Jointing big wood

[Jim Riseborough]

So I have a Powermatic P82, but the fence is not big enough for the wood I am jointing. The wood is 2"x8"x10', and it wants to just sit on the edge thats from the table saw. I was going to use my planer sled (its a torsion box style) and clamp that to the jointer and square it up. That way I can control the wood against the fence better.

My other thought was to clamp it all together and run thru the planer on edge (it would be a 12" wide piece all clamped together. )

You can search for my thread on building a table, this is what I am working on.

Thanks

[Matthew Curtis]

Flatten the 8" face first. Then run that olong fence to square one side.

[Dan Friedrichs]

1) What is a Powermatic P82? I assume a jointer? I googled it and couldn't figure it out.

2) Are you building a 10' long table? If not, cut it to rough length - much easier to joint a shorter board.

3) There is nothing wrong with running a 2" wide piece through a planer on edge, but that's not performing the same flattening operation you'd get from running it over a jointer.

4) I don't understand what it is you're trying to do (or having trouble with). First step should be to flatten the 8" wide face on the jointer (no fence needed). Then, ride that flat face on the jointer fence while you're jointing a 2" edge - this gives you two flat faces (an 8" and a 2") that are perpendicular to each other. Third, table saw rip the other 2" edge to be parallel with the jointed 2" edge. Fourth, thickness plane the remaining 8" face to be parallel with other 8" face.

[Jim Riseborough]

Flatten the 8" face first. Then run that olong fence to square one side.

That part I know. Easier said than done with a 8" wide x 10' long board on a small fence. This is why I am looking for options. I have the wood flat, and jointed, but it didnt end up coming out 90 deg. Fence is dead on, the wood is just moving around too much as I handle it thru the jointer.

1) What is a Powermatic P82? I assume a jointer? I googled it and couldn't figure it out.


2) Are you building a 10' long table? If not, cut it to rough length - much easier to joint a shorter board.


3) There is nothing wrong with running a 2" wide piece through a planer on edge, but that's not performing the same flattening operation you'd get from running it over a jointer.



4) I don't understand what it is you're trying to do (or having trouble with). First step should be to flatten the 8" wide face on the jointer (no fence needed). Then, ride that flat face on the jointer fence while you're jointing a 2" edge - this gives you two flat faces (an 8" and a 2") that are perpendicular to each other. Third, table saw rip the other 2" edge to be parallel with the jointed 2" edge. Fourth, thickness plane the remaining 8" face to be parallel with other 8" face.

1. PJ-882 Jointer

2. Yes, 10' table

3. Thats my issue. I have the wood flat, now trying to square it up, and I cannot get it square, since the wood is too big to get against the jointer fence perfectly square. Im going to use my own built fence and square that to the jointer, and then clamp it down. This way I have a bigger surface area to support the wood as a run it through the jointer to square the wood.

4. I have the theory down. Im trying to joint a large board on a small piece of equipment. Looking for options for better support so the wood is against the fence. Its hard to get it flat against the fence since its 10' long.


I'll post pictures of what I come up with. I think it will work.

[Martin Wasner]

If it's straight, an outboard fence and a straight cutter on a powerfed shaper works well.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Hmmm. So it sounds like the issue is that you're having a difficult time holding the 8" face tight to the fence while jointing the 2" edge. I'd suggest practicing with some shorter scraps. There's definitely some technique to learn. You should be putting most of the pressure into holding the 8" face tight to the fence.

I'd try to gently dissuade you from putting too much effort into whatever auxiliary fence arrangement you're thinking of. You're trying to do a basic jointer operation - the kind of operation the tool is designed for - it shouldn't require anything crazy. Work on technique.

[Jim Riseborough]

Hmmm. So it sounds like the issue is that you're having a difficult time holding the 8" face tight to the fence while jointing the 2" edge. I'd suggest practicing with some shorter scraps. There's definitely some technique to learn. You should be putting most of the pressure into holding the 8" face tight to the fence.

I'd try to gently dissuade you from putting too much effort into whatever auxiliary fence arrangement you're thinking of. You're trying to do a basic jointer operation - the kind of operation the tool is designed for - it shouldn't require anything crazy. Work on technique.

I have no issues with technique, I have done 1x8x8' boards no problem, I think the extra thickness and thus extra weight is giving me hell. I will get it one way or another!

[Jim Riseborough]

If it's straight, an outboard fence and a straight cutter on a powerfed shaper works well.

Thanks. I dont have either though.

[Jim Morgan]

I'd try magnetic featherboards on the infeed and outfeed tables to hold the bottom of the board in snug to the fence. That way you only have to concentrate on keeping the board against the top of the fence. A second pair of hands would also be a great help.

[Prashun Patel]

square the edge with a handplane and then run it on the jointer with very light passes to flatten perfectly

[Tony Roun]

If you run out of patience on the jointer, and you’ve already flattened one face, could you make a simple rip sled for your table saw to get one of the edges straight? Something along the lines of what folks use to get a straight edge on live edge lumber.

[Mike Cutler]

Jim

Yeah, that board is going to be moving al around on you.
Do you have extra support on the infeed, and outfeed tables ? If you can get rid of the weight, the job becomes much easier. I think I posted earlier that I used some Rigid Flip Top stands. While not the best stands I've ever used, they worked.
The out board fence Martin referred to, while being on a shaper, can also be just a board, or an "L"clamped to the jointer tables to steady the stock and stop the bottom from kicking away from the jointer fence. Kind of like a guide that sandwiches the material between jointer fence and the temporary fence.

I've done some pretty big boards on my Jet 6" jointer, the largest being 11'x14"x2" Jatoba, so I know it's definitely doable, but you have to find a way to control the material as it passes over the cutter head, and get the weight out of your hands so that you can concentrate on technique.
In absence of being able to use the jointer, you may need to make an edge guide for a router.


Edit, now that I'm awake.

Jim
Are these the table top boards in your Farm Table thread?
If so, there may be an easier solution to deal with two issues simultaneously.
If you can butt the boards up against each other, in the order the will be layed out, You clamp two boards at a time to a flat table reference, butted up against each other. Get a known good straight edge and center the butted joint on the kerf of a circular saw, and rip down the middle, creating two newly cut edges, one on each board. These edges will be "jointed" to each other now. You might have to repeat the process once or twice until the rip removes material from both edges simultaneously, along the edges.

[Tom M King]

Since you're having trouble with it, and probably won't be building stuff that large all the time, just take it somewhere that's set up for it, and get them to run it for you.

[Andrew Hughes]

Since you're having trouble with it, and probably won't be building stuff that large all the time, just take it somewhere that's set up for it, and get them to run it for you.

Ha easier said then done. Wouldn’t that be great if we had places like this around.

[Tom M King]

I always get a good laugh when people say the size of wood is limited by the size of the jointer. This picture shows us in the middle of jointing a 12/4 x 14" x 8' board on a 6" jointer. I use a helper to lighten up the end as we start the cut. The roller stands are set a little below the level of the beds because it's impossible to set them perfectly. This particular mobile base puts the wheels back under the jointer some, so it will tip easily with something heavy on it. When I feel it getting to the balance point, I let it ease over until it eases down gently onto the roller stand.

Of course, this is not the ideal setup, but it's what we had when we were on that site away from home.

Almost any cabinet shop would be able to run a 2x8x10. Just don't waste their time with too many details when you ask.