Jointing jig for tablesaw

[Mark Clemmens]

So I posted this: http://download.plansnow.com/plansnow-tablesaw-jointing.pdf in another thread recently, as I don't have a jointer at the moment and can't afford the one I'm plan on buying just quite yet. I built this jig yesterday and I just wanted to share it with anybody who may be interested in jointing on the tablesaw.

The jig works extremely well. While I was building it, I was basically just hoping the whole time that it would work well enough after all the time I spent, and it far exceeded my expectations. It's made up of a plywood rib frame attached to an MDF base (which is clamped to the ts fence), with an MDF facing. I also added a blade guard, which I simply took from an extra ts blade guard I had. The screws on the back of the pivoting levers are stapled with cable staples to the top of the MDF facing, and the back of the levers have shims to hold them in the proper vertical plane, parallel to the blade.

The most difficult part was aligning the MDF facing perfectly flat and straight in the vertical plane, as this functions as the "bed" of the "jointer". My ribbed plywood frame was slightly curved along the length in plan, so I had to shim the MDF facing along it's length, checking with a square / straightedge and with my eyes from each end as I went.

While I was cutting the "infeed table" (~1/16"), I spaced and went about 12" further than I was planning. Not a huge deal, as it's 96" long total with a 28" outfeed, so it still functions just fine. After cutting the infeed (which I did over a few cuts, raising the blade each time), I lowered the blade all the way, positioned the jig over the blade and cut a recess behind the actual position where the blade will spin while in use. This provides clearance on the inside of the blade. I'm currently working on a way to quickly position the jig exactly where it needs to be without having to manually align it each time.

Anyway, here are some photos, figured somebody might be interested.

Mark

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[Prashun Patel]

Very nice. I have a question about jointing this way. When using a jointer, pressure is placed on the outfeed bed to keep the piece referenced to the straightened side of the piece.

This jig would seem to function the same way: pressure might should be placed against the outfeed fence. Referencing to the infeed side would make the jig function like a planer, not a jointer, right?

But referencing off the rear side introduces the threat of kickback, no?

If anyone understands the mechanics of how this works, I'd appreciate some light shed.

[Chris Padilla]

Very nicely done, Mark!

[Mark Clemmens]

Very nice. I have a question about jointing this way. When using a jointer, pressure is placed on the outfeed bed to keep the piece referenced to the straightened side of the piece.

This jig would seem to function the same way: pressure might should be placed against the outfeed fence. Referencing to the infeed side would make the jig function like a planer, not a jointer, right?

But referencing off the rear side introduces the threat of kickback, no?

If anyone understands the mechanics of how this works, I'd appreciate some light shed.

Prashun,

It essentially functions exactly like a jointer, except the cutter is 10" diameter as opposed to 2.5" or whatever your jointer cutterhead measures. It is definitely kind of awkward, but it's not too bad. As soon as a couple of inches of the workpiece crosses onto the outfeed "table", you switch and apply pressure to the outfeed side, continuing to feed the board as usual.

The threat of kickback is pretty much gone, as the jig is very solid and will not move, and the blade is buried in the cylindrical recess. About 1/16" of the blade's width is exposed on the front side, which is what does the cutting. There is really no way I can see that the workpiece could catch the top of a blade tooth.

Mark

edit: here is another photo showing the recess in the MDF facing for blade clearance.

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