too high in relation to the out feed table. If you don't hear anything or if the board doesn't move at all lower your out feed table slightly and try again.

[Chip Lindley]

I believe he said 1/16" cut. That is still quite a bit for a little 6" jointer in hardwood! IMO, your outfeed table is set above the arc of the knives. after the wood passes the cutterhead, it runs into the outfeed and stops.

Use the edge of a straight board to test the set of the knives. Press the board against the outfeed, protruding over the knives. Rotate the cutterhead until a knife grabs the board. The knifes should barely kiss the board, moving it only fraction of an inch. Adjust the outfeed until the knives barely scrape the wood, same amount across the table.

[John Coloccia]

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what he said

[Ken Shoemaker]

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=135156

Rob,
Check out my post on this other thread. When my knives wern't set correctly I had that problem as well. See how I set the knives and I hope you'll give it a try. I for one will NEVER look back.

[Josh Bowman]

Did it to myself last night. Check to see if you fence is too far over. Mine was and I ran the uncut board into the out feed lip. Bet if you pull the guard back you'll see no blade edge next to the fence.