Jointer Traction issues...

[John Sanford]

Today, I finally started using my MiniMax FS30, and it's mostly a joy to use. The annoyances of it are not the topic of this thread though. Rather, it is something that I have encountered a little bit before, but the work I was doing today really brings the issue to the fore.

I'm working on my new workbench, which will likely turn out to be a Split-top Roubo (split or not is the question), a long one, about 9' or so. A 9' top means processing 9'+ hard maple lumber, 8/4, 6" or wider to start with. I've tagged the jointer beds with TopCote, but I'm still having a heck of a time keeping the timbers (borrowing an appropriate term from the rest of the Anglosphere) moving. My hands will slip, and even the pushblocks will slip. I'm wearing gloves since I've gotten sliced before by hard maple's sharp 90d edges, and my soft computerdude hands don't want to be bleeding any more on this bench.

I need more traction between me and the timbers... suggestions?

[Matt Day]

Maybe try some good ole paste wax and see if that's any better? Globes are my go to when I run into this. I use the sticky nitrile type gloves.

[Robert LaPlaca]

I'm working on my new workbench, which will likely turn out to be a Split-top Roubo (split or not is the question), a long one, about 9' or so. A 9' top means processing 9'+ hard maple lumber, 8/4, 6" or wider to start with. I've tagged the jointer beds with TopCote, but I'm still having a heck of a time keeping the timbers (borrowing an appropriate term from the rest of the Anglosphere) moving.

I need more traction between me and the timbers... suggestions?

Wow, that is quite a formidable task... I would second the suggestion of using lots of paste wax on the jointer beds, also one would assume that the knives are sharp and the depth of cut is not too heavy.. As much as I like my MM jointer/planer I don't think the bed length is optimal for really long lumber lengths, without resorting to jointer bed extensions..

[Bernie May]

I have a combo unit that experiences similar resistance to wood sliding, especially in planer mode. I was told one should sand the tables with 400 grit wet dry paper. I plan to do that soon. I first cleaned them and waxed them and that helped, but not enough to my satisfaction.

[Dave Cullen]

I've had that issue with maple too. I find that wearing heavy leather welding gloves and wrapping my fingers around the top of the board gives me a better grip, though with a 6" jointer my stock is narrower than what you have. My push blocks have rubber soles which help a bit too.

I watched an oak "timber" being jointed at a local hardwood dealer and they had a power feeder that made short work of it. Just sayin'...

[Bill Orbine]

Paste wax..... on the tables. Butcher's Wax, the bowling alley paste. For both the jointer and planer tables.


If the stock is still difficult to move, especially with the jointer, you need some help with support. Especially at the start and the end of the feed. Consider an extra set of hands or stands. For support only! You feed and guide!

[Prashun Patel]

Make a long push shoe with a cleat at the heel. This will allow you to use parallel force instead of relying on friction to do that.

The super long length of the shoe will require multiple handles so you can leapfrog.

[Rod Sheridan]

John, the jointer and planer tables require waxing, frequently unless you wish to use spray lubricant such as the Supergleit that's available from felder and I presume MiniMax..Rod.

[Erik Loza]

Make a long push shoe with a cleat at the heel. This will allow you to use parallel force instead of relying on friction to do that....

+1 ^^^^, in addition to the paste wax. I use the leather-palmed Mechanix-type gloves as well.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Prashun Patel]

Also, in my limited experience, a hard block of paraffin wax is a better lube for jointer beds and plane bottoms than paste wax or any of the more "protecty" kinds of coatings. A little scribbling like a 5-year old on a wall is all you need and it really does wonders.

[mreza Salav]

I had to plane hundreds of 8/4 (8-9' lenghts) boards, some 8" wide for the 31 doors I made. After the first 10 or so pieces I realized how labour intensive the task is (I have a FS350, which has a slightly longer bed). You need support on the back and front if you want to do it manually. I eventually installed a powerfeeder on my Jointer to do it for me. One of the best ever decisions I made.

[Myk Rian]

I have a combo unit that experiences similar resistance to wood sliding, especially in planer mode. I was told one should sand the tables with 400 grit wet dry paper. I plan to do that soon. I first cleaned them and waxed them and that helped, but not enough to my satisfaction.

And what is the reasoning behind sanding them? It's something I wouldn't do.

[Erik Loza]

And what is the reasoning behind sanding them? It's something I wouldn't do.

One thing I do on all new machines is go at the table surfaces with scotchbrite pad and some oil under my RO palm sander. Knocks down the grain left by the milling machines. Then paste wax. have heard of folks using sandpaper but the scotchbrites always worked fine for me. Running wood for a while accomplishes the same thing but you can just duplicate the result quickly with the scotchbrite.

The "planer" part of jointer/planers, no matter which brand you own or how much you spent for it, always seem to be really sensitive to drag on the feed assembly so the waxing the planer bed is really important there.

Just my 2-cents.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Mel Fulks]

I never use gloves when using a jointer. Push block is a block of wood with three sharp screw points protruding about a 1/4 inch.
I'm never pushing a board without down pressure on out feed table and the screw points are the best way I've found to do
that without help.

[Judson Green]

Something I've done when processing long and heavy lumber is to NOT plant my body above the cutter head, pressing down and feeding from there. You can drop the leading end of the board on the jointer and push it/guide it in to the cutter head from the very back end of the board, just like you would with a table saw. When the board gets near the center (fully supported by the jointer) walk to leading end of the board and drag it though. I usually pulled the board back to the infeed side just a inch or two before walking to the other end. When squaring you've got to keep your eye on the fence and don't lift up too much on the board or you'll bring it out of the cutter head.

You might think your results won't be that great but I think you'll be surprised. Did this all the time in my shop and the commercial shops I've worked in. Obviously when your lumber/boards gets to smaller lengths you'll move back over the cutter head.

[John Lanciani]

...I find that wearing heavy leather welding gloves and wrapping my fingers around the top of the board gives me a better grip
I...

I'd urge you to please reconsider both of these practices; ending up with the nickname "Stumpy" if you ever mis-judge the location of your fingers or slip while facing a board on a jointer could well be the result otherwise.

[Robert LaPlaca]

I'd urge you to please reconsider both of these practices; ending up with the nickname "Stumpy" if you ever mis-judge the location of your fingers or slip while facing a board on a jointer could well be the result otherwise.

I agree, there is no way I am using any gloves when using the jointer, I always use some kind of push block. Come to think of it I will not use gloves when using any stationary power tool for that matter..

[Lee Schierer]

You can add some 60 or 80 grit peel and stick sandpaper to the bottom of your push blocks for increase traction. I would also recommend waxing the tables with a couple of coats of paste wax. I keep some old candles in my shop for lubricating hand plane soles. It should also work on jointer tables.

[Frank Drew]

+3 on the advice to avoid gloves with power equipment, at least not anything that's not thin and skin tight. The risk is that the blade or knife can catch the glove material and pull your finger into it.

[Erik Loza]

Regarding gloves, I only use the (relatively) tightly fitting Mechanix-type. There is nothing loose that could catch on a tool. Just abrasion protection for your hands. Oversized/loose leather gloves? No way!

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Myk Rian]

Ever play shuffleboard? Ground erasers are sprinkled on the surface. I've often considered getting some for the jointer.

[Bas Pluim]

Make some sturdy handles (2x4 material is great) and glue them directly to the timber. Much easier to move the board when you don't have to worry about slipping push pads or sharp edges. Once jointed, knock them off. Any glue or handle residue will be planed flat . It's not practical for everyday jointing because of the setup time (glue needs to dry...), but I assume you don't work with timbers this size regularly.

[J.R. Rutter]

Drive screws through a block so that just the tips protrude. Attach handle of your choice.

[Dave Cullen]

I'd urge you to please reconsider both of these practices; ending up with the nickname "Stumpy" if you ever mis-judge the location of your fingers or slip while facing a board on a jointer could well be the result otherwise.

I will add that I've only done this for 6/4 and thicker stock, but you're right of course and I retract my suggestion.

[Larry Copas]

I routinely joint boards up to 15” wide and 16' long by myself. I set up a couple of heavy shop made roller stands. After getting them set up, sometimes it takes a little tweaking to get the elevation just right. For slickem I use Johnson's paste wax and sometimes also sprinkle a little baby powder on the tables. I often use the extremely tight fitting gloves with the rubber dots that brick layers use for traction. Face jointing I use the Gripper Ripper things.

I normally don't face joint, preferring boards that are properly sawn and dried. Flat and warp free doesn't require jointing.

Today's project to illustrate is a 14” wide board 10' long.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/5tucker/jointingawideboard.jpg

I do have something I've always wondered about to reduce friction. The bed on my Griggio jointer is planed rather than ground and that helps. Taking the same idea to the fence....it is a tall aluminum fence and I've thought I could mill grooves maybe a 1/2” wide and a 1/2” apart length wise. This would reduce friction from the fence by half. Any comments?

[Peter Quinn]

Lots of shops I've worked in had a piece of an old Widebelt sander sheet sliced open and glued to the floor in front of the jointer, a little saw dust on concrete or plywood is an excellent lubricant, which sucks when you need traction. I almost always wear gloves on the jointer. Typically I use the $4 rubber palmed fabric gripper gloves from the Borg. Blue or green rubber. I cut all the finger tips off before use for two reasons. I need to use my finger tips as feeler gauges often throughout the day and don't care to keep pulling my gloves off to do so. Secondly, I never want the tip of on of those floppy things to get sucked into a cutter and lead my hands in. That said....if you shove your hand into a jointer, gloves or no, it is going to be very unpleasant....so the "no gloves" argument on a jointer is IMHO moot and bunk. Keep your hands well clear of the cutter head, wear gloves as required. If you own those little rubber push thingys that come with many jointers.....put them near the router table or throw them away. Maybe ok for small thin short stuff, but for most stock they fall between a joke and a danger in my book. Seriously....you aren't really in control with those tipsy things between you and the wood. It's like another layer of bad middle management in a corporation....

I'm fond of a good wooden push shoe with a heal to get the boards past the cutter head at the end. It helps you push forward but not so much down which is more important with long skinny stuff like 4/4 that is harder to straighten than your maple timbers, it also helps keep those valuable computer hands well away from that finger eating spinning thing in the middle. If the long stuff is dragging at the beginning and end you need more support, also make sure the knives are parallel with the out feed table, if they are low even a little it can make things drag incredibly even on a huge jointer.

[Steve Jenkins]

I'm in the tight fitting glove camp for the jointer to eliminate slipping hands. The best ones I have found were at Lowes . They are called stickey gloves or some such.

[rudy de haas]

One of my friends has a similar problem. To reduce friction while avoiding having rollers affect the direction in which the wood moves he has
embedded ball bearings in his table extensions - like these, from rockler http://www.rockler.com/ball-bearing-rollers (Not a recommendation for Rockler, just the first applicable google result). Height adjustment is tricky, and dust works its way everywhere including inside the bearing housings, but over-all it works very well.

[Jeff Duncan]

I'm another "rebel" who wears gloves for jointing. I used to think they were dangerous, but in winter when your hands are dry and slipping off the wood, it's more dangerous to not wear them! I use the cheap blue ones from the Borg with the rubber grabby material. They keep my hands exactly where I want them with no fear of slipping, especially with the bigger timbers. BTW for smaller stuff the push blocks still work fine. It's once you get into the big heavy stuff where you need the extra help.

Like any operation in a wood shop, you need to be careful and always know where your extremities are in relation to the cutter(s). As Peter mentioned already, you shove your hand into a jointer head and gloves or no gloves….things are not going to be pleasant.

good luck,
Jeffd

[John Sanford]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. A little more detail that I should have included initially. My push blocks are the typical plastic beasts with rubber soles. I was wearing Mechanix gloves, both the gloves and the blocks would slip sometimes. Understand that the wood has been more than a year seasoning here in the high desert, so it is DRY. I have one of the Ridgid Flip Top Portable Work Supports (http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Flip-Top-Portable-Work-Support-AC9934/100618242) on the infeed side, and am using my fortuitously heighted current workbench for outfeed support. One thing I started to do on Weds after the first few timbers that improved things a bit was hitting the bottom of the push pads with water, it gave some grip. Unfortunately, the pads would actually be dry before I reached the end of the timbers, so the effect wasn't as good as it would be with shorter workpieces.

Today, I jointed, face and edge, most of the rest of the timbers. Before doing so, I hit the jointer beds with paste wax, put some sharp screws through my push blocks, and secured some of the aformentioned blue "dot" grippy knit gloves which I used when edge jointing. I can't say for sure whether it was the paste wax or pointies on the push blocks, or the combination, but the wood was MUCH more mobile. Wednesday I called it a night because I was beat from wrasslin' the wood. Tonight, I did about the same amount, and I could have done done just as much again and still wouldn't be as drained as I was Weds.

[Rollie Kelly]

For push blocks, get small wooden floats for concrete and fasten 3" mending plates to the bottom. They look evil, but they are effective and keep your hands away from the knives.

[Frank Drew]

I almost always wear gloves on the jointer... I cut all the finger tips off before use ... I never want the tip of on of those floppy things to get sucked into a cutter and lead my hands in...if you shove your hand into a jointer, gloves or no, it is going to be very unpleasant....so the "no gloves" argument on a jointer is IMHO moot and bunk.

Wise move, IMO, to cut the finger tips off, but your final conclusion -- don't shove your hand into the cutterhead because gloves won't protect you -- is contradicted by the preceding caution, that you don't want the gloves themselves to get caught, thereby pulling your hands into harms way.

The warning about wearing fingered gloves (or rings, etc.) when using power tools is definitely not bunk.