How do you use the jointer?

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I try to feed the board about 4 or 5 inches onto the outfeed table with two jointer push blocks, then switch the leading hand to the outfeed table and when there is only 6 inches or so on the infeed table lift the trailing hand and transfer the push block to the outfeed side.

Is this correct?

[Gary Keedwell]

I try to feed the board about 4 or 5 inches onto the outfeed table with two jointer push blocks, then switch the leading hand to the outfeed table and when there is only 6 inches or so on the infeed table lift the trailing hand and transfer the push block to the outfeed side.

Is this correct?
It is my understanding that you dedicate most of you pressure onto the outfeed side after the board passes the cutters a ways.
Gary

[Mike Cutler]

Jeff.

I'm assuming we're talking face jointing??

The material need to "float" across the cutterhead. Pick your grain orientation for the least chatter. Start the material over the cutter head. Look to see where the material is being removed from.
Apply a slight downward pressure with your left hand on the material in the location of where the material is being removed. You're not trying to force the material down. Just enough pressure to maintain control and contact with the outfeed table
Using your right hand guide the material toward the cutterhead, while maintaining the slight downward force with the left.
You will reach a point where enough material is on the outfeed table to apply more downward force with the left. At this point you will need your planer block, or jointer shoe, to move the material over the cutter head. You're just trying to guide it though. The pressure and control is on the outfeed table.
I've never had good success with those planer blocks that come with a jointer. They always seem to slip around on me. I use my hands and then a shoe, an "L" block, to control and apply pressure to the very end of the board with my right hand.

Light cuts and repeat. If necessary make a bunch of diagonal lines with a pencil to keep track of where material is being removed on the joined face.

It's harder to explain than it is to show.

[Fred Voorhees]

Mike, you may have simply worn out the pads on the bottoms of the jointer blocks. I did so and got some advice somewhere to remove the old ones and cut to size and replace with some cheap computer mouse pad material. Worked like a charm.

[Gary Keedwell]

I have used some coarse sticky sandpaper on the bottom.
Gary

[Jason Beam]

Like Mike, I have never had good luck with those cheapie push blocks. The pads get real slick (dangerously so, ironically) after even a wee bit of sawdust exposure. I've found that the occasional wipe down with mineral spirits helps keep 'em "grippy" but I ultimately pass them on for shoes and "hook" style pushing tools instead.

[Mark Singer]

It is a tool that takes some experience. Understanding wood is part of it. As it moves trough a flat area is created, with sensitivity focus on the flat spot as the plane that will dominate. This way you can plane concave up if you desire.

[SCOTT ANDREWS]

It is a tool that takes some experience. Understanding wood is part of it. As it moves trough a flat area is created, with sensitivity focus on the flat spot as the plane that will dominate. This way you can plane concave up if you desire.


Mark
What is your preference as far as concave up or down for flatning the first face.TIA
Scott

[Roy Wall]

Scott,

My take on it is to put the concave "down' for flattening. This way you have the two edges to stabilize the board - and you'll see what about the knives cut off on each side during the first pass. Convex down and it would seem to 'rock' easily...

Same principal I use in handplaning - except now the concave is up on the work bench. Using pencil marks, the handplane can go diagonal across the board and keep showing you the high spots on the sides and the low spots in the center areas. This is what Deneb from LN taught me at the Woodworking shows......

[SCOTT ANDREWS]

Thanks Roy.

[John Thompson]

"I've never had good success with those planer blocks that come with a jointer. They always seem to slip around on me".... Mike Cutler


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Mike...you might have a look at grout smoothers at the Box stores in the flooring and tile section. A little more expensive but...larger.. 5/8" thick rubber pad well secured the main-frame and the handles are well made. Add a piece of self adhering 180 grit sand-paper if you have any for scary sharp.

Much sturdier and the rubber seems in-destructible as I have used the same ones for 6 years after throwing away the "kiddie blocks" that are currently on the market.

Sarge..

[Mike Cutler]

"I've never had good success with those planer blocks that come with a jointer. They always seem to slip around on me".... Mike Cutler


********************


Mike...you might have a look at grout smoothers at the Box stores in the flooring and tile section. A little more expensive but...larger.. 5/8" thick rubber pad well secured the main-frame and the handles are well made. Add a piece of self adhering 180 grit sand-paper if you have any for scary sharp.

Much sturdier and the rubber seems in-destructible as I have used the same ones for 6 years after throwing away the "kiddie blocks" that are currently on the market.
Sarge..



Well now there's a gareat idea. I even have a few old ones in the basement from a bathroom tile project.
Usually I just screw a piece of scrap wood onto those planer blocks to catch the trailing edge.
Thank's Sarge.

Fred.
I'll try the mouse pad idea also.

[Mark Singer]

Mark
What is your preference as far as concave up or down for flatning the first face.TIA
Scott
It depends on the board. Usually concave down.

[John Thompson]

[quote=Mike Cutler;722679]Well now there's a gareat idea. I even have a few old ones in the basement from a bathroom tile project.
Usually I just screw a piece of scrap wood onto those planer blocks to catch the trailing edge.
Thank's Sarge.

You're quite welcome, sir. Sometimes you have to go "outside the box" with your thinking to arrive at suitable solutions on occassion. About once a month I take an hour or so and just walk the aisles at one of the Box stores and glance at items in "all departments". You never know...

That's how I discovered the grout smoothers. As soon as I saw them the lights came on and flashed... BINGO! I am somewhat of a tinkerer as I probably have made modifications on every machine or machine method in my shop. Keeps an aging man out of mischief... ;)

Sarge..

[Chris Padilla]

I use my J/P very, very, very carefully! ;)

I have a 16" width to play with that I know most here do not but I often run my boards across at an angle to try and get as much of a shear cut as possible. It really does help a lot on curly/squirrely maple with tear-out prevention/minimization.

[John Thompson]

I use my J/P very, very, very carefully! ;)

I have a 16" width to play with that I know most here do not but I often run my boards across at an angle to try and get as much of a shear cut as possible. It really does help a lot on curly/squirrely maple with tear-out prevention/minimization.

And the bad news is:
You are correct that most don't have a 16" jointer that would allow you to pick up and angle to shear on squirrelly woods as bird-eye maple.

The good news is:
You can shear cut with standard knives on a smaller jointer by "skewing" the fence. You are just not going to be able to do it with the widths you can attain with a 16" jointer.

Regards...

Sarge..

[Jim Becker]

I also use my J/P very carefully...but don't use push blocks. They slip around too much for me. But I take very great care about hand placement, work slowly and also use a Euro (bridge) guard.

I almost always do the skewing of material for an even finer finish, especially on figured stock. But it works well with even plain figured material. I don't joint edges very often any more since I straight-line rip on my sliding table saw with clamps, but when I do edge joint, I work slowly and with the stock indexed to the fence with my hands. My fence is tall which makes that easier, IMHO.

[glenn bradley]

I transfer my effort to the outfeed table once a safe amount of material is present.

[Jim Becker]

I transfer my effort to the outfeed table once a safe amount of material is present.

Same here...better for both safety and the job you are doing.