?incra and jointech question?

[Keith Spaniel]

HI, i got a jointech ipm 1 postioning jig and have read the directions 4 times.
Nothing really clicked and so i need to get the video. I havent had any luck finding a video for the jointech but I found a dvd for the incra.. Is the incra closely the same.Would the incra video help on the jointech? thanks for any help. Keith

[David Giles]

Keith, I don't think this is what you're asking for, but here are my notes from a Jointech factory visit back in 1994. I was having trouble setting up the Clincher and they had a whole different way than was described in the book. The key is getting the rails perfectly level and in the same plane. Using two strings across the diagonals is the best way to get the rails coplaner. Use 3/4" spacers to get the strings above the table.

Parallel miter slot to saw blade: Not necessary for clincher adjustment, but prevents readjustment if done at a later time.

Parallel bridge to saw blade: Take clincher off bridge. Put bridge onto rails over the cast iron table top next to the saw blade. Pull back bracket tight and square, then install front bracket. The bridge should be parallel to the blade. Up to 0.020” (or more?) can be shimmed at the last step. The bridge should not pivot around one end at all (racking). Very important to avoid sloppy bridge movement.

Set rail width: The support rails must be exactly the same width from the saw blade to the end of travel. Loosen the bolts in the auxilary table. Pull rails apart about 1/8” more than parallel. Lightly snug the bolts. Slide the bridge down the rails using the bridge to pull the rails together. Tighten table bolts and double check clearance of rails to bridge. The bridge should not rack anywhere along the rails and should smoothly glide along the rails.

Install clincher: Move bridge away from saw table. Extend clincher and install onto bridge. The fence should be over the tablesaw top. Square clincher arm to the bridge and lightly snug bolts.

Set fence height: Put a credit card or two business cards under each end of the fence. This is higher than the official manual.

Install fence end clamps: Install the back clamp pushing it tight and square against the back rail. Install the front clamp tight and square against the front rail. Gently pull up on the bottom of the clamp when tightening bolts. Remove height spacers. Sometimes tightening the bolts on the front clamp changes the clamp position. If there is a gap between the top of the rail and the bottom of the clamp, add 1-2 pieces of slidetape or try one business card under the fence. The clamp should set flush on the rail top and be tight against the front edge.

Square clincher: Lock the bridge in place. Slide the fence toward the bridge allowing the fence position to adjust on the bridge. Tighten clincher to bridge bolts. Recheck. Extend clincher and lock arm in place. Using two fingers, the clincher and fence should easily slide along the rails without racking.

Shim fence to blade: Using the two bolts that hold the fence onto the clincher arm, shim the fence to the blade. The back should be slightly further from the blade than the front. I also think these two bolts allow adjustments of the fence height to bridge height.

If the two slide pieces on the fence are bowed inward
A)Tighten only the back knob and check for square.
B)Remove inner knob. Lightly tap through hole with flat punch. This moves the aluminum support ledge out. Tap back from face side if necessary.

If this doesn't make sense, I'm sorry, but I sold the Jointech before I ever figured out how to get everything properly set.

[Keith Spaniel]

David, sorry for not explaning my self better. I want to use this for my router, I have it on the table and secured, I just dont know how to use it to cut dovetails. i do have the templets and the book. I am really trying to find a video to help understand how to do the dovetails.
I cannot find a jointech video but have found a incra video ,do you know if the incra video would help me to understand and set up the jointech?
thanks,Keith

[Guy Germaine]

I don't know anything about the Jointech, as I have the Incra. If it's anything like the Incra, the directions are a little confusing at first. Read the book, even if it doesn't make sense(yet). Once you read the book, take it out into the shop, and get some scrap to play with. Find a joint that you want to make, and just follow the directions, step-by-step. Once you follow along with the directions, and actually do it, it will click.

That's what I did. When I got my Incra, I sat at the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee and read the book. It made absolutely no sense to me. Once I read through the book, I went out to the shop, grabbed some scrap, picked a half blind dovetail, and just followed along with the book. The dovetail came out perfect! Once I was done, It all made a lot more sense.

[Dave Falkenstein]

Looks like some Jointech dovetail how-to video projects here:

http://www.jointech.com/jointech_video.htm

Apparently in VHS format, but maybe one or more of these will help you?

[Keith Spaniel]

Thanks for your help guys.
I just called Jointech and talked to Ernest, he was real helpful and is sending me one for free. keith

[David Giles]

That's what I get for not knowing what an IPM is. Sorry for the verbosity. I wrote it years ago and thought, finally, some one is interested! Oh well!