Looking for affordable straight edge for jointer tune up

[Matthew Curtis]

My jointer has a table that is almost 60" long. I am looking for a long straight edge to tune jointer. I have been using a 36 inch straight edge and would like a longer edge to span more of the jointer table. What do you recommend?

[Mike King]

I have a steel, but it was pretty pricey. I think folk have used 6' aluminum levels and they are much more affordable.

[Harvey Miller]

I like the Lee Valley Aluminum straightedges (in smaller sizes). They have a 50" at $92 US.

[Joseph Quattro]

Just yesterday, received a Powertec branded straight-edge from Amazon. Using it to set up machine extensions, etc. $25 for a 24” version, it’s relatively thick, aluminum, and somewhat nicely machined along the ‘straight’ edge. For that price, I won’t feel that bad about dropping it off the edge of the table saw.

[Mike Cutler]

I have a 6' Starrett machine rule. It seems to work good enough. It lost it's NIST traceability at work and was headed for the scrap metal dumpster. Now I use it.

Is there a reason a reference straight edge can't be made out of Lexan, or some type of acrylic material? Why only aluminum, or steel?
It seems to me that if someone has a CNC machine, these could made with an accuracy spec expressed in baud rate/digital words, and not thousandths of an inch. I see a small "cottage industry" if it's done correctly.
Maybe one of the folks that runs a CNC for commercial reasons can chime in.

[Peter Christensen]

Are you dressing the 60" table to flatten it in some way or trying to get both tables co-planar? If your 36" straight edge has the two tables coplanar then you won't get much benefit with a longer one, at least not for woodworking. If you are trying to flatten the table then you need a granite surface plate to reference from and a 6' table is not cheap.

[David Kumm]

I have an 8' Pinske edge and found all my 6-8' extruded levels were straight enough when measured against the Pinske for use when setting jointers. I now use the levels. Dave

[Matthew Curtis]

Thanks guys. I may look into a 6' level. I could always use it for multiple tasks.

[Steve Wurster]

I bought this one, I believe, but I don't remember what I paid for it: https://www.amazon.com/Anodized-Alum.../dp/B017CGDO4S

My 48" level apparently does not have a perfectly flat bottom, so while I thought my jointer tables were aligned thanks to using the level, the straightedge showed they were not.

[Bradley Gray]

My old jointer is 9ft long. I use a fresh 10' piece of steel drip edge to align the tables.

[Alan Schwabacher]

In John White's "Care and repair of shop machines" he describes making a set of "master bars" for this purpose. They are not as versatile as high dollar straightedges, but for setting up machines they can easily be accurate to 0.001" over 6', and are almost free. You simply put three screws into the edge of a board, adjusting to make a pair of the bars match perfectly. They key is to make three of them, making each match the other two, which guarantees straightness. White describes this in detail, as well as their use.

[Bill McNiel]

I bought this one, I believe, but I don't remember what I paid for it: https://www.amazon.com/Anodized-Alum.../dp/B017CGDO4S

My 48" level apparently does not have a perfectly flat bottom, so while I thought my jointer tables were aligned thanks to using the level, the straightedge showed they were not.

This appears to be be identical to the LV straight edge (except half the cost) that I've been using for years. It light, straight and one of the most used tools in my shop.

[Carlos Alvarez]

I don't understand the point of spanning the entire table surface. I adjust mine with about a 30" tool, and that seems like plenty to assure the tables are in alignment. Is there really that much more precision to be found with a longer one? (Prepares to break out wallet to feed OCD)

[Osvaldo Cristo]

My jointer has a table that is almost 60" long. I am looking for a long straight edge to tune jointer. I have been using a 36 inch straight edge and would like a longer edge to span more of the jointer table. What do you recommend?

I have an aluminium Starrett 1,200 mm long level (around 47-48 inch). I think it could work also for your purpose. Not expensive.

[Carlos Alvarez]

Starrett

Not expensive.

Hmmmmm...

Since the 12" level is over $100, I wonder what you think "expensive" is.