Central Machinery 6" Jointer...

[Michael Dunn]

Hey guys,

A few months back I picked up a used CM 6" jointer w/ brand new Freud knives for $160. I since have got a nice clean shine on the cast iron surface and bought a new steel guard from Grizzly. (a perfect fit, for less than $20!!!). I have done a pretty decent job of setting it up so far. I do think that I can get better cut quality though.

Anyway, I was just rambling... The base is made of thin sheet metal, and is pretty light and wobbly. Do you have any tips as to what I can do, short of a total rebuild with 2x4's. (which is what I did for my 14" bandsaw.) I have a rockler mobile base for this as well.

I don't have much confidence in my safety when I am using this machine since it wobbles when I run anything across it. I am certain the wobble is not coming from the mobile base.

I was thinking about removing the little rubber feet and just bolting it to the base. Perhaps I can run some 2x's across the mobile base. This should give the base some cross bracing I suppose. It would also make it a bit taller which is good, since I stand at 6' 6".

[Mark Woodmark]

Would some diagonal bracing shore it up? Do you have any picture of the thing you could post?

[Chip Lindley]

I'm betting the wobble comes from an uneven bottom edge on the thin metal base where it meets the mobile base. You can shore up the bottom of the base on the inside by bolting some 2x2 angle iron to it.

But, if the base is what I think it is, with open sides, you can do much better. First, the dust chute needs to be enclosed for connection to a DC. The base would be much more sturdy if the sides were enclosed as well. Some 1/2" MDO (medium density overlay) could be used for a nice smooth surface to paint. MDO is ply with a covering of thick smooth paper; made for sign painting or such.

I did exactly this with my first-ever jointer, an old Milwaukee/Delta 6". It came with a lowly, ho-made 2x4 base, which I covered with MDO. Painted gray, it looked quite spiffy!

[Michael Dunn]

Good call on the angle iron. I am quickly growing to love that stuff. Would aluminum suffice? Or should I get steel?

I actually forgot to mention that I have a dust port mounted directly under the cutter head. From there a 4" flex hose goes to a blast gate that I mounted at the dust chute opening. Dust collection is pretty efficient now.

I have some 2x2 aluminum angle, but that is about to be used on another project.

Thanx,

shotgunn


I'm betting the wobble comes from an uneven bottom edge on the thin metal base where it meets the mobile base. You can shore up the bottom of the base on the inside by bolting some 2x2 angle iron to it.

But, if the base is what I think it is, with open sides, you can do much better. First, the dust chute needs to be enclosed for connection to a DC. The base would be much more sturdy if the sides were enclosed as well. Some 1/2" MDO (medium density overlay) could be used for a nice smooth surface to paint. MDO is ply with a covering of thick smooth paper; made for sign painting or such.

I did exactly this with my first-ever jointer, an old Milwaukee/Delta 6". It came with a lowly, ho-made 2x4 base, which I covered with MDO. Painted gray, it looked quite spiffy!

[Myk Rian]

Plywood sides and back would stiffen it up. Just bolt them to the frame.

[Mike Harrison]

Michael,

I've had my unit for better than 8 years. The base is fine and I've never had any problems with it rocking even on the roll around base.

I'd suggest, before you start re-inventing the wheel, you loosen all the assembly bolts on the sides and horizontal braces of the stand, so it is pretty loose and wobbles around. Then set your mobil base as you would be using the machine, twist and wiggle the machine around until you're sure all of the corners/feet are in contact with the cart, then, eyeball the unit to make the stand look symmetrical, hold it in place, and re-tighten all the bolts.

Usually, when putting these things together you must set them on a level surface and carefully tighten the bolts to ensure the finished machine doesn't wobble.

[Don Jarvie]

Also, remove the rubber feet so the base sits on the moble base.

I have the Relient version and plan on taking apart the base to paint it and then bolting it to the base once its put back together.

I never had any wobble in the base with the rubber feet on the ground.