Jointer Tune Up - Will Box Level Suffice for Straightedge?

[Bruce Barker]

I want to tune up my vintage 6" jointer, and need a straightedge to check flatness of infeed and outfeed tables. I'm thinking about springing for a real straightedge, but I got to wondering: would my Johnson 4-foot level work as a straightedge? If not, any ideas of how to obtain a quality straightedge at a reasonable price? Thanks!

[Spencer Hochstetler]

I want to tune up my vintage 6" jointer, and need a straightedge to check flatness of infeed and outfeed tables. I'm thinking about springing for a straightedge, but I got to wondering: would my Johnson 4-foot level work as a straightedge?

That's what I use. Mine's aluminum and very well taken care-of.

[jason lambert]

That should work. We use a starett 4' or 6' ruler they can be had for about $10 and work good enought. If not a good straght edge is $$$ but the ruler should work just get it in the length you need.

[Greg Cole]

For table co-planarity etc, it should be "ok". For checking flatness of tables etc, not so much. After using a level to set up my 8" from the factory, I made drastic improvements in the performance of it when I bought a straight edge and went through the machine again.
For really accurate set up a straight edge is well worth your $. You'll find more uses for one than setting up a machine once in a great while.
Don't forget a ball tip style dial indicator as well. A few thousands there and there all add up and there is a noticable difference in the stock off a machine where those thousands are as few as possible.

Cheers.
Greg

[Jeff Duncan]

It depends on the level, I've seen some that were absolute junk and others that were dead on. If you lay it on the jointer table and it's dead flat you should be fine.
JeffD

[Dennis Lopeman]

I have a "new" jointer that I will have to also learn how to use - and TUNE - so I'm going to be faced with these same exact scenarios... do I use a regular level? Do I want to spring for a expensive edge that I will only use once a year or something?? etc etc...

Thanks for the tips

[Eric DeSilva]

I finally sprung for an uber-accurate 4' straightedge, and all it did was confirm that the rough set up I did on my jointer with a 4' aluminum level was dead on. But, I've never dropped my level... and I figure I musta picked a straight one from the pile when I bought it. Maybe you can find a friend or a creeker in your area with a good straight edge and just check your level (probably easier than moving the jointer)... I'm not sure I'd loan my super precise, finely machined pretty lil block of steel to anyone, but would be happy to have 'em come over and check something against it.

[Bruce Barker]

I should have made note of this in my original post...FWW June 2000 has an article in its jointer tuneup article regarding how to make a sort of straightedge (well, three points along an edge that fall in a straight line). I assume there would be copyright issues if I posted it. However, that is not the solution I'm after; I want to also check each table itself for flatness, not just that the two tables are in a plane. So I really need a "continuous" straightedge.

Any advice on where to find less expensive straightedges? The one available at the local Rockler was a bit of a shock, pricewise. Where would I find a $10 Starrett rule?

Roger the ball tip dial indicator. That's ready and standing by.

[Michael Schumacher]

I've seen an article, I think from Fine Woodworking about making your own level using three pieces of wood (MDF) and three screws to make a nice straight edge. You can at least check the jointer out/in feed to see if there are level to each other. Using this method you'll at least be able to determine if the tables are co-planer.

Sorry - don't have a link for the article...

Michael

PS: I'm also in the same boat - have had a new G0490 jointer for 6 months now, still haven't gotten time to tune it up. Of course the thing that prevents me from doing it is the fact that I don't have enough cash to purchase levels/straight edges.

This is going to be my next purchase this Friday -

http://www.oneway.ca/workshop/multi-gauge.htm

[Howard Acheson]

>> Johnson 4-foot level work as a straightedge?

I don't know about a Johnson but I've used a 48" Stanley Aluminum lever for years.

When you go to pick one out, mate it against another one swapping end for end. If there is no discernible light between the two, you can assume it is straight enough for jointer table alignment.

When it's all said and done, the proof is in the actual jointing. If it doesn't joint flat, slightly adjust and try again. That's the way I learned from an old timer. They didn't have "precision" straightedges and dial indicators.

[Samuel A. Livingstone]

Straight edges. I have been swayed by my brother who is a tool and die maker. Having the comfort of knowing a machine has a flat, non-twisted surface and that the jointer tables ( Martin T-54) are flat over the 6 and 4 foot beds is very nice. One less thing to worry about as a source of error. I use a six foot Starret straightedge that I bought from Amazon. there are 3 and 4 foot also availaable. I store it on its own shelf in well protected space. It is also helpful for table saw, shaper, projects and work bench. The jointer is within several thousands of an inch flat. Jointed 6 foot maple boards have no light between the two edges for the entire length.

Sam Livingstone

[Kim Spence]

Some time back there was a thread about straightening a cheap aluminum BORG ruler/straightedge on a jointer. IIRC, the poster jointed it straight with no notable damage to his steel jointer knives. But this assumes your jointer is already tuned and can produce a reliably straight edge.

I've tuned a few tools with my "free" homemade straightedge. Nothing more than a long piece piece of beveled qtr sawn oak (should be fairly stable). Each time I grab it to use it I run it across the jointer and take off a 64th or so to ensure its straight. I use it with a cheap BORG feeler gauge. When I lay it on my jointer infeed bed I see no light under it and can hardly get some of the thinnest feeler gauges under it. I'd say its straight within maybe a handful of thousandths over its 3 or 4 foot length. Good enough for me.

My opinion is this is accurate enough for majority of WWing setups. I think woodworkers get overly worked up about having such tight tolerances in their machine setups. Afterall, the nature of wood is that it will likely "move" during machining more than the few thousandths of error introduced by not having a $200 straightedge.

[Mike Spanbauer]

My stabila 48" level is as straight as my 40" machinist straight edge along its entire length (within .002" along the entire lenght!)

mike

[Rick Levine]

I found this tape to be quite useful for tuning up my jointer.

[Peter Quinn]

One of the best jointer set ups I've seen was done by a guy with no straight edge, no dial indicators, no feeler gauges. Just test pieces and tweaking. The old school results oriented method. You have to know which adjustments affect which alignments, play around a bit.

This guy tuned up a badly adjusted 12" parallelogram powermatic so it was everyone's favorite machine again. I don't know if a box level is accurate enough, some probably are at least good enough to give you a starting point. I don't know where you can find a quality straight edge cheap either. But it is possible to set up a wood working machine with out going down the expensive and uber anal machinists road.

[Spencer Hochstetler]

One of the best jointer set ups I've seen was done by a guy with no straight edge, no dial indicators, no feeler gauges. Just test pieces and tweaking. The old school results oriented method. You have to know which adjustments affect which alignments, play around a bit.

This guy tuned up a badly adjusted 12" parallelogram powermatic so it was everyone's favorite machine again. I don't know if a box level is accurate enough, some probably are at least good enough to give you a starting point. I don't know where you can find a quality straight edge cheap either. But it is possible to set up a wood working machine with out going down the expensive and uber anal machinists road.

Excellent point. I use my level to get close and then joint some 4' boards until things are aligned; i.e. when there is no convex or concave curves in the boards after jointed as determined by holding them against each other and trying to twist them. Proof is in the pudding.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

if you have Fine Woodworking subscription, please check this article. It show how to tune-up jointer with homemade straightedge.:)
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ToolGuide/ToolGuidePDF.aspx?id=2643:)