Jointer Question

[Andy London]

I am currently looking at a jointer that has the Table Levers rather than the handwheels. I don't know anyone around where I live that has one and have never used one. I'm interested in this jointer as I can get a Shelix head from the manufacturer (in stock) whereas with mine, I would have to order one and run the risk of it not fitting properly.

My question is, how do these work compared to handwheels? I do not generally adjust the jointer, once it is dialed in, it pretty much stays that way until the blades need to be replaced, simply due to what I use it for.

Feedback appreciated.

Andy

[Bob Johnson]

I had a 6" Jet with the handwheels and upgraded to a DJ20 with the levers. I didn't really see any difference in adjustability. From my view, wheels vs. levers shouldn't enter into the deciding on a jointer. How the color of paint on the new jointer blends in with the rest of your shop is probably just as important.

Bob

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Andy,

I haven't used a big jointer with handwheels, but the levelers on my DJ20 work just fine. When adjusting the outfeed table there are bolts that limit the travel. I back off whatever bolt will allow the movement a 1/4 turn and then use the leveler. Keep on doing that until you get it perfect.

[lou sansone]

hi andy

I like hand wheels, but like you said, I really do not change the height of the table all that much. I will stand by earlier statements that size does matter and the wider the jointer the better. I think that hand wheels really are needed with wide and super wide jointers with 24" tables and wider.

lou

[Silas Smith]

Another DJ-20 owner here and I have to tell you that I actually prefer the lever. I was worried about it at first, but it is really a non-issue. You can fine tune your adjustment just as well with a lever as with a handwheel.

[Andy London]

Another DJ-20 owner here and I have to tell you that I actually prefer the lever. I was worried about it at first, but it is really a non-issue. You can fine tune your adjustment just as well with a lever as with a handwheel.

Thanks, that is what my concern is/was...off shopping I guess

[Mark Singer]

I have had both...I like the levers better!

[JayStPeter]

I've had both. My 8" Grizzly has levers, old 6" had handwheels. IMHO, it is a non-issue.
- Handwheels allow you to tweak the outfeed a little easier without overshooting.
- Levers have no "backlash" and allow you to just set the infeed to the number you want.

In an ideal world, I'd like a handwheel on the outfeed and lever on the infeed. Of course, now that I have the Shelix, the outfeed may never be touched again :D .

Jay

[Steve Cox]

If you happened to be looking at a Powermatic, you'd find that it has a lever with a fine adjustment knob on the infeed side, in other words, it has both.

[Andy London]

I've had both. My 8" Grizzly has levers, old 6" had handwheels. IMHO, it is a non-issue.
- Handwheels allow you to tweak the outfeed a little easier without overshooting.
- Levers have no "backlash" and allow you to just set the infeed to the number you want.

In an ideal world, I'd like a handwheel on the outfeed and lever on the infeed. Of course, now that I have the Shelix, the outfeed may never be touched again :D .

Jay

Jay, Did you have any problems putting the Shelix on your Grizzly and did they have it in stock when you ordered?

[Tim Farrell]

I have the Powermatic 6" with levers. It is very easy to adjust and I have had no problems on that front. I have not used a jointer with wheels, but it sounds like you are fine either way.

[markgoodall]

The DJ series are a completely different beast and you can't compare them.

In a regular jointer, a handwheel is a little slower but more precise. And a lever is a bit easier and faster but less precise. That's why you often see a handwheel on the outfeed, which you rarely adjust but when you do it must be 100% perfect, and a lever for the infeed which you adjust much more often but where perfect accuracy is not required.

This question comes up from time to time. You can compare a regular jointer with 2 handwheels, or with 2 levers or a jointer with one of each. The jointer with one of each is using the benefits and drawbacks of each wisely.


But with the DJ series the parallelogram design just can't be compared to the regular jointer. With the parallelogram design, the levers are just as accurate as a handwheel and just as easy and fast as a lever.

Hope that helps.

[Dev Emch]

I used to hate levers as this was not old school. Since then, I have come to like levers on 6 and 8 inch jointers albeit I am not a fan of these smaller jointers. But the levers do a nicer job than handwheels.

When the jointers get big... 12 inches and up, the tables become more difficult to move. Handwheels become more of a pain to deal with. On many larger jointers, you have a ship's wheel behind the jointer which has some mechanical gearing. This makes it much easier to move the infeed table. This is ideal.

So for larger jointer, I would demand the side mounted ship's wheel. For a "stick" jointer, I would like to have levers. A "stick" jointer is so called because it mainly used for jointing sticks to make slats, rails, styles, etc. It is also used to joint narrow edges such as 3/4 inch stock for glue ups. Stick jointers are not used for facing.

Good Luck...

[JayStPeter]

Jay, Did you have any problems putting the Shelix on your Grizzly and did they have it in stock when you ordered?

No problems, installed in 20 minutes. It came with bearings on it, so it was particurlarly easy. Of course, I've disassembled and reassembled jointers in the past so I knew what to do. Just make sure you keep track of the orientation of everything when you take it apart (particularly the pulley).

They were not in stock when I ordered. It took about 3 weeks for me to get one. I ordered it from Sunhill as their price was less than direct from Byrd. The downside is that they charged my CC on the order date, not the ship date (but somehow I knew this was going to happen ;) ).

Jay

[Jim Becker]

I've used both as my former jointer (a Jet) had hand-wheels and my current jointer (Mini Max combo) has levers. It doesn't matter, especially since the vast majority of time, the tool is left at exactly the same setting all the time. Mine is set at 1/32". 'Takes a few more passes when something is nasty, but that's no big deal. Seriously, levers and handwheels are just as easy to adjust, IMHO.