delta dj-20 jointer infeed table bowed

[tony mashadi]

Hello- So I bought this dj20 used but very clean. I didn't think of checking surface at the time ( rookie, I know) and as I was coplaning the tables today I noticed my infeed table is bowed. I mean when I put a straightedge (a good one) across the length on the infeed table only, I can rock it. it's flat in its width (8") everywhere but across the length it kinda starts dropping down half way through so the 8" edge at the beginning of the table (right hand side) is like 0.02 lower than any 8" cross section in the middle or further left on the table. I was thinking if I put pressure on boards that I'm jointing from the half point of the table forward or even on the outfeed table instead, this shouldn't effect the work much. Am I missing something? Also if I'm doing long boards could I put some of those slippery tapes (dont remember the name) on the beginning part of the table to make up for this drop? I know that doesn't sound very good either. Is there a way of fixing this, short of having a machine shop grinding it, and do I need to fix it or my earlier thoughts could work? Thinking a machine shop perhaps chargea enough to make this not worth it. It's a bummer as I was very excited about this buy
Thank you all in advance for your opinions.

[tony mashadi]

Thinking again, I guess I should run some boards through it and see (like I should have to begin with:). I guess I was so bummed out I could hardly wait till morning to run some real tests:), hence asking before I even tried the machine. So, pardon my impatience in adding a thread before testing and gathering more data.

[Peter Quinn]

If you have a good straight edge on the DJ 20 infeed table, and you can put a .020" feeler gauge at the beginning and or end of the table, meaning you have pronounced convex hump in a the middle.....IMO that's a serious problem. You should certainly run test pieces to see actual results on any wood working machine. The jointer is the the machine that sets the standard for square or the rest is f the process, occasionally one gets wonky, should be fixed if so. You could yank offending table and have it ground flat, just be certain it's a problem.

if you are saying there is .002" space under the straight edge.....I'd remind you the wood and to move on with working it!

[David Kumm]

Better the infeed than outfeed. It shouldn't affect most boards as the hand pressure is near the head and mainly on the outfeed. The DJ 20 tables were not the best ground on the planet IMO. Mine has the same droop but less, and a slight one right at the lips but it still works fine. Tables just not anywhere as flat as my old jointers. Dave

[tony mashadi]

Thanks guys. It certainly has the hump in the middle and ya it's actually as bad as 0.02" in the end. The out feed is dead flat and it did good for couple test boards as I put my pressure on outfeed and or near the head on infeed. Yet to see how it'll do on long/large boards. It's a shame as otherwise it's like new so for 700 I thought I'm getting an ok deal. O, well. I have to look around to see if grinding in a price that's reasonable is even an option (if it happened to be necessary of course. One thing that is tempting to me is ordering a grizzly infeed table as the 2 machine look like carbon copied and I already know the fence and cutter head and some other parts are compatible with delta with no modification except color. Grizzly sales them in mid 200s which is a great deal comparing to what I imagine grinding would cost.
Thanks again for your replies.