Joiner Question

[Don Baer]

I picked up a very small 4" Joiner w/ 3 cutting blades. (The price was right :D ) and it needs a motors. I am trying to figure out what size to put on it. I have looked at the 6 " one at the borg and they typically have a 1 1/2 HP motor. I checked online and found some come with 3/4 - 1 hp motors while others use 1 1/2 hp motors. Not that I'm cheep but I also don't want to waste a 1 1/2 motor when a 3/4 will do fine at about 1/2 the $$.

What size would you put on this guys suggest or should I just be a time taylor and go for the "More power".

Pics to follow when I get it cleaned up and operational.

[Mike Cutler]

Don. Not to be a smarty pants, but I gotta ask, are there any physical space limitations?.
If you are just going to be edge joining a 3/4 HP will do fine. The bigger jointers require more power for face joining, and the fact that the cutterhead is much bigger physically. At 3" of cutterhead width I can't see that a 3/4HP or maybe even a 1HP motor wouldn't be able to handle the load

[Don Baer]

Mike,
Actually this joiner had a 4" width also but ya I was thinking 3/4 HP. After all I realy can't get that big a piece on it. The table is 23" long. Since the joiner is so small I am planning on building it own little stand and mounting the motor underneath it.

[lou sansone]

my direct drive 16" machine uses a 5 hp and spins a pretty big cutter head ( over 5" cutting diameter ), I would guess the 3/4 hp would be fine if you figure something like 3" per hp.

lou