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Thread: What is going wrong with my jointer?

  1. #1

    What is going wrong with my jointer?

    It seems like every wide board that I buy turns into a wedge once I'm finished jointing it. At first I thought maybe it was the stock I was picking out, but now I'm not so sure. I double checked the adjustments on my tables and everything seems to be pretty good, so I'm quite perplexed. Here's an example of a board that that I just face jointed: https://imgur.com/a/TDgiOF7
    Last edited by Josh Davidson; 02-29-2020 at 5:23 PM.

  2. #2
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    It's hard to tell without seeing what you're doing in person, but a jointer only make a face flat, it does NOT make it parallel, which is what a thickness planer does. This is because the reference surface and the knives are in the same plane. A thickness planer does not have this issue, because the knives and the reference surface are parallel to each other.

    So that being said, it's very possible to produce a variety of shapes with one flat face, or two flat faces next to each other, at an angle.

    When you insert the board into the machine, you need to think about what you want to have cut by the blade, and push down accordingly. It also helps to work with shorter pieces, since they're less likely to be so far out of true that you cut big portions off.

  3. #3
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    Here is a video that goes further into this.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5af_yZQHo8k

  4. #4
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    That’s exactly how a jointer will cut when the knives are set high on one side. For instance if it’s just 1/64 higher two passes add up to 1/32 .
    Your solution is to reset the knives on the side that’s cutting more.
    If you have a insert head you will have to shim the low side of the head under the bearing block up.
    Good Luck
    Aj

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Hughes View Post
    That’s exactly how a jointer will cut when the knives are set high on one side. For instance if it’s just 1/64 higher two passes add up to 1/32 .
    Your solution is to reset the knives on the side that’s cutting more.
    If you have a insert head you will have to shim the low side of the head under the bearing block up.
    Good Luck
    I agree with this. For sure it is the first thing to check.

  6. #6
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    Blades are not on the same plane as the outfeed table IMO.
    Michael Dilday
    Suffolk, Va.

  7. #7
    Joint frown side down.

  8. #8
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    Has that example been jointed on both sides? Remember, jointers make one side flat, planers make the other side parallel to that.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew More View Post
    Here is a video that goes further into this.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5af_yZQHo8k
    When I first posted yesterday I had not seen the OP's original picture,now that I have ,I believe that Andrew More and Glenn are on the right track. That being said I would still check that your knives /cutterhead are lined up properly to the outfeed table of your jointer. The link Andrew posted is excellent to figure out what a jointer does and does not do.

  10. #10
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    I had the same problem years ago & had to shim the gibs to have co-planar tables & cutter head. Prior to that my jointer would take a board that was reasonably uniform in thickness with no twist & produce a "clapboard". I even had a long time competent woodworker try my jointer & he had the same results.

    I'd like to recommend a book that I found very helpful in maintaining my equipment & was used to guide me through the shimming of my jointer. It's "Care and Repair of Shop Machines" authored by John White.
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  11. #11
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    Where are you located? Maybe someone is close enough to stop by and give you a hand.
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

  12. #12
    How many passes to get to that point? That looks extreme. Is that a jointer/planer?

  13. #13
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    Josh, just curious if you solved the jointer problem.
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Jenkins View Post
    Josh, just curious if you solved the jointer problem.
    Yeah me too.

  15. #15
    This guy has to be yanking us all. Look at that board...that's ridiculous! I don't think I could do that if I tried. I think Josh is looking for a reaction, not a solution. If I'm wrong, sorry.

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