Infeed table for Jet JPP-12 jointer / planer

[Cooper Anderson]

I need to be able to joint longer boards, maybe up to 10 or 11 feet long. I'm having problems on my Jet combo, and I think "some" of these problems are due to the length of the bed on the jointer (or lack thereof). The bed is only about 55".

Has anyone tried to build an infeed table designed around a scissor jack for height adjustment.

You can find images of these all over the Internet, but I'm attaching a picture that basically shows what I'm thinking about building.

Does anyone think this could or should work? Anyone tried something similar? Why wouldn't it work?

I wonder if it would allow me to make very, fine adjustments to the height of the infeed table, so I could match the height of the infeed part of the jointer bed?

Thanks

[Sebastien La Madeleine]

I would consider instead using a table attached to the machine and single point to the floor.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/Bandsaw-Table-System_5F00_11.jpg

That way it would easily be adjusted in reference to your jointer table... only one adjustment required instead of 2...

[Erik Loza]

You could do that and it would probably work fine but for around $350, you could just buy an Aigner extension table and it would have a support leg that is adjustable, so you would never have to worry about keeping that whole wooden table planar. And it would be a lot less hassle to fabricate, store, etc. Just a thought.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i315/erikloza/Mini%20Max%20Bandsaw%20Works/AignerTableMounting1.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i315/erikloza/Mini%20Max%20Bandsaw%20Works/AignerTableMounting2.jpg

Erik

[Andrew Hughes]

Setting up a whole separate table to be coplane with your jointer beds sounds difficult.And would keep me in a perpetual state of aggravation.
I used a roller stand in the past to get me close.
Maybe try that first.

[Cooper Anderson]

Wow. That looks promising. I'm a bit reluctant to drill holes into my Jet jointer bed. Would that be necessary? Is it easier than it sounds?

[Mel Fulks]

With a vintage heavy duty jointer, boards of that length are easily done by one man working without auxiliary table. And the jointers with "wheel" adjusted tables are easily moved a thousandth at a time with a retro fitted pointer and filed marks on adjustment wheel. But I'm not saying your table idea won't work. I do think it would work best with marks on the floor for exact placement ,other wise you would be adjusting the thing too often for it to merit serious consideration.

[Cooper Anderson]

Sounds like the consensus is...yes, it's possible but difficult and there are easier ways to accomplish the same thing.

To attach an extension accessory to the bed of my jointer/planer, I would have to drill holes into my Jet cast iron bed, correct? That sounds like a scary proposition. Is it as difficult as it sounds?

[Warren Lake]

ive jointed 14 to 16 foot boards on several occasions What worked for me is you do not want to try and make an extension flush, all you want is some support for the board when its a certain distance off the machine.

My support was just under the infeed and outfeed tables. you do your work on your outfeed table and the length you stated is fine. Normally I use a saw horse with a 3/4" melmine top, the boards slide nicely on that. I had also used bearing rollers maybe a four foot sections but always found them annoying if they are not perfectly in line your boards want to walk in the alignment of the rollers.

Trying to make the supports flush is a waste of time, it will work against you. get support on either side its all you need even if its an 1/8 down, when the long board is hanging way off your jointer table you dont want to be pushing down extra hard to try and hold it from tilting.

[Rod Sheridan]

You could do that and it would probably work fine but for around $350, you could just buy an Aigner extension table and it would have a support leg that is adjustable, so you would never have to worry about keeping that whole wooden table planar. And it would be a lot less hassle to fabricate, store, etc. Just a thought.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i315/erikloza/Mini%20Max%20Bandsaw%20Works/AignerTableMounting1.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i315/erikloza/Mini%20Max%20Bandsaw%20Works/AignerTableMounting2.jpg

Erik

I'll second Erik's suggestion.

I have a Hammer A3-31 and I purchased 2 table extensions that are 400mm in length, along with the mounting rails.

I can use the extensions on other machines as well by purchasing mounting rails. The rails attach to the sides of the table by drilling 2 holes if you don't have a Felder or Hammer machine.

The extension Erik illustrates is about 1 metre long and has a leg, the shorter extensions don't use a leg.

I believe in the USA Martin carries Aigner, Felder do as well for the extensions and other items..............Regards, Rod.

[Cooper Anderson]

Warren, I've often wondered if simply having some solid support, even if it's 1/8" lower than the bed of the jointer would work. I'll look for some adjustable saw horses and give it a try. Thanks for the advice.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm partial to a free-standing roller stand that can be moved out of the way. Bolting an infeed permanently means you lose all that shop space permanently. But I'm betting that the 10-11ft jointing requirement is a sometimes thing - not an everyday thing.

[Warren Lake]

You do you work on the outfeed not on an extension of the outfeed table, its up to you and how you place and work your material on the outfeed. if you dont have support its dangerous you would be pushing your board down as it wants to tip off at some point. once you are removing material and onto your outfeed table your hands are pushing your board along on the outfeed just past the cutters

Ive done it as simple in the past that I angled the jointer to my work bench so as five feet or more was hanging off the outfeed then it rested across the end of the work bench for support. The melmine is way better as the wood slides easily. You dont have to be 1/8" down and less is better. I just try to get it fairly close to flush the type of horses I use are a single horse with four adjustable feet on the bottom. Its easy to dial them in to flush or close to it the odd time I might be off and its going up hill at the far side sometimes I just put a straightedge on going off the outfeed. The attachment shown is the same idea, fancier, cheaper when I have the horses around and they are adjustable, I have them anyway

[John TenEyck]

As mentioned earlier, a roller stand works well for me. I use the same one to assist with heavy/long pieces on the jointer, bandsaw, and drum sander. When I don't need it, it folds flat and stores easily. HF - $16. Lots of bang for not many $'s.

John

[Rod Sheridan]

I'm partial to a free-standing roller stand that can be moved out of the way. Bolting an infeed permanently means you lose all that shop space permanently. But I'm betting that the 10-11ft jointing requirement is a sometimes thing - not an everyday thing.

Hi Prashun, only the mounting rail bolts to the jointer, the tables clip on and off the mounting rail........Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Sounds like the consensus is...yes, it's possible but difficult and there are easier ways to accomplish the same thing.

To attach an extension accessory to the bed of my jointer/planer, I would have to drill holes into my Jet cast iron bed, correct? That sounds like a scary proposition. Is it as difficult as it sounds?

Hi Cooper, cast iron drills very easily, it's not scary at all.

Regards, Rod.

[Erik Loza]

The Aigner's do not require precision drilling, since you bolt through the cast iron table, not into it, so no tapping is required. As Rod said, it's no big deal. I just mock up the mounting lip and mark the spots with a sharpie, then start a pilot hole and then the real hole. Takes maybe 15 mins for both holes. Because you bolt through, there is plenty of room for fine adjustment before you tighten the lip down. Roller stands are another option but I like the Aigners for the fact that you can just stick them on the wall when you are done and also, you can daisy chain them and get as much infeed or outfeed support as you need: 3', 6', 9', whatever you want. We had Aigner lips mounted on every machine in the shop back in the day: Shapers, bandsaws, etc.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i315/erikloza/Mini%20Max%20Combo%20Seminars/Aignerextensions.jpg

Erik

[Prashun Patel]

aha. I should have known they'd be smarter than I!!!

[Cooper Anderson]

This idea is really starting to grow on me. Thanks for the pictures and clear advice.

[Warren Lake]

Cooper since you asked about the height difference here is sort of an answer. I found old photos of rollers both sides then this was in between rollers on infeed and instead of the adjustable horse here is one of my adjustable finish stands on outfeed with melamine on top, its just what is around grab and go. There were times i had material butted to a table and a bit lower or just a support well out from the table it didnt make any difference as I work on the machine not the support, the support was for the material, it was for safety the more it extends off the table. There is less drag and wood flies on the rollers but I still prefer just a piece of melamine and wax it. this was a 14 footer of doing some 14-16 footers. 4/4 rough 8" wide moulding grade pine that I was able to get 7/8" out of flat and straight.

Have to look for photos of the adjustable horses with Melamine on top just one day I was looking at them and thought if I put adjustable metal feet on them they will be more usable for different things. the pipe stand you see is just a round pipe in a pipe and a welded on nut with a bolt you can move it up and down to what you need. The horses would not work for a bandsaw without being blocked up as the bandsaws are higher but the pipe stand would work as it has a good range from low to high.

338520

[Curt Harms]

I'm partial to a free-standing roller stand that can be moved out of the way. Bolting an infeed permanently means you lose all that shop space permanently. But I'm betting that the 10-11ft jointing requirement is a sometimes thing - not an everyday thing.


Yup, roller stand. Set the height with a long straight edge off the infeed table. I try to cut boards to rough length before face jointing, it makes for less waste.

[Ronald Mancini]

I have done thousands of BF of T&G and I always used a high grade roller stand. Minimum fuss and cost and with a good level you get perfect results every time.

[Derek Stockley]

Here is a picture of my shop-made version with my Hammer A3-26. If I used often, I would probably spend the few hundred to get the aluminum ones Rod suggested, but these only come out once a year or so, so I don't fuss with it too much. These only took a couple of hours to make from scraps.

338615

Additional pictures and details can be found here: http://www.makingsplinters.com/2014/07/hammer-a3-26-shop-made-extension-tables/

[Curt Harms]

Very clever, Derek. I'd thought about something like that but could never come up with a satisfactory way to attach the extensions to the jointer tables. Never thought about 80/20. Thanks.

[Derek Stockley]

Thanks Curt - Actually, what you're seeing there is the mounting rail for the Hammer's fence. So you did come up with the 80/20 - great idea. :D