Benchtop Jointer?

[John McKissick]

Do to space and budget limitations I am considering benctop jointes vs the typical full sized machines which I am sure are better.

The best candidates I have found thus far seem to be the Rikon 8" and the Wahuda 8" Both have helical spaced carbide cutters but both cut at 90 degrees to board feed, not true helical cutters. Both are quite similar cost and published features seem similar. Rikon is sold by both Rockler and Woodcraft which is a plus for them. So far the best place to get the Wahuda is direct from manufaturer.

Any noteworthy differences in performance between to the two to sway me one way or the other? Customer service? Another sleeper brand out there I haven't heard about? I do want to avoid machines full width knives

I currently do mostly softwoods but doing more with oak lately. I don't anticipate getting into more exotic or super hard woods.

https://www.rikontools.com/product/20-800h

https://www.wahudatools.com/8in-benchtop-jointer-p/50180cc-whd.htm

[Frank Pratt]

Looks like they are almost clones of each other. No doubt made in the same factory. Rikon has a 5 year warranty, the Wahuda is only 2 years. Both priced the same. I'd go with Rikon.

[Ron Kanter]

Another possibility if you can find one is Inca. Originally Swiss made, but no longer manufactured. High quality with a cult following. Most models are jointer/planers.

[John McKissick]

Good point on the warranty.

Noticeable weight diffrence and see some small differences so being clones wouldn't have my conclusion. Interesting point.

[John McKissick]

Another possibility if you can find one is Inca. Originally Swiss made, but no longer manufactured. High quality with a cult following. Most models are jointer/planers.

I couldn't find any on Ebay searching locally so probably not a viable option.

[Frank Pratt]

Good point on the warranty.

Noticeable weight diffrence and see some small differences so being clones wouldn't have my conclusion. Interesting point.

There are some minor visible differences, which is why I said "almost clones". The housing and fence appear to be nearly identical. The shipping weight of the Rikon is 61 lbs. Wahuda only has 1 weight specification; 64 lbs, which I bet is also the shipping weight. So they're pretty close or the same for the actual machine.

If you have to go with a bench top, these look like a solid choice, far better than most of the bench top jointers out there. And the bed extensions will make them much more capable.

[Jeffrey Hood]

I recently bought the Wahuda, and am very happy with it... the 8" capacity is great, and the bed extensions work very well... It isn't as nice as a floor jointer, but I don't have space in my shop for a floor jointer, and do most of my flattening of longer boards by hand before running them through the planer anyway... but it is great for smaller stock, and the fence and bed work great for me when needed... I did get the aluminum bed model without the coating after reading some not so great reviews of the coated bed... the carbide cutters are so much better than the old Porter Cable benchtop jointer I had 20 years ago (that I gave away long ago...)

[John McKissick]

I recently bought the Wahuda, and am very happy with it... the 8" capacity is great, and the bed extensions work very well... It isn't as nice as a floor jointer, but I don't have space in my shop for a floor jointer, and do most of my flattening of longer boards by hand before running them through the planer anyway... but it is great for smaller stock, and the fence and bed work great for me when needed... I did get the aluminum bed model without the coating after reading some not so great reviews of the coated bed... the carbide cutters are so much better than the old Porter Cable benchtop jointer I had 20 years ago (that I gave away long ago...)

Thanks for your detailed impressions. At what size would you avoid the Wahuda and flatten by hand?

[Andy D Jones]

The only meaningful difference I saw was that the Rikon inserts are High Speed Steel (HSS), whereas the Wahuda inserts are carbide.

Carbide stays sharp much longer than HSS.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[John McKissick]

Do to space and budget limitations I am considering benctop jointes vs the typical full sized machines which I am sure are better.

The best candidates I have found thus far seem to be the Rikon 8" and the Wahuda 8" Both have helical spaced carbide cutters but both cut at 90 degrees to board feed, not true helical cutters. Both are quite similar cost and published features seem similar. Rikon is sold by both Rockler and Woodcraft which is a plus for them. So far the best place to get the Wahuda is direct from manufaturer.

Any noteworthy differences in performance between to the two to sway me one way or the other? Customer service? Another sleeper brand out there I haven't heard about? I do want to avoid machines full width knives

I currently do mostly softwoods but doing more with oak lately. I don't anticipate getting into more exotic or super hard woods.

https://www.rikontools.com/product/20-800h

https://www.wahudatools.com/8in-benchtop-jointer-p/50180cc-whd.htm

It just clicked in this not so fresh brain matter after re-reading the description. The Wahuda has cast iron tables and the Rikon is machined aluminum, doesn't even say cast aluminum. Along with the good rep of the Cutech brand (long legal story behind that) I think the Wahuda is the better choice I think warranty not withstanding.

[Bill Carey]

I recently bought the Wahuda, and am very happy with it... the 8" capacity is great, and the bed extensions work very well... It isn't as nice as a floor jointer, but I don't have space in my shop for a floor jointer, and do most of my flattening of longer boards by hand before running them through the planer anyway... but it is great for smaller stock, and the fence and bed work great for me when needed... I did get the aluminum bed model without the coating after reading some not so great reviews of the coated bed... the carbide cutters are so much better than the old Porter Cable benchtop jointer I had 20 years ago (that I gave away long ago...)


2nd all of this - I got the Cutech 8" aluminum beds and love it. For what I do - almost all QSWO, less than 5' lengths - it works great.

[Scott Winter]

The only meaningful difference I saw was that the Rikon inserts are High Speed Steel (HSS), whereas the Wahuda inserts are carbide.

Carbide stays sharp much longer than HSS.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

Also the Wahuda has 4 sided inserts versus the two for the Rikon model.

[Jeffrey Hood]

I have edge jointed the 6' front skirt (8/4 ash...) on my new bench top recently, and it worked fine with the extensions... to get rid of cups and twists on boards, anything under 5' work fine... definitely (for me...) well enough to get it flat enough that I can run it through the planer to finish off and get two nice parallel sides... 4' or less it works as well as some floor jointers I have used in the past...