Jointer question.

[Rob Boursaw]

Rookie here. I need to buy a jointer plane.
And was wondering , smooth bottom or Corregated?
I don't know which one would be better. I would use it mainly
for edge jointing. I think anyway....


Thanks

Rob B.

[Adam Cruea]

Personally, I'd use a solid bottom.

I've got a corrugated jointer and sometimes the corrugation will catch on a corner and make it a slight pain to plane. Not to mention, I like the added weight (even if it is only a few ounces).

[Larry LaRoque]

Hi Rob and welcome to the forum. Most of my planes are corrugated, not by plan but just happened to be the one I found to buy. Of the ones that are smooth I haven't noticed them being any harder to use. I suspect that the use of some paraffin would negate any advantage the corrugated planes might have. YMMV.

[Sam Takeuchi]

Corrugated sole has no advantage whatsoever as far as performance go. It's not going to reduce friction or make it slide any better. So go with whichever one you happen to come across.

[Chris Griggs]

I would give preference to a smooth sole jointer for the reasons Adam mentioned. About the only advantage I can think of for a corrugated sole is if you need to lap it its less metal to remove. Really, though unless the sole of the jointer is really mucked up or out of flat in some weird way, lapping shouldn't be necessary. Get whats available, but again, for me there is definite preference for a smooth sole.

[Adam Petersen]

My jointer is corrugated for the same reasons listed. It was what I found. That being said, I have a #4 that's corrugated too, and I don't use that to break edges because of the edges falling into the corrugations. I usually use a block plane or my #3 which has a smooth bottom. Never say never, but I never use my jointer to break edges. So....my answer for the questions, since it's jointer specific, is either.

[Jack Curtis]

I use wooden jointers, so the only corrugations are accidental scratches. They all work fine. I tried the metal brethren, found them lacking.

[Dave Parkis]

How thick is the stock you'll be edge jointing? If its 3/4 or 1", think about picking up a Stanley 95. Probably costs a little bit less than a nice #8, but its a whole lot smaller. I have corrugated and flat bottom jointers and I use flat for edge work and corrugated for flattening.

[Jim Koepke]

Rob,

I see you have been around awhile, but have just now posted. A belated welcome to you. Your location information is not included in your profile. You may live near another member who would be willing to let you try their planes to get a feel for the differences between the different sizes and types.

My preference is for smooth sole planes. There are a few corrugated sole planes in my shop and I have found little difference between the two.

If you are buying from flea markets, antique stores, garage or yard sales, then what you find at a price you can live with will likely be fine. If you are buying new, in my opinion the extra cost of a corrugated sole isn't worth the price. If my memory is correct, Veritas planes do not offer corrugated soles.

jtk

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

After learning how much difference a little wax can make in helping a plane slide along a surface, I've always thought about filling the corrugations in my jointer with melted wax. I doubt it would make any difference at all to the performance of the plane, but for some reason it sounds like fun.

[Chris Griggs]

After learning how much difference a little wax can make in helping a plane slide along a surface, I've always thought about filling the corrugations in my jointer with melted wax. I doubt it would make any difference at all to the performance of the plane, but for some reason it sounds like fun.

I was a cross country/nordic skier in high school. Glide wax is ironed on then scraped off to form a thin hard layer. I sometimes wonder if melting a really hard ski wax onto a plane sole would make it slick for an extended amount of time. In this case the wax would indeed fill the corregations - no idea if that would make any difference though.

[Sam Takeuchi]

I was a cross country/nordic skier in high school. Glide wax is ironed on then scraped off to form a thin hard layer. I sometimes wonder if melting a really hard ski wax onto a plane sole would make it slick for an extended amount of time. In this case the wax would indeed fill the corregations - no idea if that would make any difference though.

I think there is such a thing as too much wax. A chunk of wax coming off the corrugation and lodge itself in pore of your material, or melted (plane gets very hot in short time) wax penetrating wood fiber. Neither can be good or pleasant.

[Chris Griggs]

I think there is such a thing as too much wax. A chunk of wax coming off the corrugation and lodge itself in pore of your material, or melted (plane gets very hot in short time) wax penetrating wood fiber. Neither can be good or pleasant.

True true... and honestly it would probably more trouble then its worth. More of something I've wondered about than something I'll likely actually do...

[David Weaver]

Smooth. the only thing better about a corrugated plane is lapping it. Then it's worse than a smooth bottom plane after that. They wear bizarre at the mouth with heavy use, they're more of a nuisance to wax and stuff from time to time will stick in the corrugations (especially if you got wax stuck in the corrugations).

[Rob Boursaw]

Thanks guys. Jim, I have been lurking and reading awhile. Only did a couple of projects.
Before coming here I couldnt build a set of steps for the back deck....hehehe , it's true.
I want now to build some furniture for the daughters that are held together with no screws...
Something that may outlast us all.
I better update my profile..

Thanks again.

[David Myers]

I've got a corrugated 7 and smooth bottomed 8. I like both, and never give a nano-second's thought to the bottoms when deciding which one to grab.

I wouldn't pay more for a corrugated plane because of the corrugations, but I wouldn't pass one up if it fit the bill for what I needed (or wanted).

[Harold Burrell]

I've got a corrugated 7 and smooth bottomed 8. I like both, and never give a nano-second's thought to the bottoms when deciding which one to grab.

I wouldn't pay more for a corrugated plane because of the corrugations, but I wouldn't pass one up if it fit the bill for what I needed (or wanted).

Yeah...what David said. :cool:

[Ryan Baker]

Smooth bottom planes for me. Corrugations just give a place to catch things. I wouldn't turn down a corrugated jointer if somebody wanted to give me one, but I wouldn't buy one.

[steven c newman]

I have an #8c, and a KK7 smooth bottom plane. My two #6 are mixed, one smooth, one not. Also have a couple #4 that are groovy planes, as well as a few smooth bottom #4s. All my #5s are smooth, as is that old Union #5A. Still looking for a #5c, just to round things out. Which one gets used the most? Depends on which of them critters are close at hand.