Straightedge for jointer setup?

[Darcy Warner]

Take a look at John White's book on maintaining and setting up shop equipment. He gives clear instructions on how to make a fixture that involves 3 points and is dead straight. Apparently an old machinist's solution. -Howard

This. It works, I still have the set I made and use them often.

It can also be done with a machinist level.

[Mark Gibney]

I bought a Crain 6' steel straight edge at a carpet store locally a number of months back.
It's supposedly accurate to +/_ 0.005. It was $60something plus tax.

https://www.tools4flooring.com/crain...-ft-p-639.html

I haven't used it yet, so I can't give you any feedback on that.
However, I like the feel of it, the two flats faces are red powder coated, and it has a fairly robust feel, as you'd expect a flooring tool to have.

If you do use it you'll either need someone help you hold it on it's edge, or make something to keep it in place.

[william watts]

I fought my jointer for years then finally purchased the Veritas 50 ipnch Aluminum straight edge. Turned out I needed to shim the outfeed table. The price at the time was about $80 , been a few years ago. Now it gets used to to check the flatness of handplaned work and any other thing that needs to be flat. Takes alot of frustration away.

Bill

[andy bessette]

I’m getting ready to buy this 50” straight edge for myself. It’s a great value at $44.99. I’ve bought several tools from this eBay vendor and have been very pleased. A lot of his tools (new) have only cosmetic defects and sell for quite a discount.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F151867626327

That straightedge appears to be too narrow, too thin and too short for this purpose.

Except for the likelihood of getting one that is not straight enough, a long level is functionally much better because of its thickness. And you can weight the end using a sandbag, rather than messing with clamps for each setup.

[Mike Kees]

Third vote for what Howard and Darcy already said,make a set of alignment bars. The book by john White is an excellent resource for machine set up and adjustment.

[Bruce Whitaker]

You can make your own test bars cheaply and accurately. Check here, p27, under jointer setup for an accurate, three point, shop made straight edge.

edit: forgot the link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=dSLOYO ... er&f=false

[Andrew Hughes]

If the knifes or even one knife is too high above the outfeed table.
The jointer make hollow gap joints.
Rule that out first.

Good Luck

[Mel Fulks]

If the knifes or even one knife is too high above the outfeed table.
The jointer make hollow gap joints.
Rule that out first.

Good Luck

Two thousandths too high is enuff to do that. I think some tend to think it takes more.

[Andrew Joiner]

This has the the 3 point master bar details on page 31:
https://www.scribd.com/document/234718161/14-Care-Repair-of-Shop-Machines

[Mark e Kessler]

I think you are talking about a spring joint which most if not all european machines are shipped from the factory set this way, you may want that you may not. You actually do want the knives slight hair above the outfeed, I can’t remember off hand right now but I place a 6” or 12” rule on the outfeed table over the knife and when you rotate the head the rule should move slightly (seem to remember 5/64” could be less). Too much causes snipe.


To adjust coplaner I adjust the outfeed fine adjust a little above middle travel, adjust the table so the knives are at zero with a dial indicator in a oneway jig then I spend the next 4ish hours driving myself nuts, when its all good I then adjust the outfeed down with the fine adjust using the 6” or 12” rule.

This is on a parallelogram table with insert cutter, I also did it this way on a straight knife scmi for over 20 yrs. I have no experience adjusting a dovetailed way jointer so the process may be different - lots of techniques, opinions, debate...etc...

If the knifes or even one knife is too high above the outfeed table.
The jointer make hollow gap joints.
Rule that out first.

Good Luck

[Bill Dufour]

Take three long levels at the store and compare them to each other. That will tell you if they are straight. Two will not be enough to know for sure. You could always get into scrapping to make the straight edges, but again, you will need three straight edges to compare the final results. For wood working you do not need the same precision as metal working straight edges. I would say for wood working you do not have to worry about heat from ungloved hands affecting straightness. unbalanced sun light maybe enough to notice for a long edge.
Bill D

[Mel Fulks]

Two thousandths too high is enuff to do that. I think some tend to think it takes more.

I was referring to the out feed table being high for spring-joint, not the knives. Sorry. I need to be more careful !

[Mark e Kessler]

No problems
Too high at the end of the outfeed and leading edge of infeed could cause a convex shape (not desirable), low could cause concave (spring joint, potentially desirable)

I was referring to the out feed table being high for spring-joint, not the knives. Sorry. I need to be more careful !

[Patrick Kane]

Machine calibration is one of the more frustrating aspects of starting out in the hobby. Mostly, because it requires a decent upfront investment in a couple quality items that are hard to replicate to the accuracy required in a homemade version. Its hard to setup your jointer, planer, table saw, or anything else without a dial indicator, magnetic base, a good 36"+ straight edge, and a square. The aluminum straight edges from Lee Valley are a good bargain. I bought the 38" when i first got started, and it was satisfactory for a lot of machine setup. Now, i have a 48" starrett that i bought used.

I would suggest to search for a used starrett or camel back. Sometimes there are deals to be had. Remember, when new these items cost many hundreds, so the original owners tend to care for them like the little Baby Jesus. They are usually in great shape, even if old. If that doesnt work, where are you located? Perhaps an owner can lend you a straight edge for the afternoon? In lieu of that, i would be more than happy to joint a piece of maple or something for you to take back to your place. Or someone to rip a piece of quality ply or MDF off their slider. In my opinion, you want to dial your machines dead nuts on. In the event you cant do that, you can get the jointer table's "close enough", and then focus all of your pressure on the outfeed table. Face the first foot or so and then only apply pressure to the outfeed. This should result in a flat face if your outfeed table is flat.

[Mark Daily]

I have had no luck with Taylor tool and their seconds or customer service or even firsts of the PEC squares. The rules are ok but the squares are terrible, if you take the rules out you have to fight to get it back in as there is no anti rotation on the clamp post and the machining of that part is low quality. Additionally the biggest annoyance on the squares as they won’t clamp the blade tight enough so it won’t slip, I thought to was due to ordering a second but it happens on a new one as well

I probably have early onset old fart syndrome as I have been using Starretts for 30 years and their is no comparison...

Sorry about your bad experiences- I’ve had nothing but good ones!