Which jointer?

[Tullie Templet]

I am ready to buy a jointer and I would like some input on which to buy. I narrowed my choices to these 6" jointers: Ridgid jp0610 for $399+tax, the Jet JJ-6csx for $474 delivered., the Yorkcraft YC-6J for $405. delivered or the Grizzly G0452 for $383. Can I get input on which you would reccommend and goods and bads of any that you know. I know ya'll will say to get an 8" but the budget will not allow for one now and I really want to know about these 6". I will see what ya'll reccommed and decide between the 6" or wait and get an 8" Grizzly. Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

My only experience with machines on your list was with the Jet and it was excellent. But jointers are pretty simple machines. Something to check on the ones you are considering...jack screws or springs on the knives? The former is easier to adjust, IMHO.

[Paul Johnstone]

I had the 6" Jet for about 10 years. It was a great machine.

Don't know about the other 2.

[Pete Brown]

I have the JP0610. It's decent, but very lightweight. If you put anything significant on it, you have to watch out for tipping. Any open-stand (and many closed-stand) 6" jointers will be the same. Dust collection was reasonable with my cyclone, although I did get some blow-back chips on the infeed table. Also, none of the Home Depots around would stock the blades, so I just picked up Freud jointer blades and used them.

If you can pick up a good used 8" (like you said, I recommend an 8 <g>), I recommend that. It wasn't long after I bought the Ridgid that I wished I had bought an 8". I thought an 8 wouldn't fit in my shop, but I have to wheel the 6" to the door anyway to joint anything of any size, and I could do the same with an 8" or 12" for that matter :)

FWIW, if you want new, Grizzly currently has the G0586 8" 2hp jointer (http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0586) on sale for $595.

Pete

[glenn bradley]

I tell you what bunches of people told me and I didn't listen. Wait a little longer and go straight to an 8". I realized that I had been given good advise less than 2 months after buying my 6" jointer. I am currently saving for an 8" and will get it none-to-soon.

Just a thought. Take it with a grain of salt. If you are primarily doing small pieces and do not need to flatten a surface in excess of the jointer's capability, you'll be fine. Think width AND length, anything over about 3 feet long is too much for my 6" Delta. I start to push it around with the mass of the material.

Just notice the difference between Paul J and Pete B's posts. Paul and many others are in great shape with the 6". Pete and I are wanting a larger one. This doesn't mean one is better than the other; it means one is better for the user than the other.

I underestimated my needs and will now take a hit on my used machine and pay what I would have paid anyway for the larger one. Just food for thought.

[Matt Day]

I tell you what bunches of people told me and I didn't listen. Wait a little longer and go straight to an 8". I realized that I had been given good advise less than 2 months after buying my 6" jointer. I am currently saving for an 8" and will get it none-to-soon.

Just a thought. Take it with a grain of salt. If you are primarily doing small pieces and do not need to flatten a surface in excess of the jointer's capability, you'll be fine. Think width AND length, anything over about 3 feet long is too much for my 6" Delta. I start to push it around with the mass of the material.

Just notice the difference between Paul J and Pete B's posts. Paul and many others are in great shape with the 6". Pete and I are wanting a larger one. This doesn't mean one is better than the other; it means one is better for the user than the other.

I underestimated my needs and will now take a hit on my used machine and pay what I would have paid anyway for the larger one. Just food for thought.

I agree, mostly. Like many others, I got a 6" jointer (Delta X5) and upgraded to an 8" (Shop Fox W1741) less than a year later. It's a much heavier machine, but doesn't really take up that much more space surprisingly. You have to really set aside a whole wall for a jointer, whether it's a 6" or an 8", so even though I went from a 46" to a 75" bed, it didn't make that much ofa difference in my small shop suprisingly. But again, it weights about 2-3 times as much.

I got a brand new 8" jointer for $700 shipped and other have gotten similar deals, so the opportunities are out there. Or keep an eye out for a used machine. There was an old 8" Rockwell for sale locally that was $600 and got reduced to $500 for instance (I would have bought it at $500, but it was reduced after I made my purchase).

What I disagree with Glenn about is the length of material. The general rule of thumb is you can joint material twice the length of the bed. I didn't feel like I was pushing my 6" jointer around with 6' long boards, IMO.

[Paul Johnstone]

Let me add that I just bought an 8"..

However, I got 10 good years out of the Jet 6".

The width was never a big deal for me. It was a little frustrating at times on length. I could face joint a 6' board on the Jet, but that was kind of pushing it. Edge jointing long boards wasn't a problem.

People will say that it's better to save up for an 8", but it all depends on your finances. I got about 10 years use out of the Jet, and after selling it, that "rental" time only cost me about $200 (Price new minus price sold as used).

When you are starting out, you can't always wait and save up for the ultimate. Life is short, so if you've got other stuff to buy, a quality 6" jointer isn't that bad. Usually I could find some boards that were straight enough to just use the planer if I needed a piece longer than 4'. I saved the boards that needed to be joined for smaller peices (less than 4') and joined them.

It's not the end of the world if you can only afford a 6" jointer. I guess that's my point. Better to get the 6" and have something you can use until your finances allow better. I'm glad I didn't go the last 10 years without a jointer, waiting for a good deal :)

[glenn bradley]

Matt,

I should have been clearer. My 6" is a benchtop. He's just a little guy ;-)

[Rich Person]

I have the jet 6", and it is great for edge work, but is short of doing face work because of much of what I would work with are 1x8 stock. I will likely hold onto mine until I'm ready for a 12" combo machine. But, if I had it to do over again, I would wait, save the money, and get an 8" with a longer deck.

[Ted Miller]

I used a 6" Craftsman for a few years then went to a 8" Delta. I just wanted more table width and I was ready to move up 2 years after I had the 8" to something larger. The 6 was ok but most of my stock was usually wider then 6". The Delta 8 was fine for length and width but the levers drove me insane, I just could not get used to them. So I went with a 12" York with wheels for bed adjustment and the parrallelogram beds are a great thing...

[John Shuk]

I too would wait for an 8 inch machine. That said I have a Rigid jointer and it is very nice. I can't imagine what the others bring to the table is so dramatic a to pass up the lifetime warranty on Rigid tools.

[Greg Cole]

I have a G0856 in the shop and love it. Will never say I regret buying the 8", but for a few bucks more I could have had a 10" or 12" etc or for $400 I would love the Byrd Head and it's on "the list". This is something we all run into whether you are a Neanderer, a Festoolian, a Newbie to WW'ing or a lifer. We as humans, always want the biggest baddest & best. Reality, LOML's, finances, available shop space and a few other things I am sure to not mention all work against those desires of bigger, badder & better.
Here is my rationale:
Identify your need (and consider your wants). Once in a great while they will be identical (if your luck is better than mine).
Buy a brand you already own and like and you will rarely regret at least that portion of the purchase. Or buy one you have used, a friend has etc etc. Some can buy these types of tools sight unseen, not I.
Buy what you can afford for the obvious reasons.
Buy what you need. As long as you aren't going to sell it and buy the afore mentioned bigger, badder or better replacement anytime soon... you will have a tool you need.

[Ron Fritz]

I have the Rigid 610. It's been a good jointer and has done everything that I needed it to right out of the box. So far I haven't really seen the need for a 8" jointer, but that's just me. I also have a planner which helps.