Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 52

Thread: What 12" Combination Jointer/Planer should I get?

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,541
    I have a Jet JJP-12 with straight knives, bought it before helical heads were available. For me, I'm not sure a helical head would be worth the upgrade, I haven't found a situation where straight knives just didn't get it done but then I tend to work with straight grained domestics. I'm certain that for woods with interlocking grain or figure the helical head is well worth the $$$.

    A search will find an old thread about Jet planer bed settings. I don't have the required precision setup equipment but am able to produce edges that can be glued up with reasonable clamping pressure and no gaps. I'm not sure what else I'd need. The only change I did make was to replace the infeed jointer table lock knob with a larger wheel. I do move the table to change cut depth and I found the factory knob too small. The outfeed is only moved when changing knives so I didn't worry about that one.
    wheel.JPG

  2. #17
    I bought the Hammer A3/31 with helical head and love it. I have had a couple minor issues (essentially things going out of alignment) over the years, but had really patient great service just calling their 800 number and I was able to fix both issues myself. I would buy it again if I lost it, although thankfully it is hard to misplace something that big.

    That said I seriously considered the Jet HH and the FS30 and I'm pretty confident I would have been very happy with either of those if I'd gone that way. I talked to an owner of the Jet before deciding and he loves his.

    The one thing that I would not give up is the digital height gauge. It is amazing to be able to plane, flip over to the jointer and then later (seconds, hours, or months later) go back to the same setting with accuracy better than .1mm.

    Also I love my helical head, but my impression is that tersa (or equivalent) can be just as good - at least those who have them seem to love them just as much as we love our helicals - I haven't used Tersa so can't compare myself.

    You can find the price on Hammer machines on their website (I think it is called the online store) and it seems they go on sale once or twice a year. The sales are pretty substantial. I didn't have any luck negotiating, but I just waited until it went on sale. I picked Hammer over the FS30 because it was quite a bit cheaper on sale. Again I'm sure I would have been happy with either, but I love mine.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Coastal Southern Maine
    Posts
    350
    I own the Grizzly G0634XP 12" J/P and love it. The tables were not coplaner when it was delivered and it took me a few days to get it perfect. I would work on it for a bit then walk away to think.

    I used an accurate straight edge, feeler gauges, along with a Oneway Multi Gauge. Once set it has stayed in tune for about two years. I previously owned a Mini Max CU 300 Smart that I sold before moving and setting up my current shop so I am familiar with the setup and use of a similar machine.

    If my current unit was stolen, I would purchase it again without hesitation.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Lebanon, TN
    Posts
    1,719
    I had a Dewalt 735 with a Byrd Shelix cutter head and a Jet 6" jointer with a helix head.

    I loved both of these tools, but decided I need to upgrade the planer. I was very close to buying a Powermatic 20" with helix head, but am a little tight on shop space.

    My Dewalt was alright and for the price it did a good job, but was still very loud in use and was limited in the depth of cut, so multiple passes were the norm to get to my desired thickness. I planed about 700 linear feet of rough sawn 5/4 to about 1.125", which in passes through the planer were equivalent to about 3500ln/ft.

    I put my Dewalt and Jet jointer up for sale and they went in two days.

    The Hammer A3-31, although it gives up an inch in width in the planning mode, it cuts through wood incredibly and I gained double the width in jointing capacity.

    With the helix head, it is so quiet, you can continue a conversation while it's cutting a 10" board.

    Whichever model you decide upon, I strongly suggest you go with a helix style cutter head, they are so easy to maintain, quiet in operation and produce a wonderful cut.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970
    The 12 inch jointer capacity is the reason I sold my separate jointer and planer and bought the combo machine. No regrets.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,599
    My advise is to buy the first used Hammer or MM that comes along at a good price. Let the first owner take the depreciation hit and resolve any quality issues. A friend of mine was looking at an FS-35 recently for $1500, about 20 years old, which would be an excellent deal in my book. Besides paying less than half the price of a new machine you can see it run and check to see if the tables are coplaner, if everything works as it's supposed to, etc. Buying new is no assurance things will be perfect, not by a long shot if you do some due diligence. I bought an FS-35 about 3 years ago and got it down into my basement shop by disassemblying it and carrying down the pieces. If you got a 17" bandsaw into your shop you can get a J/P down there, too. And FWIW, I have straight knives on my machine and don't feel handicapped. A Tersa head would have been great but the one I found had straight knives. Helical head? Sure, but that was clearly out of my price range. And for what I paid for it I had less trouble justifying an upgraded dual drum sander, used of course.

    John

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970
    If I would have waited for the first used Hammer or MM combination machine to come along, I would died of old age before buying one at all. I have watched Craigslist in my area for probably 10 years and I haven't seen one yet. It is unfortunate but true that good used woodworking equipment is not available in all areas.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    313
    Quote Originally Posted by Art Mann View Post
    If I would have waited for the first used Hammer or MM combination machine to come along, I would died of old age before buying one at all. I have watched Craigslist in my area for probably 10 years and I haven't seen one yet. It is unfortunate but true that good used woodworking equipment is not available in all areas.
    Agree. I actually saw a Felder combo J/P on Western PA CL for the first time a few months ago. Doubt I'll ever see it again. If you were really looking 2nd hand, your chances would be better (though perhaps still not great) at auctions. For anyone that lives in the Midwest, I'd say the Air Works Auction would be the best chance to find something second hand. But as the OP lives in Maine, that's not very helpful. There may in fact be something like that in the NE, though and others may know about it.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Central WI
    Posts
    5,666
    You need to learn how to ship efficiently when you go the used route. Seldom do machines come up next door. The benefit to combo machines are they are often lightly used and depreciate quickly enough so you can get a 700 or 900 for Hammer money. New machines travel across the world to get here and an additional 500-1000 to get a higher end used machine to your door can be built into the price. Dave

  10. #25
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    2,162
    I agree with John.I buy all my machines used for the same reasons John stated. I purchased a 16' Paoloni jointer this summer (used) after missing a Minimax 14" combo in a auction. About a month later some guy had a Minimax for sale that had been in storage for 12 years. Win some,lose some. The money saved and knowing what you are getting make up for it though.

  11. #26
    I have the Hammer A3-31 and also recommend it. It's quiet. The fence stays pretty well aligned vertically. The switchover is pretty easy. I haven't had issues with it.

    The thing is, when shopping for a bandsaw, I got some advice to get a Minimax when I was considering a Grizzly. I ultimately went with the Grizzly, and am pretty happy with it.

    This is to say, I suspect if you get the Jet or Grizzly, you'll be just fine in the end. The difference for me comes whenever i have a minor issue:

    When my Hammer squeaks when raising the table, or when it joints slightly concave I think "I screwed up; should have lubed or adjusted it better".
    With the Grizzly, when a bearing needs adjustment, I think "Damn, I bet the Minimax wouldn't have this problem."

    This is to say, I suspect brand bias may be at play in determining satisfaction with the tool.

    You really should try both if you can muster.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,599
    Quote Originally Posted by Art Mann View Post
    If I would have waited for the first used Hammer or MM combination machine to come along, I would died of old age before buying one at all. I have watched Craigslist in my area for probably 10 years and I haven't seen one yet. It is unfortunate but true that good used woodworking equipment is not available in all areas.
    The OP is in Maine. Boston isn't far. I had to drive 6 hours each way to get my FS-35 and don't regret it. I had a 16" industrial jointer shipped across two states for a friend. All in he spent about $3.5K for a machine that would cost north of $12K new. Pro and prosumer machines like MM and Hammer J/P's will last for several generations of hobbiest use so there's no worry of wearing out a used one.

    Cast a wider net. Machines are out there.
    New is nice but used machines offer a far better value if you shop wisely.

    John

  13. #28
    My 2-cents, accept or reject as you please: If you're going to buy a combined machine, go European. I realize there are some happy owners here of the Asian budget versions but I talked to a number of people back in the day who went the Chaiwanese route and got complete lemons. As in, "Unusable and I don't want another one". The typical mass-produced Asian thing: High sample variation/sketchy QC. Maybe you get a good one... Except it's not a like shoes from Zappos where you just slap the return label on a box. Best of luck with your search.

    Erik

  14. #29
    I have a question for the folks that currently own one of these 12" combo machines...what is your honest opinion of how well they will face join a board??? Like 8 foot long??? I ask this because, one, they really seem cost effective, and two, they appear in the photo ads I have seen to have a somewhat short looking table length. My next machine will be a big 12 inch jointer. I have pretty long tables on the PM jointer I have now and I like the way I can fairly easily get a board flat and square. I feel like I wouldn't necessarily want to go with a machine that has shorter tables on it for this reason. Am I wrong for thinking this way??? I am interested in face jointing and have a big 20" PM planer and a 735, so I would never use the planing option. I ask this because there sure don't seem to be many big jointers for sale, at least not in my neck of the woods....Thanks in advance for any info.
    Last edited by Martin Siebert; 01-23-2019 at 12:12 AM.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,450
    Martin, what you ask is complicated by you already owning a 20" planer. I have the Hammer A3-31, which I purchased as it was a cost-effective way for me to get a 12" jointer. The longest boards I joint are probably 6-7'. Most of what I joint is in the 3-4' range. The furniture I build is mid-size. I have never felt that the length of the tables compromises what I build. I have had rough sawn boards of 8-10', but simply never work on them at this length. Sawing them shorter (as needed), and jointer shorter lengths is less wasteful (the desired thickness is reached with less waste). In your case I would either sell the planer and get a combo, or just get a separate jointer.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •