Need help evaluating my need for a jointer and planer, or a jointer/planer, or ......

[Jerry Prinds]

First, suffer through a little background....<br><br>I've been a hobby guy for 30 years.&nbsp; First "big tool" was a Shopsmith in 1987, with jointer and planer accessories (I still use them).<br><br>Now, I have a workshop big enough to have dedicated tools.&nbsp; Delta X5 TS, good bandsaw, etc.<br><br>You all know that a Shopsmith jointer leaves a lot to be desired, so I THINK my next purchase is a jointer - at least 8".....<br><br>But, I'm wondering just how much I really need a planer (wait a sec), and if so, should I take a hard look at a J/P combo.<br><br>Here's the one twist to this mess - I found a great deal on a General Industrial 15-250 24" horizontal drum sander a couple of years ago - I love the thing.<br><br>I know a sander isn't supposed to be used for planing, but this thing's a beast, and does a great job smoothing rough stock, straightening cupped/warped boards, etc.<br><br>I know a good jointer is a must, but I'm having trouble seeing myself ever needing a planer again - especially with 24 inches of double-drums taking care of me.<br><br>Sand both faces flat and parallel to one another, then joint both edges perp. to the faces.<br><br>One of you guys are gonna make me look like an idiot for missing the obvious......

[Mike Konobeck]

I just learned a valuable lesson about drum sanders. They heat up the wood. Even on shallow passes. Especially dense woods like bubinga. What happens when you heat certain woods? Warping, cupping, etc. Of coarse I was limited on my options with a big slab but that lesson extends to narrow boards too. A drum sander is just not a good replacement for a planer. Not to mention it is very slow comparably, planers are typically more precise, and planers produce shavings versus dust. I have a little Jet/Performax drum sander and only use it for delicate work.

The age old question of "combo or not" is personal preference. Nobody can tell you how you like to work. I have a combo. I like it but sometimes wish I had sep machines when I have to switch for that one piece I missed. Just a few minutes of your time though. The 12" jointer that is the standard on all combos is NICE for a lot of reasons. You can skew work, spread work over the head to minimize blade dulling,... The combo is nice because it has 1 head. If you want to invest in a Byrd or other segmented head you can do so by making one investment. Of course it is more expensive.

Go with a high quality machine if you are going the combo route. Don't need to say the manufactures. Find someone that has the one(s) you like and go try them. See if you will be happy with the changeover time. Again, plenty of info out there via simple SMC or Google searches.

Good luck!

[Myk Rian]

If you need to take a lot of stock off, use a planer. Otherwise, the sander will do.

[David Kumm]

I have had a dual drum sander for years and once used it for planing and straightening as well. As time progressed and my planers improved I found the sander to be more for glued up panels where the grain was reversed or QS mahogany etc. Still would not give it up but a good planer is the go to machine. Dave

[Jeff Duncan]

Nobody here can tell you what you need, heck we don't even know what your building??? With 30 years of doing this as a hobby I would say your the only person who really knows what you need.

Having said that, a drum sander is a poor way to thickness stock. You can remove only tiny amounts at a time, it's not a thicknessing machine. Personally I think of the jointer and planer as basic equipment useful to almost every shop....kinda like a table saw. So my vote would be to get a planer. But again, only you can make this decision.

good luck,
JeffD

[Curt Harms]

It depends too on space available. If space is not restricted I think separates is the way to go. In my case space is restricted and I'm happy with my Jet 12" jointer/planer. And yes, the 12" jointer is nice. The jointer beds on most combo machines may be shorter than stand-alone jointers, mine are 55". Using the "you can joint stock 1.5 X to 2 X the bed length" rule I can joint 8' which is plenty for me. Some here report problems with Jet JJP jointer beds not staying aligned. I've not had a problem with that and I just checked mine. I do have my machine on a portable base but made it so I don't push & pull on the jointer tables to move it. I don't know if that's a factor or not.

[Harvey Pascoe]

I bought a jointer first before a planer. That was the right decision for me since the jointer can do what the planer can do, just with a little more effort. I still use the jointer more than the planer.

[Paul McGaha]

Hi Jerry, Not sure what type of projects you do but I would suggest a jointer and planer or a jointer/planer combo.

Just my $.02 but to me the 1st four tools of any shop are the table saw, jointer, planer, dust collector. With the projects I do and the way I work I would add a cross cutting station with a miter saw as the 5th tool.

To me a drum sander is for sanding, not thicknessing.

Agree with you about the jointer being at least an 8" model.

PHM

[Rod Sheridan]

I bought a jointer first before a planer. That was the right decision for me since the jointer can do what the planer can do, just with a little more effort. I still use the jointer more than the planer.

Hi Harvey, how do you use a jointer as a planer?

Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Jerry, I'm with Paul on the importance of having a jointer and a planer for stock dimensioning.

I went from separate jointer and planer to a Hammer A3-31 combination jointer/planer and am very pleased with that step.

It allowed me to have a 12" jointer in a compact space, with matching planer. I added the digital height gauge option to my planer which is very nice.

If I need 20.0mm thickness, I set it at that number and the pieces are precisely that. It's very handy for those rare occasions where I make an unplanned design change part way through a project and have to make one more piece later.:rolleyes:

Regards, Rod.

[Jerome Hanby]

Wish that 10" Jet combo had better things said about it. That would be a nice addition to my shop, but all the feedback I've seen has been pretty negative.

[Paul McGaha]

Just me but as for as a jointer/planer goes, I think I'd do the Hammer A3-31.

I think Rod and others are right about the tools from Hammer.

PHM

[jonathan eagle]

FWIW,
I have both a Hammer N4400 bandsaw, and the Grizzly go634xp 12" JP.
Quality wise they are both in the same league. There's NO way I'd give a higher quality level to the Hammer vs the Grizzly. In fact the tables on the Grizzly are much finer finished.
Of course the N4400 is a bandsaw, so I can't speak for their other tools. I really like both machines. Only have had both for a short time, so can't speak for long term reliability.
Jonathan

[David Keast]

Jointer and thicknesser are essential in my view. I have a combo, and wish I had the space for two machines instead. The performance of the combo machine is fine, but the time and hassle to change it over is a real disincentive. Now and then I find myself shortcutting a process to save change over time and I usually regret it. Mine is a 10" machine (slightly more in fact, 26cm) and I seldom have problems of width.

[ray hampton]

Hi Harvey, how do you use a jointer as a planer?

Regards, Rod.

how thick of a plank will a jointer machine, the jointer should handle a 2x2 all 4 sides

[Rod Sheridan]

Well Ray, my jointer will handle a plank of infinite thickness, except for the fact that I couldn't lift one.

My question has to do with the function of the machines.

A jointer makes a flat straight surface. It doesn't make a piece of wood a fixed thickness, or produce a parallel surface. I can joint all four sides of a timber and have none parallel.

A planer makes a surface parallel, not straight. I can put in a large curved piece of wood and have the second surface made parallel to the first. It can't produce a straight flat surface on its own.

Regards, Rod.

[ray hampton]

ROD, If this is the case then you can joint a 2x4 x 8 edge and hold the edge that you joint against the fence and joint the face and so long all of the edges

[jonathan eagle]

Ray,
True on a squarish piece as you describe. but if you applied this concept to a 1x10, it would not be accurate. Assuming I understand your point.
Jonathan

[ray hampton]

Ray,
True on a squarish piece as you describe. but if you applied this concept to a 1x10, it would not be accurate. Assuming I understand your point.
Jonathan
can you buy feather board to hold a plank against the jointer fence and still make contact with the revolving knives

[jonathan eagle]

Ray,
If I understood the concept, it was to use a perfect 90 degrees to get the faces all perpendicular. A slight error on the fence/table gets amplified by the height of the board. Is this example, the 10" side. I can't imagine it working well. I plan to use my combo as a jointer only. I still have my lunchbox planer.
Jonathan

[Rod Sheridan]

ROD, If this is the case then you can joint a 2x4 x 8 edge and hold the edge that you joint against the fence and joint the face and so long all of the edges

Ray, that still doesn't duplicate the function of a planer. My question stands, how do you use a jointer as a planer?

Regards, Rod.