Jointer Help

[Jared Porter]

I just bought this 6" jointer on an impulse from CL after getting tired of waiting for the Ridgid jointers in my area to go on clearance. I having a bit of buyers remorse, possibly unjustified because I know next to nothing about jointers. First, I can find Nothing about this machine online. There's not much regarding Northwood Industrial Machinery, either. Anyone familiar with this company? I was hoping to find a manual, but I'm not holding my breath.

The other issue is the knives. The ones that were in the machine are 6 1/16" x 21/32 (between 5/8 and 11/16) and need to be replaced. Freud makes 6 1/16" knives but they are 3/4". How can I tell if these will work with my jointer? Without a manual, I don't know what size the machine is supposed to use.

Any thoughts about the knives, tuning, set-up etc. would be greatly appreciated. I've been reading some general info, but a lot of this comes back to "Refer to Your Manual".

[Brodie Brickey]

For the knives, try Holbren (no association except a happy customer), they have a large selection and relatively inexpensive. You will need a knife setting jig to keep the knives level as out tighten them.

http://www.holbren.com/jointer-planer-knives/

[Rick Lizek]

http://www.amazon.com/Jointers-Planers-Choose-Maintain-Them/dp/0806967552
Get a book...you have a standard run of the mill jointer and the instructions are basic to most all machines. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2983839096587014177#

Call these folks and they will help with picking out new knives.
http://www.holbren.com/jointer-planer-knives/

[mark kosse]

I can't help with knives other than to say don't worry, you'll find them. Maybe look for for diposable knives. They may be narrower. As far as the jointer, the front side is a knock off of a Delta 37-220 down to the nut on the guard. The fence is different but it should be a decent jointer. Lots of those type machines were badged in different names. Probably lots of them around.

Jointers aren't terribly complicated machines. Read more and forget about the manual.

Hope it helps. Mark

[Tom Hintz]

The 3/4" knives should work just fine. That is a standard size for many jointers. You will have some extra room in the knife slot itself, plus you can adjust the outfeed table slightly so that it is flush with the knives at the top of their arc. I use knives from Infinity Tools (www.infinitytools.com) but again, that is a standard size so any of the better suppliers will have them.
I have some info on setting up the jointer at the link below if that might be of help.

Jointer Story (http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/usejntr.html)

[Josh Bowman]

+1 on Bob Vaughn.....also has a great video on planers.
My Craftsman manual lacked a good bit in the machine setup section, so I got this book. http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Wdwk-Machines-Fine-Woodworking/dp/0942391985
I got a used copy for just a few dollars. Setting up jointers is fairly generic. I don't know what you paid for the jointer, but it looks very nice, you should not have any regrets.

[Don Jarvie]

This is the Central Machinery jointer with Jet/Grizzly fence on it. Basically a Chiwanese jointer. I have the Reliant version and just gave it a full rehab.

Download the manuals from Harbor Freight (Jointer) and Jet (fence) and use each to set up the jointer.

Blades listed in the Central Mach manual will fit. I bought the Freud ones and can check the size when I get home tonight. The knives cost about 22 bucks.

If you have any questions on the jointer let me know. As I said I did a rehab so I took it all apart and put it back together.

One piece of advice. Check the screws that hold the knives in. If the are the normal looking ones (6 sides) the are very tight and will round over very easy. The are also metric so get a wrench that is metric and fits correctly.

I rounded over mine and had to cut them out and replace them with Jet ones which are square (4 sides).

[Marty Paulus]

The use of a six point socket and ratchet will help prevent rounding of the heads. Standard open end and box wrenches will round off the heads in a hurry. Stay away from the 12 point sockets unless you know the bolts are already loose.

[Jared Porter]

-Thanks to everyone for the input and links, I have a set of knives on the way. If this is basically a Harbor Freight jointer, I think I may have paid too much, no returns on CL, though.
-If I take this apart for a good cleaning and rehab, am I looking at a difficult chore getting it back together and tuned?
-How do you tell disposable knives from other knives?
-The screws that hold the knives in are six sided. I managed to get them out without any damage but you got me wondering. The only tool I could fit in there was a little open end wrench, no way I could get a socket in there.

[Don Jarvie]

I have used my jointer for years with no problem. I got a nick in the blades and rounded over the screws trying to get them out.

Take one of the screws and get a wrench that fits perfect, it will be in metric.

Give it a good cleaning and put in the blades and see how it works. Its not hard to put back together.

Any questions let me know.