Rigid Jointer

[Brent Romero]

Anyone have any insight as to how good the Rigid jointers are? I found one on CL for a decent price that is close to me. The table looks a bit rusty in the picture but is most likely surface rust.

Any comments are appreciated.

Thanks

[Tullie Templet]

Mine works fine for me. Of course I wish I had an 8" but he Ridgid does a good job.

[Bryan Cramer]

I bought one about 4 or 5 years ago. It is a great machine. I can't stall the cutterhead with a 3/32 deep cut in 6" of oak. The surface quality is A grade with sharp knives, when they start to dull it becomes a B+. I kept the motor wired to 110. The table adjustments are easy to adjust and the depth scale is super easy to read (and accurate). The fence is easy to square to the table. My tables have stayed co-planar even though I moved it with a buddy 3 times (by lifting on the tables) before I put it on a mobile base. I can joint a board 8' long with the help of an out-feed roller stand, the tables are just long enough. Chip collection is great. I will never have to upgrade unless I want a 8" or bigger machine. Buy it and clean the rust up with steel wool and a comercial cleaner.

[Brent Romero]

It seems like it is the one HD had for a while...the 6 1/8" The guy is asking $220. Does that seem like a fair price?221973221974

[Brent Romero]

Thanks Bryan. I just uploaded two pictures of it to the thread. Supposedly "like new" according to the post.

[Rich Engelhardt]

$220.00 is a bit on the high side for one w/that much rust.
I paid $199.00 for mine last year on closeout @ Home Depot.
Home Depot/Ridgid dropped them last year & they blew them out at some very low prices around the country.
Unfortunatly, my area wasn't one where they ever got to one of the blow out prices.

Never the less, I was happy to get one new w/the Lifetime Service Agreement for under $200.00.
I'd offer him $180.00 for it and settle for $200 if he didn't bite & as long as it's in otherwise decent shape.
If it needs blades, then figure in a set of new ones also - about $50.00.

[Russ Ambrose]

i had a ridgid for several years. great little machine, if it were an 8 inch, i'd still have it.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Oops - forgot to say how much I like mine.
Even if the seller won't budge on price - $220.00 is fair.

[Jerome Hanby]

If the last price to buy a new one was $200, close out or not, that makes the new price in my book $200. That price isn't all that old, so I don't think inflation enters into the mix. Keeping that table from rusting like that only takes spending $5 on what would probably be a lifetime supply of Johnson paste wax and a few minutes every once in a while to wax the table surface. I'd have to wonder how else the jointer has been mistreated. I'm pretty sure you won't be able to assume the lifetime warranty even if that jointer currently has it, so that's no selling feature. I couldn't see offering more than about 50% of the latest new price, $100. If you think the jointer is in pretty good shape and you really want it, maybe negotiate from there.

That rust really bothers me. I live in Birmingham, AL. Outside of moving to southern LA, it just doesn't get much more humid than it is here. My shop is not environmentally controlled and all my stationary tools are old models I've picked up off CL, out of the newspaper, or found by my wife at a local thrift store. I have nothing with that kind of rust on it! To me it looks like it was allowed to get wet and just sit! I'd bet it's spent some time sitting outside at some point.

[Brent Romero]

Thanks for the info guys. I am down in South Louisiana. We get some very humid days and if he has it in a closed in metal building it is very very possible that the humidity caused the rust, even inside of a building. I will contact him today and see if he still has it and if there is a story behind it. What did these sell for new at HD before the blowout price?

[Jerome Hanby]

This is purely from dim and somewhat faulty memory, but seems like I saw a $349 price tag on one in the store once.


Thanks for the info guys. I am down in South Louisiana. We get some very humid days and if he has it in a closed in metal building it is very very possible that the humidity caused the rust, even inside of a building. I will contact him today and see if he still has it and if there is a story behind it. What did these sell for new at HD before the blowout price?

[Rich Engelhardt]

$329.00 around here.

[Brent Romero]

Do they make a mobile base for this unit or would I have to fabricate one myself?

[Joseph Tarantino]

no OEM mobile base for the jointer. fabricate yourself or get this:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080750/33126/WoodRiver-Universal-Mobile-Base-Hardware-Kit.aspx

they go on sale every so often for $50. a double layer of 3/4" plywood makes for a rock solid base. stay away form the HTCs. too flimsy. BTW, my rdgid works well for me. that rust will come off fairly easily with course scotch brite pads and topsaver (if you can find it) or wd40.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

Do they make a mobile base for this unit or would I have to fabricate one myself?

Brian,

First, this is a great little jointer. (I had one.) Because of the rust, I would bring $200 dollars cash and offer $175. I say this because it looks like it has been sitting for a while. You may encounter other problems not readily apparent. If the only issue is the pictured rust, $200 is not a bad price, and you will certainly be able to get that back if (when) you decide to upgrade to an 8" jointer.

Concerning the question about a base, I ran a piece of angle iron under each leg, perpendicular to the table. I cut the angle iron about 6" longer than the depth of the legs. The angle iron sticks out 2" in the front and 4" in the back which helps with the added weight at the rear from the fence.

I drilled 2 holes in each piece to line up with the holes on the jointer for the leveling feet (I used the leveling feet to attach the angle iron the the jointer). I also drilled two holes in each about 1" from each end to accept locking casters. I happened to have the casters and iron available.

The Woocraft base in nice - I have one for my bandsaw. However, if you buy that one, be sure to bolt the jointer to the piece of wood you use. When moving, the jointer want to tip backwards sometimes.

[Brent Romero]

Cyrus,

That is exactly the plan. Just spoke to the guy and he claims that he is the original owner and has had it for 2 years. Bought it, planed a little cypress and never used it again. Thinking about the drive home with this thing in my truck and it being topheavy, is the base of the unit easily removeable so that I can lower the center of gravity for the ride home? Rather than strap it completely assembled and end up having a mishap.

Thanks

[frank shic]

anyone have any good ideas on how to close up that "safety" gap underneath the guard? it's irritating when you're face jointing material that's less than 3/4"! otherwise it's served me well for the last six years :)

[Mike Cross]

"What did these sell for new at HD before the blowout price? "



When I purchased mine, the price was $429.00, which was the regular price before they started blowing them out.

Mike

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

Cyrus,

That is exactly the plan. Just spoke to the guy and he claims that he is the original owner and has had it for 2 years. Bought it, planed a little cypress and never used it again. Thinking about the drive home with this thing in my truck and it being topheavy, is the base of the unit easily removeable so that I can lower the center of gravity for the ride home? Rather than strap it completely assembled and end up having a mishap.

Thanks

Brent (sorry for the "Brian"),

Yes you can unbolt the saw from the stand. But you should also be able to remove the fence and lay the joint on its back. Unless you have a bumpy ride home, you should have no problems. Also, you may want to support/lift the base while on its back. You will see what I am talking about when you take a look. Still, it would not hurt to take a socket set (metric) in case you want to unbolt it.

To remove the rust, Scotchbrite and WD-40 work well. Whatever you do, just make sure to wax (Johnson's Paste Wax) it when it is clean so it will not rust again.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

anyone have any good ideas on how to close up that "safety" gap underneath the guard? it's irritating when you're face jointing material that's less than 3/4"! otherwise it's served me well for the last six years :)

I put a piece of plexigless/lexan on the face of the gaurd. I also drove in the pin that limits the width of a board you can joint. However, jointing less than 3/4" can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing - Frank, this is more for the OP.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Mine was a fine machine for what it was (i.e. a short bed 6" jointer). Sold it for $275 about 6-8 months ago.

If I'm buying used machines, then I'll look to get one for no more than 50% of what I could have got a new one for. If I'm selling one, I look to sell it for what it's worth. The two aren't the same, and in between lies risk and profit.

[Brent Romero]

Mine was a fine machine for what it was (i.e. a short bed 6" jointer). Sold it for $275 about 6-8 months ago.

If I'm buying used machines, then I'll look to get one for no more than 50% of what I could have got a new one for. If I'm selling one, I look to sell it for what it's worth. The two aren't the same, and in between lies risk and profit.

A true businessman......buy low and sell high....my motto

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I like mine. The "original" retail price varies as noted. I think 200 would be a fair price, not great or bad.

For the rust, use "Barkeepers Friend" and WD-40 or similar. BKF is a Ajax/Comet type cleanser. Works great at removing surface rust. You should be able to find at the BORG.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Thinking about the drive home with this thing in my truck and it being topheavy, is the base of the unit easily removeable so that I can lower the center of gravity for the ride home?I bought the floor sample & it was all assembled. I bought a half sheet of 1/2" ply @ the same time. I put the 1/2" ply behind the jointer and between it and the back of the van. We just tilted the whole thing back and slid the ply/jointer into the back of the van on it's back.
When I got it home, my wife and I just slid the ply out with the jointer on top until it was out far enough to tip.
No muss - no fuss.
Once I got it out and in the driveway, I could "walk" it the 20 or so feet into the garage by lifting one end and pivoting it, then doing the same lift/pivot on the other end, and so on.

Take along a 4'x4' piece of ply and you should be able to just lay it on that on it's back and slide it in and out of the back of your truck.

[Tim Thomas]

Brent, I bought a jointer just like that at a yard sale several years ago. It was in similar shape, but it cleaned up easily and works great. Check out this old thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?77735-Jointer-Rescue-Complete

All I used to clean it was WD-40, green Scotch Brite pads, and some 400 and 600 grit sandpaper for really rough areas. The jointer is great, and for the price there is no way I could beat it. I just recently used it to joint some long pieces of hard maple that were 5 and 1/2 inches wide, and it handled that with no problem. There is plenty of power for the capacity I think. The only limitations are the width of the cutter and the length of the bed, but that's what you get with a 6 inch jointer. This is one of my favorite tools in the shop, and I haven't had to do any work on it since the original restoration. I do recommend waxing the beds on occasion, it really makes the wood slide easier.

I have the Ridgid planer too, which I bought new, and I also recommend that. In fact I own several Ridgid tools (belt sander, hammer drill, etc.) and I've been happy with all of them.

[Jerome Hanby]

That Ridgid planer is a real workhorse. I love fine. If I didn't already have an old Boice Crane 6" jointer, I'd have already grabbed one of the Ridgid models. One of these days I'm just going to stop on the way home from work and nab one of their OSS units!

[Myk Rian]

WD-40 is not intended as a rust remover, it is a Water Dis-placer. I use Bar Keepers Friend. Then furniture paste wax after that.

[frank shic]

thanks for the tip, cyrus! maybe i'll do that... after i finish rebuilding my raised panel door routing station... or after i finish refinishing the plantation shutter... or the bathroom remodel lol

[Brent Romero]

WD-40 is not intended as a rust remover, it is a Water Dis-placer. I use Bar Keepers Friend. Then furniture paste wax after that.

You are so right about that. I will keep in mind never to combine those two. The laxative and sleeping pills that is.

[Brent Romero]

Update: Bought it for a $200 dollar bill. As I suspected, aside from the surface rust, the only thing between it and new is a layer of sawdust. With a little elbow grease it will be looking like new. The only thing is the cutter head has a little more rust than I was hoping for...but not real bad. Not sure if I want to remove it to clean the rust...or just remove the blades so that I can massage the rust off of it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Brent Romero]

Update: After putting in a little elbow grease and making a base for it, here it is. Even jointed a few pieces of wood. Cuts great. Blades and table seem to be properly adjusted...but the fence needs a little work. I removed it to clean it and evidently knocked it out of adjustment.

222916Before.....After222917

[John Shuk]

Smart man. My Rigid is a great little jointer. Enjoy it for years knowing you got a great deal.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Brent - nice job on the cleanup!! it looks great. I know I'm joining this party a little late, but I do need to chime in - I have that same planer and I like it. I got it on one of the 'clearance' sales at HD - not as good a price as some around here got, but I still think I got a deal. It works well, never bogs down, and chip collection is good (connected to my DC).

Nice mobile base. It looks like the casters are a little outboard of the legs - it's important with this unit, as wheels directly under the legs made it a little too unstable for my liking.

[Brent Romero]

Thanks John. I ran a board on it several times last night and generated a nice pile of shavings. But the fence is not quite at 90deg and I need to adjust it. The blade/outfeed alignment seems to still be in tact.

[frank shic]

congratz on your recent acquisition. btw i took the knob that's attached to the fence off because my fingers kept running into it when jointing.