Parallelogram tables ?

[Seth Poorman]

Hey guys
Im thinking of upgrading from a 8" jointer to a 12" jointer w/ parallelogram tables.Are these type of table hard to adjust if they become out of wack!
My PM 8" has always stayed true w/ its dovetailed ways,should I stay w/ a 12" that has dovetailed ways?????
Your opinions please.....

[glenn bradley]

I've been spending some time and will spend more studying-up on jointers. The parallelogram beds are stated as easier to adjust and requiring it less. Table adjustment for a good machine's dovetail ways should only come into play if it is used A LOT as you are actually correcting for the ways wear-factor.

I bet some DT way jointer owners could chime in who have used their machines for years without any problems. I am currently leaning toward the P-beds.

P-beds move along the curve of the knives when raised and lowered thereby keeping the gap between table and knives narrower and offering more support at the table to knife transition point (or so I read). Some folks have stated this as a disadvantage as it impedes airflow and results in less that optimum dust collection unless you've got a powerful DC.

As I don't have enough $$$ yet to move on this I am free to continue my studies ;-) Please everybody, chime in as the more we talk about this, the more I learn.

[Ted Miller]

After owning a few jointers I found that the main advantage IMHO, is that over time the dovetail ways on your tables will wear and then of course shimming is needed, jibs need cleaning. It was not fun the few times I had to do it and I swore my next purchase I will not be doing this again. The parallelograms will not go out of adjustment due to wear. Since the tables are spring counter balance its a piece of pie to adjust and then no worries. I just purchased the 12" York and the Beds were pretty close to .001 but I got them within that mark and now I am as flat as I can be...

[Marc Casebolt]

Seth,
I have one of each, a 6" DT, and a 16" parallelogram. They both work fine. I almost never adjust the table hieght unless they get new blades, so it will take a long time to wear them out. They both are set to take off about 1/32", and that seems to work for us.
On the 16" I had one heck of a time adjusting the tables. I would get them even, then adjust the infeed and it would be off by several thou. I redid this over and over, even went and bought a Starret 48" straight edge to be sure it was right. Then it would be out as soon as I moved the infeed table. I was ready to drag that piece of #@%* out to the alley.
Turns out the pins that the tables pivot on were dry as bone, and the tables were binding when I moved them. I sprayed WD40 on the pins and cranked them up and down about a bajillion times while spraying some more.
I had to adjust them one more time, but they slide like butter now, and stay in perfect allignment.
Having said all that, I think either one will work well for you.

Marc

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Wow Ted. You actually wore out the dovetail ways? I think the last time I adjusted my jointer tables was during the Reagan administration. :)

-Jeff :)

[Ted Miller]

Jeffery, I am a blade changing sharpening cleaning fool. Didn't actually wear out the ways but on the machines I had the tables were never perfect, I want perfect. I found out you can actually rabbet with the jointer, (light bulb). I buy all my wood in the rough and I would say my jointers are the hardest working machine in my shop besides the TS. When I edge I am moving the fence to different areas of the blades, I don't just keep the fence all the way back and use the same spot on my blades on every edge cut...

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

upgrading from a 8" jointer to a 12"
Wise move. I had a little 6" jointer for years and I can't imagine how I managed without my 12" Hammer jointer. A big table will spoil you fast. Get a beastly powerful motor 'cause when you are jointing the face of a 12" piece of rock maple you'll need all the ponies you can get and the low end motors one finds on so many machines don't really deliver the HP or torque they are rated for.


jointer w/ parallelogram tables. Are these type of table hard to adjust if they become out of wack!
Only hard of the person who has a hard time thinking his way around how the thing sits. If you can picture it in your head you'll be golden. Adjustments can be way more precise too.


My PM 8" has always stayed true w/ its dovetailed ways,should I stay w/ a 12" that has dovetailed ways????? That's because it's a PM.
They have, however - IMNSHO -, in the last couple years started to let quality slide a tad (just like almost every one else in the US except NORTHFIELD). PM let General run the hell all over them on the bench top mortiser.


Your opinions please..... I think you'll really like a 12" high end parrallelogram jointer.