I broke my jointer

[Larry Foster]

Once again, thank you, in advance, for your patient indulgence as I prove (again) that I am a dunderhead.

I apologize that this is so long.

Recently, I started to buy some kiln dried lumber from a neighbor who has a saw mill.
This lumber is kiln- dried and because it's oversized and rough, it needs milled.

A while back I bought a second hand Craftsman jointer but hadn't felt a need to use it up until now.

Trying to be clever, I attempted to tune it up and adjust it.

(Here's where the dunderhead part starts)

I grabbed a test piece of wood to see how it performed.

I could barely get the board across the blades.
After trying a couple more times, I grabbed a different board.
It worked but the results were terrible.

Then I discovered that the first test piece was one I had previously tested a brad nailer on.
Ruined blades.

Well, that was bad enough.
Then I discovered my model jointer is obsolete and parts are scarce as hen's teeth.

I did find a source of blades but they weren't cheap.
$75 including shipping.

They finally arrived and I installed and tried to adjust.
I am sure I tightened the screws, but upon turning the machine on it banged.
Shutting down quickly, it didn't look like there was any damage.

Rechecked and tightened screws and turned on.
This time it banged hard, destroyed one blade and the clamp that holds it.
That clamp might be hard to find.

Finally, getting to my point.

Since a jointer won't be used everyday, how important is one?
The cheapest I saw new was a Craftsman for about $300.

I figured out how to get good edges with a table saw and a verified straight edge but having trouble figuring out the best way to flatten one face to run through my planer.
Cups, bows and twists.

I don't have hand planes but I do have a power planer.

I've seen other methods like a jig for a router.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Sorry for the length.

[Jim Andrew]

I had an old Craftsman jointer once. The belt would slip if I tried to flatten the face of a board. It worked ok for edge jointing, but was pretty short. If you really want to do woodworking, get an 8" jointer with helical head. Then you don't have to adjust the knives. Saves a lot of trouble for guys less than mechanically inclined.

[Phil Mueller]

Larry, search YouTube videos “how to joint boards on a planer”. You’ll find a number of different jigs that can get the job done.

[Larry Foster]

Thank you Jim and Phil.

Jim, I should have mentioned that I'm a cheap woodworker, too.

Phil, I have watched a number of those videos and was wondering what you guys find best/easiest

[michael dilday]

Edge jointing is easily accomplished with a table saw. Face jointing can be done on a planer with a sled or with a router with the right jigs that are available online. If you do a lot of woodworking making larger projects like furniture then the savings of buying rough lumber will pay for a jointer in short order. I have a Jet JJP-12 combo jointer/planer and it is a great machine.

[Matt Day]

Things happen in 3’s they say, and I think you’ve used up all 3. So brighter times ahead!

I’d look for a used 6-8” jointer on CL, FB marketplace, etc.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I don't use mine (Delta 8") much, maybe a couple times a year. More often than not, my hardwood supplier joints the edges which is all I need. I often make use of a Stanley No. 7 Jointer Plane which works great and takes up very little space. Heck, a Lie Neilsen 4 and 1/2 gets things pretty flat.

[Larry Foster]

Thank you Michael, Matt and Thomas.

Michael, so far, I don't do a lot of woodworking but I like gadgets and power tools.

Matt, I may be able to get by without a jointer for now but will keep an eye out on FB and CL

Thomas, my local guy is a one man operation who still works an outside job.
While he has nice lumber and pretty good prices, his lumber is rough.

I have been watching some videos on planing for a smooth flat face using sleds

I bought the planer new a year ago and, finally, used it for the first time the other day

[Gary Petersen]

+1 on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I sold my 6" no-name Taiwanese jointer on CL for $150 a year or so ago when I bought an 8" Grizzly. I use mine - and my 12.5" DeWalt lunchbox planer - fairly frequently and when I use them, I tend to use them a lot. The lower cost of rough-cut lumber will pay for both quickly with even moderate use. In the interim, you may be able to find someone local with one you could get some of your lumber jointed on from time to time. At least as long as you don't take the brad nailer practice pieces. That would sour a relationship pretty quickly. :-) I have a friend at work who plans to bring some wood over to joint and plane for a project of his once our SaferAtHome quarantine ends, so that kind of thing does happen.

[Larry Foster]

Thanks for those ideas, Gary

[johnny means]

I'm going to recommend a jointer plane. Not because I think it's a better tool for the task, but I think your story sounds a bit frenzied (pronounced dangerous) to me. Slowing down is an under appreciated skill.

[Richard Coers]

A jointer is critical in my shop. I don't want to diddle around with a sled and a thickness planer to take cup and twist out of every single board. I want to lay it on the jointer and make accurate lumber. It's impossible to do good joinery if the wood is twisted to start with.

[Alex Zeller]

If you can get by with a 6" jointer I would suggest watching Craig's list. I see them all the time. 8" and up are very rare on CL and tend to get bought up quickly. If you are happy with a short table jointer you can often find older ones for under $100. I've even seen modern Powermatic 6" jointers for around $500.

[Larry Foster]

Thanks for your input, johnny, Richard and Alex.

johnny, thanks for your concern.
Actually, I'm the opposite of frenzied and I am very careful.
I want to leave this world with the same amount of fingers I brought in here with me.
Dumb might be a better description.
I barely passed shop class in 8th grade.
Got my only "D" and that may have been a mercy grade.

Richard, because I can only do one project at a time due to small shop size, monkeying with a sled isn't a big deal.

But, I would have liked to have a power tool to do it quick and easy.

I'll keep checking CL and FB.
A second hand jointer is what got me into this thread.

[Jon Grider]

Thanks for your input, johnny, Richard and Alex.

johnny, thanks for your concern.
Actually, I'm the opposite of frenzied and I am very careful.
I want to leave this world with the same amount of fingers I brought in here with me.
Dumb might be a better description.
I barely passed shop class in 8th grade.
Got my only "D" and that may have been a mercy grade.

Richard, because I can only do one project at a time due to small shop size, monkeying with a sled isn't a big deal.

But, I would have liked to have a power tool to do it quick and easy.

I'll keep checking CL and FB.
A second hand jointer is what got me into this thread.

I'm don't know where you are located, but if it's driving distance to SW Michigan, I have a 1980 6" Craftsman that is in good working order. Includes extra knives , knife setting gauge and instruction booklet. I upgraded a few years ago to an 8" jointer, so this is just taking up space. I'll sell it at a reasonable price but will need your help getting it upstairs. This of course after the stay at home order is lifted. let me know.