Jointer planer

[Shannon Brantley]

My old Ridgid (that I've long since outgrown) has somehow gotten bad out of plumb. The outfeed has dropped on the back side and I can't make it square. So I think it's time I upgraded. I want to go at least 8" and I'd love to go with a helical cutterhead. I don't have a solid budget since I've got to save up anyway, but I'd like to get as much bang for the buck as possible. Any words of wisdom are appreciated.

[Matt Day]

If you're tight on cash, I'd wait on the helical cutterhead and get one instead in your planer. Reason being is that the board is going to go through your planer anyway which would take care of any tear out.

But out the helical heads are supposedly quieter and easier to change 'knives'.

[Richard Coers]

I'm confused with your post. Plumb is a measure of vertical alignment, and when you say you can't make it square, do you mean the fence to the table? Just curious because there are probably adjustable gibs on that machine that might align the back table to the front. Hard to believe that someone would wear out the adjustment mechanism on an out feed table. I would go with a Jet and standard straight knives when you have the money, but would repair the Rigid for now.

[John Schweikert]

I bought a used 6" Jet jointer and needed to use brass shim material to get the beds planar. Took some testing as to what shim thickness but it has worked very well. There are plenty of places online where you can find inexpensive shim material. I bought a shim sheet set from amazon. The key really is having a quality straightedge to reference from using feeler gauges.

I couldn't happier with a jointer that is within 1/1000" across the beds and added a Byrd head all for less than half a new helical Jet unit.

[Shannon Brantley]

I'm confused with your post. Plumb is a measure of vertical alignment, and when you say you can't make it square, do you mean the fence to the table? Just curious because there are probably adjustable gibs on that machine that might align the back table to the front. Hard to believe that someone would wear out the adjustment mechanism on an out feed table. I would go with a Jet and standard straight knives when you have the money, but would repair the Rigid for now.

I was making a long story short, but a project I was working on a while back, I noticed I couldn't get a clean edge joint when gluing up to boards. I made it work good enough with the table saw. Not sure how long it had been out since I hadn't need to make panels in a while. I decided to tackle the tune-up last weekend and how it's out, there isn't an adjustment for. The infeed table appears to be ok, (although it's hard to tell which is out) but the outfeed table has dipped at the back. When you run a board over it there is a point that it see-saws. The table slides on a tight dovetail and can be adjusted up and down to match the blade height, but there is not an adjustment that I can find to change the angle, front table or back. It was an inexpensive jointer and I've more than gotten my money out of it.

[Earl McLain]

If you are the original owner, and the Lifetime Service Agreement was registered, Ridgid may do a repair or replace. Even if you really are set on trading up, it's easier to sell a rebuilt machine to help fund the new one. Just a thought...
earl

[John Schweikert]

The table slides on a tight dovetail and can be adjusted up and down to match the blade height, but there is not an adjustment that I can find to change the angle, front table or back. It was an inexpensive jointer and I've more than gotten my money out of it.

All dovetail way jointer beds need to be shimmed (trial and error process) if they are out of planar. Fact of life. There are several good how-to's online of the process. I experimented with brass shim material from .001" to .005" and settled on .003" to solve the over 0.01" out of planar the beds were.

excerpt from FWW #230 for educational purposes

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[Shannon Brantley]

Thanks! I'll give that a go.

[Myk Rian]

Just shim the out-feed, as that one doesn't get moved very often.

[Richard Coers]

I was making a long story short, but a project I was working on a while back, I noticed I couldn't get a clean edge joint when gluing up to boards. I made it work good enough with the table saw. Not sure how long it had been out since I hadn't need to make panels in a while. I decided to tackle the tune-up last weekend and how it's out, there isn't an adjustment for. The infeed table appears to be ok, (although it's hard to tell which is out) but the outfeed table has dipped at the back. When you run a board over it there is a point that it see-saws. The table slides on a tight dovetail and can be adjusted up and down to match the blade height, but there is not an adjustment that I can find to change the angle, front table or back. It was an inexpensive jointer and I've more than gotten my money out of it.

You don't mention a straightedge in your reply, so if you haven't confirmed that dip with a straight edge, the out feed table is probably just too high. Lower the table until you get a snipe on the end of the board, then just raise it a hair. Ideally, the out feed table should be just a couple of thousandths of an inch below the cutter. You may be doing it just with your technique as well. When you start joining, the board should have the concave side to the bed. If you start with the convex side to the table, then move your hands back and forth from out feed to in feed, the board will rock just as you say. Once you get enough board on the out feed table to control it, your hands should never go back to the infeed side of the machine. All the accuracy is with the cut on the out feed table and the cutter head. Excellent article in the last Fine Woodworking. I have no idea of your skill level, but your terms used to ask for help would indicate you haven't made a lot of furniture. I apologize if I am making a wrong assumption.

[Shannon Brantley]

The same article in FWW is what spurred me on to do the tune-up. A straight edge (actually 2 to make sure one wasn't off) is what I was referencing to find the problem. I assumed it was the outfeed and the cutter, as you did, but those adjustments did no good. The edge gets level and the back side is lower. I don't think it's my technique because before I had no problems, not that I'm not a novice. Compared to you guys, I haven't made a lot of furniture. I don't get near the time in the shop that I wish I could. Which is one of the reason't that I was inquiring about a better jointer. When I am out there, I'd rather be building than trying to fine tune a cheap machine.

[Craig Behnke]

I don't get near the time in the shop that I wish I could. Which is one of the reason't that I was inquiring about a better jointer. When I am out there, I'd rather be building than trying to fine tune a cheap machine.

I agree with that sentiment, and while i'm not saying ridgid or other brands are cheap (in fact some are really nice machines for the money), I found that my ridgid 6 inch jointer needed more TLC and set up time than I was willing to give. my time in the shop is very limited and I wanted to reduce correction/maintenance/setup as wisely as I could. Also, i'm newer to woodworking, so I don't have the accumulated knowledge/experience to nurse out of alignment tools back to perfect.

All of those issues can be addressed, but there are trade offs. I went with a 12 inch combo jointer/planer with a spiral cutter head and it has served my purpose of hobby woodworking. It just flat out works and works perfectly each time I use it, even after 100 changeovers from jointer to planer....it's still dead on.

I have been able to make more stuff in a short amount of time, I don't fuss with set up, I don't have to correct for issues after I joint, etc. I get more done....but it came at a higher $ cost upfront.

[John Piwaron]

If you are the original owner, and the Lifetime Service Agreement was registered, Ridgid may do a repair or replace. Even if you really are set on trading up, it's easier to sell a rebuilt machine to help fund the new one. Just a thought...
earl

Gotta be careful about that. He might not get enough from the sale to make the hassle of fixing it worth doing.

[John Piwaron]

The same article in FWW is what spurred me on to do the tune-up. A straight edge (actually 2 to make sure one wasn't off) is what I was referencing to find the problem. I assumed it was the outfeed and the cutter, as you did, but those adjustments did no good. The edge gets level and the back side is lower. I don't think it's my technique because before I had no problems, not that I'm not a novice. Compared to you guys, I haven't made a lot of furniture. I don't get near the time in the shop that I wish I could. Which is one of the reason't that I was inquiring about a better jointer. When I am out there, I'd rather be building than trying to fine tune a cheap machine.

When I started woodworking I didn't know that the title of "machine repairman" came with it. Repairing and maintaining your machines is part and parcel with the woodworking you do. When I get into a situation where I have no idea what's wrong, I'll either take it in to be repaired (if I can carry it) or get a replacement. Fortunately I haven't had any trouble with my jointer. That's the one that might offer the greatest challenge if I had to do a real repair.

[Shannon Brantley]

Craig, I looked at a couple of those but all the moving parts scared me off. Good to hear that you had good luck with it. A 12" would be a huge help at times. Is yours a Jet or Rikon?

John, I'm no stranger to that, for sure. A big part of my day job is fixing equipment. I actually enjoy it. But I've learned to know what's worth the time. It was one of the first machines I bought when I started woodworking do it's around 10 years old and it is definitely a weak link in my shop now. Sometimes you need a push to upgrade and I'm taking this as the opportunity. Much easier to get the wife on board with a situation like this, too. ;)

[Craig Behnke]

Craig, I looked at a couple of those but all the moving parts scared me off. Good to hear that you had good luck with it. A 12" would be a huge help at times. Is yours a Jet or Rikon?

Don't let the moving parts scare you. Switchover is the flip of a lever and a flop of a dust collection hood, takes 5 seconds. The combined Jointer/Planer designs are pretty refined now and super easy to use. You need to see one in action to believe how easy/simple they are to operate. I bought a brand called Hammer. It has worked out very well for my needs.

[Earl McLain]

Yeah, i hear that. Until about 6 months ago the nearest warranty shop for anything was at least 90 minutes away. Then a kid from our township got authorized with Ridgid and Makita (and maybe Milwaukee)--built a shop about a half-mile down the road from us. He's been doing repairs on a lot of stuff since he was a little kid, and comes from a long line of tinkerers. I don't often buy new tools, but having Kyle close by will influence a close decision if i'm ever in that position.
earl