Member
Have one - like it very much. Everyone trashes the fence. It looks flimsy but in practice has been flawless. Dust collection in jointer mode was less than satisfactory until I followed Curt Harms tip can place a piece of 1/4" dowel in a certain location. Now it's 100%.Originally Posted by Arnold E Schnitzer
Do a search - there have been other opinions posted.
Member
I was at a Woodworking Show last weekend and a local retailer was offering the Jet JJP-12 for $1,799. The national advertised price is currently $1,999.
I also spoke to a Jet representative at the Show. I mentioned that removable add-on bed extensions may be a nice option since there are some folks that feel 55" long jointer beds are too short. He seemed to like that idea. I recommended that he search our forum as there is a wealth of good information and ideas regarding jointer/planer combos.
As for the fence on the Jet JJP-12, I thought it was more rigid than the Hammer A3-31 end mounted fence. However, I have no actual hands-on experience with either machine; only show room browsing and speculation. I do like the fact that the Jet JJP-12 fence is more compact and doesn't have to be removed from the machine during conversion.
-Jeff
Thank goodness for SMC and wood dough.
Member
As I lay uneasily in bed trying to sleep on this very dark and stormy night, I heard a strange creaking sound, a footstep on a slightly loose floorboard perhaps or the slight "screek" of a door hinge. Lightning struck at that moment and I thought it must have been my imagination. But then, there it was again... unmistakable this time... someone..... or something was slowly creeping down the hallway toward my bedroom door.
Suddenly, rain began to fall, a heavy, pounding rain that beat like a drum corps on the roof, obscuring all other sound. I wished to all gods that I had closed and bolted the bedroom door before climbing under the covers which suddenly seemed inadequate against the chill I felt in my spine. Gripped by fear, I cowered in the dark as whatever was coming toward me moved closer. Again the lightning... this time accompanied by a cacophonous crash of thunder and for a brief second I caught the glint of finely machined cast iron.
Almost paralyzed, my mind raced around the room trying to think of something I might use to defend myself. My beautiful hand turned hardwood bedside lamp would certainly be of no use against hard metal and, for the first time I cursed the lust for woodworking and the feel of finely polished timber that had tempted me to replace the heavy brass lamp base with this useless piece of wood. It was coming closer now and again the lightning struck, this time almost on top of me. illuminating the room and in that terrifying second I saw it. My combination planer/jointer, its iron tables hard and cold, guard gone and the multi faceted cutting edges of the helical insert cutter head bared and gleaming like the teeth of some terminator machine monster. How could I have been so stupid! I had forgotten to lock the shop door again!
After my Japanese chisels had attacked my wife and child two years ago, I had vowed never again to forget to lock these dangerous and unpredictable woodworking tools in at night. Now, here I was, stupidly at the mercy of my own planer/jointer. What's worse, I hadn't fed it in weeks and now here it was, teeth bared, drooling sawdust by my bedside and me without a single thing within reach to defend myself with that was not made of wood. Trembling, I backed against the fine walnut headboard that only a fortnight ago had been a pile of lumber being fed to the very same machine that was now so threateningly approaching .
Over the bed hung a painting done by my mother in law. It stunk... she was a lousy artist but it had provided me with an excuse to indulge my cursed, insatiable passion for woodworking by making a wenge frame for it. This was my only defense and I grabbed it from the wall and shoved a corner of the frame into the cutterhead of the viscous machine as it came forward. It chewed up that wenge like it was balsa wood, taking the hideous painting with it. My last thought before I felt the cold steel chewing flesh and bone, making me scream in agony and finally taking my life was that I would never have to look at that painting again.
Last edited by Chris Padilla; 03-09-2009 at 3:29 PM.
David DeCristoforo
Member
David's "last" post is why I dont own a mobile base.
PS - good tool sale in Davis, Ca
Member
Someone's been sniffing too much WD-40 again.
I thought I had trouble with my utility knife being dangerous, but nothing like this. I think that UPS could have been worked in here somewhere.
Carlos
Contributor
The fence on the Hammer doesn't need to be removed for conversion to planer mode........Rod.
Member
This kind of thing is cast iron terrorism. How could this happen?
Now we know why no combination planer/jointers are made in the USA.
Member
OP does not post a location... but if you are canadian... I would jump on this deal.
http://www.minimaxcanada.com/
They are selling FS30's for $3696 which is $2870 USD , which is a steal.
They are selling for $4295 (on sale) in the US currently.
And unfortunately, you can not buy in CA and ship to US... already checked.
Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.
Member
There are many happy customers for the G0634. Just do a search here and elsewhere, and you'll find many more positive responses than negative.
In my experience, the G0634 is a solid performer with a very high level of fit and finish. It may or may not equal a MiniMax -- although I looked at them also and, to be honest, found the Grizzly to be comprable -- but it does all I'll ever need it to.
There's nothing magic about combination machines that only Europeans have the answer to. If you search around, you'll find that the vast majority of Grizzly and Jet owners are more than satisfied.
Where will you be when you get where you're going? -- Jerry Clower
Moderator
My MiniMax J/P is part of the "heart" of my shop...I'd not give it up. No horror stories and I really can't imagine why there might be any, outside of a vendor seriously cutting corners on design and quality. So far, and as discussed in threads already here at SMC and elsewhere, the value priced products are doing a pretty good job. They might not have some of the refinement that the MiniMax, Felder/Hammer, etc., machines do, but Jet and Grizzly seem to have gotten the essentials right. Combo J/P machines are great for providing wide jointer capacity economically and in a small space along with a planer of equal capacity. I'd have to have a MUCH larger shop to pine for separates at this point...
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Member
David,
You should send that in to "Popular Woodworking" for the back inside cover. Priceless. Thank you for your imagination. I'm still laughing
all the way to the shop door to make sure it's locked.
Rye Crane
Pittsburg, CA.
Guest
Well in the machine tool world you really do get what you pay for.
If one is buying a budget brand machine, I rather think that combo machinery is strongly contraindicated.
It's enough to get a lower cost machine that does one thing very well but, to get it to perform two or more functions well or even adequately is, I should think, an improbable proposition.
This because the lower cost machines are (in my experience) made from the ground up with various sacrifices and cut corners in design, engineering, manufacturing, tolerances, and materials so as to save money in manufacturing which savings are passed on to the consumer as a more affordable machine.
It is unlikely that such a design and manufacturing ethos will translate well into a combo because the complexity and nature of a Combo machine requires more precision, greater effort in the design and engineering, as well as tighter tolerances, and better heavier materials.
Take my Hammer J/P for example. I have no complaints about it but, if you compare it to it's bigger brothers in the commercial class Felder line, you'll see many differences where materials and engineering were sacrificed to put a good J/P together for less than the $7 to $10 Gees you might hare to pay to get a Felder.
The sheet metal frame is a tad lighter than the Felder. According to some folks it is too thin to rely on for mounting a power feeder. I'd just mount it attached to a corner to get around that but the fact remains that it's a lighter machine than the heavy industrial grade Felders.
The sliding table on my Hammer sliding table saw is substantially lighter than the tables on the industrial Felder machines. The bearings are lighter too. My Hammer saw is not made to take a team of brutes slamming 100 pound sheet stock on it all day every day playing beat the clock. The Felder is.
You get what you pay for. Whether it is chisels or hand planes or machinery if you want top notch quality you need to pay some one top notch money to make top notch equipment.
I'm just sayin.
Last edited by Cliff Rohrabacher; 03-09-2009 at 8:51 AM.
Member
I don't measure quality by how much I paid for it anymore since nothing seems to be built in the USA on a level playing field. To say a European machine is 2 1/2 times better than an Asian machine, based on retail price, ignores "savings" gained by indirect factors such as low wages, lack of environmental laws, government subsidy, currency exchange rates, etc.
On the positive side, we are in the information age. Forums like SMC is an excellent way to guage quality in a machine or tool. Forums not only provide hands-on insight to a new tool, but also longer term performance expectations.
So far, Asian combos seem to be doing pretty well as per my reading. And, these machines have been in service by fellow posters for up to 2 years now.
-Jeff
Thank goodness for SMC and wood dough.
Member
I own the Jet 12 inch combo machine. I am completely satisfied! I had a Makita lunchbox for years and a powermatic 6" joiner. The Jet equals or exceeds the capicties of those units. It is durable, well-built and I can convert from planing to joining in 30 seconds or less (and vice-versa). The dust collection works well. I really like the European blade guard more than the pork chop style. I got a great deal through Klingspor last year. I have a small shop so this unit filled my needs especially well. You do need to have good joining technique due to the fact that the unit is only 55" long. For me that has not been a problem. The corrigate upper surface was the hardest feature to get used to. I would recommend this unit whole-heartedly.
Doug
Member
Off topic a bit but the savings on the lack of environmental laws isn't a completely true statement. They are finding 30% of the air pollution on the west coast originates in Asia. So the cost is there just not on the receipt.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote