What percent of time do you actually need more than a 6" jointer?

[Jeff Mohr]

Jeff, drum sanders, like planers make objects parallel, not flat.

Any FIL with a 16" combo must be a great FIL indeed!

Regards, Rod.

Rod,

Thanks for the correction and yes.....my FIL has a very nice shop which I have complete access to all the tools. VERY NICE indeed!

[Frank Drew]

Others in this thread continue to mention the need to face-joint wide stock without pre-ripping! If they are building pieces which require wide boards, so be it!

Chip, I'd keep a board full width if the job called for it, and for many applications I think the job calls for it -- table tops, door panels and other panelling, etc.. To my eye, fewer wide boards almost always look better than glue-ups of many more narrow ones, and if possible I'd avoid pre-ripping because the pattern can be interrupted, a bit, by that 1/"8-3/16" of wood lost to the saw, jointer, etc.

[C Scott McDonald]

I have a 6" PM 54HH and love it. That said I dearly wish I got an 8". As your skills increase and you move on to more complex projects you will wish you got he 8". Been there

Scott

[Bruce Wrenn]

Read the article in current issue of FWW on jointing boards wider than your jointer. I have used this method ever since I first got my 6" jointer. I can do 9-10 inch boards with no problem. Just put a "shim" on the in feed table, make sure that "shim," and knives align with the rabbeting ledge. Put a shim under jointed area, and run it through the planer. When this side is flat, turn board over, remove shim, and plane second side parrallel to first.

[Bryan Hosford]

at least 50%, my average board size is over 8". I moved up to a JJP-12. no more cutting boards down to fit.

[Rick Fisher]

This evening, I struggled with flattening some 10" wide Sapeli. I have a 6" jointer.

I cursed that jointer more than once for being too small.

I have had it for 6-7 years and only in the last couple years have I began to wish for a bigger machine.

I have been shopping for a good used 12" but havent found it. I wont bother going 8", just jump to 12" and be done with it.

[David Winer]

... I am just curious what percent of time would you say you are actually needing more than a 6" capacity on your jointer?

This question can be thought of as a generalized one--not just for jointers. Most of our woodworking tools are supposedly useful for different projects as they come up. Since we don't know what the future may bring, I would say that the more flexible the better. But of course, we have those pesky budget limitations to deal with.

[Jim Becker]

Nearly 100% of the time I need more than a 6" jointer can deliver because I flatten all my lumber by face jointing. 8" wouldn't be enough for most of the wood I use as I prefer wide lumber and buy it that way. The wider jointer surface also allows me to skew the workpiece for a shearing cut which comes in handy particularly with figured wood.

I rarely edge joint since getting my sliding saw, preferring instead to straight-line on that tool with the workpiece clamped down. It's glue ready off the saw and has none of the ripples that are typical of a jointed edge.

Oh, I use a 350mm (~14") jointer/planer combo machine.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I wouldn't have thought I needed one till after I got used to one. Now, I don't know how to get out of bed without first using my 12" jointer.