Jointer adjusting levers?

[Dave Cav]

I know the Grizzly G0586 vs the G0490 thread has been beat to death over the past few years, but I have one question that I haven't seen discussed much, if at all. Given the relatively small price difference once you throw in the mobile base, one major difference is the 586 uses conventional handwheels to adjust the tables, while the 490 uses levers. I had an older Grizzly 6" jointer for a few years, and it had lever-type table adjustments. I absolutely hated them. It also had a lousy fence adjusting system, but they have since improved that. My problem with the levers was that it was very difficult to make fine adjustments, especially to the outfeed table, and I eventually sold it just because the levers and the fence were so much trouble to deal with. I'll be getting a new 8" jointer later this spring or summer, and I was interested to see what others thought about the G0490 in general and the lever adjustments in particular.

Thanks
Dave C

[Stephen Edwards]

I recently purchased the G0604X, which is basically the 6" version of the GO490X. When mine came in the outfeed table was a wee bit low. It was a simple adjustment to fix, took about 10 minutes to get it tuned in just right.

Now that I've become used to them, I like the lever adjustment for the infeed table. Of course once the outfeed table is set, I don't mess with that anymore. I've good service so far out my machine.

[Tom Esh]

I have it's little brother, the 604. The levers work very smoothly but I never adjust the OF table without a dial indicator. Way too easy for me to bump it and loose the starting reference. I suppose wheels would be more bump proof, but unless they were attached to something like 40 tpi acme lead screws and you could just count turns, I'd still be pulling out the dial indicator.

[Joe Jensen]

I'd say that since you have experience with levers and hate them, I wouldn't do it again. I have a Powermatic 8" with levels and I don't like them either. I don't have try to do precise adjustments with mine, but I move it a little by hitting with my hand, or if I try to move but pushing, it moves too much. If I loosen the gibs, then the tables are not straight. Oh well...joe

[Chris Friesen]

I'll be getting a new 8" jointer later this spring or summer, and I was interested to see what others thought about the G0490 in general and the lever adjustments in particular.

I have a jointer that's nearly identical but from another vendor. I haven't had any problems with the lever, given the smoothness of the parallelogram action. Usually with a jointer I'm not working to a specific dimension anyways, just trying to get it straight. If I'm removing 1/63" instead of 1/64", it doesn't really matter.

[Peter Quinn]

I haven't used a grizzly jointer, but I have used numerous jointers with both hand wheels and levers. I like levers better for a parallelogram table and wheels better with dovetail ways. If everything is properly lubricated and in working order levers seem to be much easier for the types of course adjustments I typically expect from a jointer, but they are also capable of very precise adjustments also. I wouldn't at this point go back to hand wheels or a dovetail jointer setup, I find both to be a general PIA.

[Jake Helmboldt]

I have a jointer that's nearly identical but from another vendor. I haven't had any problems with the lever, given the smoothness of the parallelogram action. Usually with a jointer I'm not working to a specific dimension anyways, just trying to get it straight. If I'm removing 1/63" instead of 1/64", it doesn't really matter.

What Chris said. My SF 1741 (identical to 0490) has very smooth levers and adjustments couldn't be easier.

[Scott Vigder]

I have the 0490, and haven't had to adjust the levers for over a year. Can't remember how well they work:o.

[Paul Simmel]

I like my levers, actually. For a really crooked board I can drop the infeed down a 1/4" or more in a second, then raise it right back up. I pay attention to the gage, and you get the feel for it very quickly. Just a slight pull or slight push = a few thousandths. You don't have to be precise on the jointer anyway... just flat and square before you go to the planer.

[Dave Cav]

Thanks, everyone for all the replies. I may re-think the levers; I seem to recall my biggest problem with the levers was on the outfeed table, getting it adjusted properly for no snipe, etc. This was on an older jointer with dovetail ways. I also know Grizzly's quality has improved considerably in the last five to ten years, and the original jointer was purchased twelve to fifteen years ago. When I get ready to make my purchase I'll spend some time in the showroom messing around with the various models and then make up my mind; I doubt if I can go too far wrong with any of their 8" jointers.

[glenn bradley]

As stated, if the levers are a negative for you I would avoid them. I have been looking at these two jointers as well and although I would prefer wheels, I prefer the extra HP and the P-beds on the G0490 / G0490X so I'm still leaning that way.

[Peter Quinn]

Is it possible that Grizzly is not doing a particularly good job with the lever adjustment mechanism? I used to work in a shop with a 12" SCMI (parallelogram tables with levers) and you could take a few thousands off a board when necessary for tuning inset doors and such. There was a big scale on the infeed table measured in fractions of a millimeter. When you moved that lever it really moved slowly and accurately over the entire scale. It took a wide swing of the lever to make a minor adjustment to the table height, and there was no binding or sticking. Admittedly an industrial SCMI is several steps above most moderately priced machines in both cost and quality so a comparison is not exactly fair or meaningful, however my DJ-20 comes pretty close to the same functionality.

This may be irrelevant to you, but I was taught when making any height adjustment to a machine to lower the mechanism beyond your intended setting then come slowly back up to it before locking in your setting to compensate for any slop in the machinery. It uses gravity to your advantage and avoids any minor changes to your settings caused by vibration during use.